Formal and informal register.

1. Formal and informal register.

2. Informal to formal Informal to formal means moving from the kind of speech we would use when talking with friends: ‘I’m not going this afternoon ’cos I’ve got a cold.’ To the kind of voice we use with our professional hat on: ‘I will be unable to attend this afternoon’s appointment as I have contracted an infection, for which I will need to visit the doctor.’

3. Using your formal voice Imagine you’ve contracted someone to carry out painting work for your business. You were out of town and one of your staff paid the painters from the till. When you return the job is poorly finished. You need to write to the painters making it clear that you’re not happy and you intend to do something about it. How can you show you should be taken seriously?

4. What’s wrong with this? To Speedy Plumbers, You dun a really bad job!! Painting was incomplete e.g. lots of equipmnt left lying around – which took me 2 weeks to clear up!! I am totally raging!! U owe me a refund for the work you dun or I get a lawyer to handle the situashin… Yours, Cliff Hanger

5. From informal to formal You dun a really bad job!! Painting was incomplete e.g. lots of equipmnt left lying around – which took me 2 weeks to clear up!! I am totally raging!! U owe me a refund for the work you dun or I get a lawyer to handle the situashin… The job done was unsatisfactory. The painting was incomplete and equipment was left unattended. Furthermore, the situation took two weeks to address. This is completely unacceptable. An immediate refund is requested or legal action will be sought.

6. What did we do? 'You dun a really bad job!!The job done was unsatisfactory. The spelling informal register avoid high emotion/lots of punctuation painting was incomplete e.g.and lots of equipmntequipment was left abbreviations spelling lying around unattended – which Furthermore, the situation took me2 informal registerFormal Linking sentence structure passive voice two weeks to clear up!!! address. I am This is totally raging completely no numbers avoid exclamation informal register passive voice slang unacceptable. U owe me for the work you done An active to passive voice immediate refund is requested or I get a lawyer to handle this situashin legal action will be sought' passive voice

7. What did we do? • Made the register of words more formal • Removed abbreviation • Used passive voice • Removed digits • Removed text language • Formal linking • Used fewer exclamation marks Get: obtained; raging: displeased Sort out: address eg: for example I want to:It is requested that You should:There should be 2: two, to, too; 4: four I want u 2:I want you to However, furthermore

8. Contractions • Won’t • Haven’t • Can’t • Don’t • Aren’t Write down the answers...

9. Language: formal register For each thing you want to say there will be a range of ways to say it. From very formal to very informal:

10. Register: formal verbs • Get • Looking • Went • Deserves • Saw/seen • Buy • Having • Has • Obtain/achieve • Seeking • Attended • Merits • Observed • Purchase • Featuring • Possesses

11. Register: formal adjectives These are vague... These are specific... Excellent, valuable, skilled, effective Stylish, sophisticated, friendly, confident Good, great Nice Practise with word thesaurus.

12. From active to passive voice Active constructions I looked up the internet Dan cleaned the car I will finish the work today We visited the site Passive constructions The internet was consulted. The car was cleaned (by Dan) The work will be finished today The site was visited

13. Formal linking words Signposting: Firstly, secondly, thirdly, Words that build on a point: Additionally, moreover, furthermore, also, therefore Words that signal a change of direction: However, nevertheless, yet, on the other hand, but, despite this Let’s practise this.