Year 4 English · Writing non-fiction and editing · Lesson 12.1

Year 4 English: Purpose, audience and register

Part of the Year 4 English writing non-fiction and editing chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page

12.1

Purpose, audience and register

Year 4
Write for a clear purpose and a known audience, Choose a formal or an informal register to suit the reader

Story. Ruby wants the school library to stay open at lunchtime. She writes two messages about the same plan: a formal letter to the headteacher, and a message to her friend Sam. Before she writes either one, she asks four questions.

Every text has a purpose, which is the reason for writing it, and an audience, which is the reader. Writers choose their register, the level of formality of the language, to suit that reader. A formal register uses full words, polite requests and careful sentences; it suits people you do not know well. An informal register is friendly and chatty, with contractions such as I'm and can't; it suits friends and family.

Read both texts in the boxes. They are about the same plan, but the register is different. Then answer the questions in exercise 12A.

A letter to the headteacher

Dear Ms Hale,

I am writing to ask whether the school library could stay open at lunchtime. Many pupils would enjoy a quiet place to read, away from the noise of the playground.

I would be grateful if you could consider this idea. I would also be happy to explain our reasons in more detail, or to meet you at a time that suits you.

Yours sincerely,

Jasmine Clarke

A message to a friend

Hi Sam!

Guess what? I'm writing to Ms Hale to ask if the library can stay open at lunch. It would be brilliant, because we could read in peace and quiet, away from all the noise.

Can't wait to see what she says, so I'll tell you as soon as I know! Mum says I can take you to the library on Friday, so bring your card.

Catch you later, Jas

Four questions a writer asks before writing: purpose, audience, register and form

Feature	Formal register	Informal register
Greeting	Dear Ms Hale,	Hi Sam!
Words	full words, such as cannot	contractions, such as can't
Requests	Could you please ...?	Can you ...?
Sign-off	Yours sincerely,	Catch you later
Tone	polite and careful	friendly and chatty

Key ideas

The purpose is the reason for writing: to inform, instruct, explain, persuade or ask.
The audience is the reader, and the register should suit the audience.
A formal register is polite and uses full words; an informal register is friendly and may use contractions.
Use a formal register for people you do not know well, such as a headteacher.
The same plan can be written in either register; only the words and the tone change.

Worked example 12.1.1

Who is the audience of the formal letter? Name the reader.

Method. Look at the title and the greeting, then name the reader.

Find the title. The title says the letter is to the headteacher.
A letter to the headteacher
Check the greeting. Dear Ms Hale, is a greeting to the same reader.
Dear Ms Hale,
Name the audience. The reader is the headteacher.
the headteacher
Write the answer.
the headteacher

Check. The title and the greeting name the same reader. ✓

Watch out. The audience is the reader, not the writer.

Worked example 12.1.2

The message to Sam begins Hi Sam! and ends Catch you later, Jas. Is the register of the message formal or informal?

Method. Look at the greeting, the sign-off and the tone of the words.

Look at the greeting. Hi Sam! is a short and friendly greeting.
Hi Sam!
Look at the sign-off. Catch you later is chatty and casual.
Catch you later, Jas
Decide. Friendly words for a friend show an informal register.
informal
Write the answer.
informal

Check. The greeting and the sign-off are both friendly. ✓

Worked example 12.1.3

Rewrite the informal phrase Can't wait to see what she says in a formal register.

Method. Replace the contraction and the chatty phrase with full words and a polite phrase.

Find the informal part. Can't wait is informal, because it has a contraction and a chatty phrase.
Can't wait
Choose a polite phrase. I look forward to is a polite way to say that you are waiting.
I look forward to
Write the formal version. The meaning stays the same, but the register is formal.
I look forward to hearing what she says.
Write the answer.
I look forward to hearing what she says.

Check. No contraction, and a polite phrase. ✓

Watch out

Watch out: informal does not mean careless. An informal text still needs correct spelling, and full sentences that make sense.

Exam tip

Grown-up tip. Ask your child to tell you the same news twice: once to a friend and once to a headteacher. Ask what changed, and which words they chose.