Register = how formal your language is: Register is the level of formality you choose for a piece of writing or speech. The same idea can be said formally or informally — what changes is the wording, not the message.
Formal register is more distant and careful: full forms, precise vocabulary, polite structures. Informal register is closer and more relaxed: contractions, everyday words, a friendly tone.
In English B this is part of 3.5 Cohesion & register — you are not just judged on what you say, but on whether the way you say it fits the reader and the text type.
- register
- the level of formality of language, chosen to suit the audience and situation
- formal register
- distant, careful language: no contractions, precise/Latinate words, polite structures
- informal register
- close, relaxed language: contractions, everyday words, slang, a friendly tone
- neutral register
- a middle level — clear and polite but not stiff, e.g. a notice or report
- audience
- the person or people who will read or hear your text
- tone
- the attitude your language conveys (warm, serious, persuasive…)
- contraction
- a shortened form such as can't, I'm, won't — typical of informal English
- phrasal verb
- a verb + particle such as put off, find out — usually less formal than a single-word verb
Why it carries the marks: Choosing the right register is a core part of Criterion C (conceptual understanding) in Paper 1: a brilliant email written in the wrong register loses marks. Examiners look for greetings, sign-offs, word choice and tone that all match the text type and reader you were given.
Five signals that set the register: You don't change register by feeling — you change it by adjusting a few concrete markers. Learn these five and you can dial any text up or down: greeting/sign-off, contractions, word choice (everyday vs precise/Latinate), phrasal vs single-word verbs, and sentence shape (short and direct vs longer and hedged).
| Marker | Formal | Informal |
|---|---|---|
| Greeting | Dear Ms Carter, / Dear Sir or Madam, | Hi Sam! / Hey! |
| Sign-off | Yours sincerely, / Kind regards, | Cheers! / See you soon! |
| Contractions | I am, cannot, do not | I'm, can't, don't |
| Word choice | request, purchase, assist, sufficient | ask for, buy, help, enough |
| Verbs | postpone, discover, tolerate | put off, find out, put up with |
| Requests | I would be grateful if you could… | Can you…? / Could you just…? |
Formal markers
- Full forms: I am writing to inform you…
- Latinate verbs: assist, require, obtain
- Hedged, polite requests: I would be grateful if…
- No slang, no exclamation marks
Informal markers
- Contractions: I'm just writing to say…
- Phrasal verbs: help out, get hold of
- Direct requests: Can you…? / Fancy…?
- Slang and exclamation marks are fine
Keep one register all the way through: The most common slip is mixing registers: a formal "Dear Sir or Madam" followed by "Hey, thanks loads!". Pick a register at the start and keep it consistent — greeting, body and sign-off must all agree.
Stop wasting time on topics you know
Our AI identifies your weak areas and focuses your study time where it matters. No more overstudying easy topics.
Try Smart Study Free7-day free trial • No card required
The reader decides the register: Register isn't a free choice — the text type and reader decide it for you. A letter to a company, a formal email, an article or a report want formal/neutral English. A message to a friend, a blog, a diary or a postcard want informal English. Read the task carefully: the audience is always stated, and that is your signal.
Match the text type to the register
- Formal: a letter or email to a teacher, employer or organisation; an official report; a formal proposal.
- Neutral: a news-style article, a notice, a set of instructions, a review — clear and polite, not stiff.
- Informal: a message or email to a friend; a personal blog; a diary entry; a postcard.
- It can shift mid-text: a blog may be chatty but still avoid slang if it addresses a wide audience.
- Speaking follows the same rule: you'd address an examiner more formally than a classmate.
A formal reply (read the register, not just the facts): Subject: Re: Volunteer Open Day
Dear Mr Owusu,
Thank you for your email regarding the Volunteer Open Day. I would be delighted to attend and would be grateful if you could confirm the start time. Please do not hesitate to contact me should you require any further information.
Yours sincerely, Amara Bello
IB-style task — spot the register
One question, step by step
- The question — "Is this email formal or informal? Quote ONE feature that proves it."
- Scan for markers. Greeting: "Dear Mr Owusu" (formal). Sign-off: "Yours sincerely" (formal). Request: "I would be grateful if you could confirm…" (hedged, formal). No contractions anywhere.
- The answer — Formal. Proof: "Yours sincerely" (or "I would be grateful if you could…"). One clear quoted marker is enough to justify it.
Register technique: When a question asks about register, quote a marker — a greeting, a sign-off, a contraction or its absence. Don't just assert "it's formal"; point to the words that prove it.
Same message, two registers: The clearest way to feel register is to write one message twice. Below is the same request — moving a deadline — first informally, then formally. Watch how only the markers change while the facts stay identical.
IB-style task — register in action
One request, two registers
- The situation. You need to ask your teacher, Ms Carter, to move a deadline. The same message can be written formally or informally — and register is what tells the two apart, even when the information is identical.
- Informal version (a text to a friend): "Hey! Can't finish the essay by Friday — totally swamped. Any chance we push it to Monday? Cheers!" — Note the greeting "Hey", contractions (can't), the slang ("swamped"), and the casual sign-off "Cheers".
- Formal version (an email to the teacher): "Dear Ms Carter, I am writing to ask whether it might be possible to extend the deadline for the essay to Monday, as I have fallen behind this week. Thank you for your understanding." — Note "Dear Ms Carter", no contractions, the hedged request ("might be possible"), and the full Latinate verb "extend" instead of "push".
- What actually changed? The facts are the same; only the register moved. Greeting, contractions, word choice (push vs extend, swamped vs fallen behind) and sign-off all shifted to match a more distant, respectful relationship.
- The takeaway. Before you write, ask: Who is reading this, and how well do I know them? That single question sets the register — and matching it correctly is a large part of Criterion C (conceptual understanding).
Why register scores: Matching register to the task is rewarded across all three Paper 1 criteria — here's where:
A — Language /12
- Precise word choice (extend, postpone) vs everyday choice
- Control of contractions to suit the register
- Accurate polite structures (I would be grateful if…)
B — Message /12
- The request is clear in both versions
- Tone supports the message (apologetic, friendly…)
C — Conceptual /6
- Right register for the reader
- Correct greeting and sign-off for the text type
- Register kept consistent throughout
See how examiners mark answers
Access past paper questions with model answers. Learn exactly what earns marks and what doesn't.
Try Exam Vault Free7-day free trial • No card required
The slips that cost register marks: Three mistakes dominate: mixing registers in one text (a formal greeting with a slangy body), using contractions and slang in a formal task (or being stiff and contraction-free in a friendly one), and mismatched greeting/sign-off (e.g. "Dear Sir or Madam" closed with "Cheers!"). Compare each error with its fix and the pattern is clear.
Right
- Formal email: "Dear Ms Lee, I would be grateful if you could… Yours sincerely,"
- Message to a friend: "Hi Mia! Can't wait — see you Saturday!"
- Formal: "I am writing to request further information."
Common error
- Mixed: "Dear Ms Lee, … Anyway, gotta run, cheers!" (slangy close breaks the register)
- Too stiff for a friend: "Dear Mia, I am writing to inform you that…"
- Contraction in a formal task: "I'm writing to ask for more info."
Ask: who is reading this?: Before you write, do two quick checks. 1. Identify the reader and text type from the task — that fixes your register. 2. Make the greeting, body and sign-off agree: pick formal or informal and stay there from the first word to the last.