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Business English Correspondence Week 1

Business English Correspondence Week 1. Language Register Formal, Informal, and Neutral. Language  register  is the level and style of your writing. It should be appropriate for the situation you are in. The three most common language registers in writing are: Formal Informal Neutral.

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Business English Correspondence Week 1

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  1. Business English CorrespondenceWeek 1 Language Register Formal, Informal, and Neutral

  2. Language register is the level and style of your writing. It should be appropriate for the situation you are in. • The three most common language registers in writing are: • Formal • Informal • Neutral

  3. We usedifferent language registers for different types of writing, just as we speak differently to different people. You would not speak to the President of the United States the same way you would talk to your brother.

  4. To your brother: What's up? It's awesome that you came to visit!

  5. To the President: Good morning, Mr. President. We appreciate your visit.

  6. The formal register is more appropriate for professional writing and letters to a boss or a stranger. The informal register (also called casual or intimate) is conversational and appropriate when writing to friends and people you know very well.The neutral register is non-emotional and sticks to facts. It is most appropriate for technical writings.

  7. Formal Language Register • Formal writing is probably the most difficult type of writing. It is impersonal, meaning it is not written for a specific person and is written without emotion.

  8. Formal writing includes:Business Letters • Letters of complaint • Some essays • Reports • Official speeches • Announcements • Professional emails

  9. Rules of the formal language register: • 1. Do not use contractions • Contractions are not usually used in formal writing, even though they are very common in spoken English. • Examples:

  10. In formal writing, you should use: • cannot instead of can’t • have not instead of haven’t • will not instead of won’t • could not instead of couldn’t • is not instead of isn’t

  11. 2. Spell out numbers less than onehundred Examples: • nineteen • twenty-two • seventy-eight • six

  12. 3. Write in third person point of view • In formal writing, we usually do not use first person or second person unless it is a quote.Avoid using: • I • You • We • Us

  13. Examples:You can purchase a car for under$10,000.One can purchase a car for under $10,000.ORA car can be purchased for under $10,000.

  14. You will probably see an elephant on an African safari. One may see elephants on an African safari. ORElephants are a common sight on African safaris.

  15. 5. Avoid using slang, idioms, exaggeration (hyperboles) and clichés • Slang is common in informal writing and spoken English. Slang is particular to a certain region or area. Examples of slang: • awesome/cool • okay/ok • check it out • in a nutshell

  16. A cliché is a phrase that is overused (said too often).Common clichés:  • too much of a good thing • moment of truth • Time is money. • Don’t push your luck. • Beauty is only skin deep.

  17. 6. Avoid abbreviations and acronyms • If you use an acronym or abbreviation, write it out the first timeWhen using acronyms, write the entire name out the first time it appears, followed by the acronym. From then on, you can use the acronym by itself.Examples: • National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) • Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT)

  18. For abbreviations, write the complete word the first time, then use the abbreviation.Examples: • influenza => flu • United States of America => U.S.A or USA • tablespoon => tbsp. • Kansas => KS

  19. Do not use slang abbreviations or symbols that you would use in friendly emails and texts.Examples: • LOL (laugh out loud) • ttyl (talk to you later) • & • b/c (because) • w/o (without)

  20. Informal Language Register • Informal writing is written in the way we talk to our friends and family. We use informal writing when we are writing to someone we know very well. • Informal writing includes: • Personal e-mails • Phone texts • Short notes • Friendly letters • Most blogs • Diaries and journals

  21. Neutral Language Register • We use the neutral language register with non-emotional topics and information.Neutral writing is not necessarily formal or informal. It is not usually positive or negative. A neutral register is used to deliver facts. 

  22. Writing in the natural language register includes: • Reviews • Articles • Some letters • Some essays • Technical writing

  23. Practice • Phrasal verbs and their equivalents

  24. References: • https://www.really-learn-english.com/language-register.html • https://www.uts.edu.au/current-students/support/helps/self-help-resources/grammar/formal-and-informal-language • https://www.flo-joe.co.uk/cae/students/writing/register/phrasal.htm • https://www.aresearchguide.com/formal-vs-informal-language.html

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