Formal and informal language (Edexcel GCSE English Language): Flashcards
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12 cards from this deck
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Practise the cards
12 cards from this deck
Language register
Language register
The level of formality you use in communication
Two key factors for choosing register
Two key factors for choosing register
Audience (who you write to) and purpose (why you write)
General principle for written contexts
General principle for written contexts
Use formal language (Standard English) in most written contexts
Formal language characteristics
Formal language characteristics
Less personal, shows respect, careful word choice, well-structured
When to use formal language - academic settings
When to use formal language - academic settings
Exam answers, essays, reports, business letters, job applications
When to use formal language - official communications
When to use formal language - official communications
Letters to people you don't know, correspondence with authorities
Informal language purpose
Informal language purpose
For casual, familiar settings; relaxed but still purposeful
Colloquial language
Colloquial language
Everyday conversation language, natural but may be region-specific
Slang definition
Slang definition
Most informal language; may not be understood by all readers
When to use informal language
When to use informal language
Personal communications, familiar audiences, friends/family
Same message, different registers
Same message, different registers
The same message can be expressed formally or informally
Informal language and purpose
Informal language and purpose
Informality doesn't mean lack of purpose; still must be clear