In one line: Register is how formal or informal a text sounds — and it instantly signals who it's for and why.
You switch register all day without thinking.
You text a friend ‘u free later?’ but email a teacher ‘I was wondering if we could meet.’ — same request, very different level of formality.
Here's the range, with an example:
One clear example of each
Formal register
Full words, no slang, serious and polite: ‘We regret to inform you that your application was unsuccessful.’
Informal register
Contractions, slang, chatty and warm: ‘Sorry — didn't quite work out this time!’
Watch for a shift
A jump from formal to chatty (or back) is deliberate — it usually changes who the text is speaking to, or how.
The key move: Name the register (formal / informal) and the signals that build it — then say what it tells you about the audience and purpose.
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Why it matters in the exam: Register is quick marks in Paper 1: name it, quote a signal (a contraction, a slang word, a stiff phrase), and link it to who the text is for. A shift in register is always worth a point.
Analyse the register: “Dear valued customer, we write to advise you of a service interruption. Soz for any hassle!”
Model answer plan
See the mark-by-mark plan — for / against / judgement, with marking guidance — in study mode.
Watch out: Don't just say ‘the register is formal’. Quote the signal (a stiff phrase, a contraction, a slang word) and link it to the audience.