This document provides guidance on writing formal letters, including the appropriate tone, register, and format. It discusses choosing formal language suited to the audience. The format outlined includes addressing the recipient as "Dear Sir" followed by the letter body and closing with "Yours faithfully" and the writer's signature. Examples test distinguishing formal register in sentences for situations like job advertisements, film reviews, news articles, and conversations between colleagues. The key is using language, sentence structures, and punctuation appropriate for the context and expected audience.

1. FORMAL LETTER

2. Objectives
To use register and tone appropriate to the
audience for writing formal letter

3. Starter Activity:Which of these sentences
should not be used in formal letter?
■ 1. Which statement is more formal?
a. This movie stinks!
b. I do not enjoy this movie.
■ 2. Which statement is more formal?
a. The mail carrier was unable to deliver the mail on time due to the snow.
b. The mail carrier couldn't deliver the mail on time because of the snow.

4. Format of the Letter-Formal
■ Formal Letter
■ If the question includes the instruction “Start your letter ‘Dear Sir'”, you don’t need to write
the addresses or date in the format.You may include the addressed and date, if no such
instruction is given in the question.
■ Dear Sir,
■ Subject:_________________________________________________
■ ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………… Body of the Letter
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
■ Yours faithfully,
■ (Put your signature here.)
■ (Write your full name here.)

6. Subject

7. Tone is the author’s attitude
■ Ask yourself whether you are writing
to persuade, inform , criticize,
complain and then choose your words
■ Your tone must stay consistent
through-out your write-up
■ The key features that go to making up
a writer’s tone are:
■ Writer’s standpoint
■ Vocabulary
■ Sentence types and structures
■ Punctuation

8. Register and Audience
■ 'Register' means the tone and level of formality of
language. Whether speaking or writing, you must always choose
the register appropriate to your audience and purpose. Standard
English is always appropriate to formal situations, as well as many
informal situations (for example when addressing people you do
not know). At other times, fine judgement must be used. You
should consider the age and background of your expected
audience along with your purpose in writing or speaking.

9. AFL
Question 1
■ Which of the following sentences does NOT share the same register as the others?
a. This is a unique opportunity for a talented individual to join our cutting-edge business
b. You should have experience at a similar level of responsibility
c. New sales roles startingASAP!
d. Responsibilities include directing internal and external communications

10. AFL
Question 1
Which of the following sentences does NOT share the same register as the others?
■ This is a unique opportunity for a talented individual to join our cutting-edge business
■ You should have experience at a similar level of responsibility
■ New sales roles startingASAP!
■ Responsibilities include directing internal and external communications (Correct!)
■ Correct : Job advertisements vary in register - the difference indicates who the
audience is expected to be

11. AFL
QUESTION 2
Which of the following sentences does NOT share the same register as the others?
a.
Overall, the characters and the situations in which they find themselves are
believable.
b. Really enjoyed it.
c. The film depicts the lonely struggle of a child from an uprooted family
d. The nine-year-old lead actor shows a depth of maturity unmatched by his peers

12. AFL
Question 2
Which of the following sentences does NOT share the same register as the others?
■ Overall, the characters and the situations in which they find themselves are believable
■ Really enjoyed it
■ The film depicts the lonely struggle of a child from an uprooted family
■ The nine-year-old lead actor shows a depth of maturity unmatched by his peers
■ Correct : 'Really enjoyed it' would work perfectly in a film review aimed at a different
audience

13. AFL
Question 3
Which of the following sentences does NOT share the same register as the others?
a. Stop selling our children's future!
b. Evidence shows the importance of daily exercise
c. Over thirty school playing fields were sold to developers within the past two years
d. In this context, it is hard to credit the government's position on school sport

14. AFL
Question 3
Which of the following sentences does NOT share the same register as the others?
■ Stop selling our children's future!
■ Evidence shows the importance of daily exercise
■ Over thirty school playing fields were sold to developers within the past two years
■ In this context, it is hard to credit the government's position on school sport
■ Correct : Stop selling our children's future!

15. AFL
Question 4
Which of the following sentences does NOT share the same register as the others?
a. Vicious high street attack leaves mum disabled
b. CCTV camera caught the thugs as they sped away from the scene
c. Police are seeking three men suspected of injuring a 33-year-old woman in
Birmingham yesterday
d. Shoppers looked on in shock at daytime attack

16. AFL
Question 4
.
Which of the following sentences does NOT share the same register as the others?
a. Vicious high street attack leaves mum disabled
b. CCTV camera caught the thugs as they sped away from the scene
c. Police are seeking three men suspected of injuring a 33-year-old woman in
Birmingham yesterday
d. Shoppers looked on in shock at daytime attack
■ Correct.The correct answer is Police are seeking three men suspected of injuring a 33-
year-old woman in Birmingham yesterday

17. AFL
Question 5
Which of the following sentences does NOT share the same register as the others?
a. Well, it's a good thing he didn't say it to me; that's all
b. I just can't believe he'd say that to you!
c. I asked the assistant to inform Mr. Brown of my expected absence from the afternoon
meeting
d. What did he say when you told him that?

18. AFL
Question 5
Which of the following sentences does NOT share the same register as the others?
■ Well, it's a good thing he didn't say it to me; that's all
■ I just can't believe he'd say that to you!
■ I asked the assistant to inform Mr. Brown of my expected absence from the afternoon
meeting
■ What did he say when you told him that?
■ Correct : Three of the answers share an informal register.You would expect to hear
good friends speak like this with each other