Writing: Audience, Purpose & Register (Formality - Introduction) (B1) - Lesson 2: Writing Appropriately for a Familiar Audience
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Hello B1 Learners! 👋
In our last lesson, we learned about the differences between formal and informal language. Today, we'll practice applying this knowledge by thinking about our audience – the person or people we are writing to.
We'll focus on two familiar audiences: a friend and a teacher, and see how our language changes in simple scenarios.
In this lesson, you will:
- Review why considering your audience is important.
- Compare language used for friends versus teachers.
- Practice choosing appropriate language and rewriting sentences for different audiences.
Why Consider Your Audience?
Your audience is the person or people who will read your writing. Thinking about your audience helps you decide:
- What to say: The information you include.
- How to say it: The words you choose (vocabulary), the way you structure your sentences (grammar), and your tone (e.g., friendly, respectful, serious).
If you write to your best friend, you'll use different language than if you write to your school principal or a company manager.
Using language that is appropriate for your audience helps you to:
- Communicate clearly and effectively.
- Show respect (when needed).
- Build good relationships.
- Achieve your purpose for writing (e.g., get help, share news, make a request).
Friend vs. Teacher: Language Differences
Let's look at how you might write differently to a friend compared to a teacher in simple scenarios.
Writing to a Friend (Informal)
- Tone: Very casual, relaxed, friendly.
- Vocabulary: Simple, everyday words; can use some slang or short forms (e.g., "gonna", "wanna", "thx").
- Grammar: Contractions are common (e.g., "I'm", "can't", "what's up"). Sentences can be shorter, sometimes even incomplete if the meaning is clear between friends.
- Greetings: "Hi [Name]," "Hey [Name]," "Hello,"
- Closings: "Bye!", "See ya,", "Talk soon,", "Best,"
Writing to a Teacher (More Formal/Respectful)
- Tone: Polite, respectful, a bit more serious.
- Vocabulary: Clear, standard English words; avoid slang or very casual short forms.
- Grammar: Full forms are often better (e.g., "I am", "cannot", "what is happening"). Sentences should be complete and grammatically correct.
- Greetings: "Dear Mr./Ms./Mrs. [Teacher's Last Name]," "Hello Mr./Ms./Mrs. [Teacher's Last Name],"
- Closings: "Thank you,", "Sincerely,", "Regards,", "Best regards,"
Example Scenarios:
Scenario 1: You missed class and want to know the homework.
To Friend: "Hey, what was the homework for English today? I missed class. Thx!"
To Teacher: "Dear Ms. Davin, I was absent from English class today, [Date]. Could you please let me know what the homework assignment was? Thank you for your help. Sincerely, [Your Name]"
Scenario 2: Thanking for help.
To Friend: "Thanks so much for helping me with math! U r the best!"
To Teacher: "Dear Mr. Piseth, Thank you very much for your extra help with the math problems after class. I understand them much better now. Regards, [Your Name]"
Practice Writing for Different Audiences!
✨ Tips for Writing to Different Audiences ✨
- Always Think: "Who am I writing to?" This is the most important question.
- Friend = Casual: You can be more relaxed, use contractions, and maybe even emojis if appropriate.
- Teacher = Respectful: Use polite language, full sentences, correct grammar and spelling, and appropriate titles (Mr./Ms./Mrs.).
- Be Clear: No matter who you are writing to, your message should always be clear and easy to understand.
- If Unsure, Be More Formal: It's usually better to be a little too formal than too informal, especially with people you don't know well or who are in authority.
Communicating Effectively! 🎉
Understanding your audience helps you choose the right words and tone to communicate your message successfully. Keep practicing adapting your language!