Language Registers

Language register is the degree of formality in which you are writing or speaking. By addressing the reader as you in this course, you can see that the language is less formal and more conversational. In formal academic writing, such as for academic or business purposes, you will use a formal language register. In this lesson, you’ll learn how to use a formal language register. You can find the presentation in the video here.

A formal language register uses the following rules.

• Rule #1 – Do not use contractions. Contractions are not used in formal writing, even though they are common in spoken English. For example, write cannot instead of can’t or will not instead of won’t. BUT! Contractions can be used if you’re quoting someone’s exact words.
• Rule #2 – Spell out numbers less than one hundred.
• Rule #3 – Write from a third-person point of view. In formal writing, we usually don’t use the first person or second person unless it’s a quote. Avoid using I, you, we, us. For example: You can always have an exciting adventure in Cambodia. Write instead: One can always have an exciting adventure in Cambodia.
• Rule #4 – Avoid using slang, exaggerations, idioms, and clichés.  Slang is common in informal writing and spoken English. For example: awesome, cool, okay, check it out.  A cliché is a phrase that is overused, said too often. For example: Time is money. Think outside the box. 
• Rule #5 – Avoid acronyms and abbreviations. When 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. The same rule applies to abbreviations, write the complete word the first time, then use the abbreviation.  Do not use slang abbreviations or symbols that you would use in friendly emails and texts.
• Rule #6 – Don’t start your sentences with conjunctions such as and, so, but, also. There are many useful transitions and phrases you can use in academic writing. We will talk about transition signals later in this lesson.