Study Notes
Understanding audience, register, and purpose helps tailor your writing effectively.
- Audience — who you are writing a text for. Example: Writing a letter to a friend means the audience is the friend.
- Register — the formality of language in a text. Example: A letter to a friend is informal, while a talk to the headteacher is formal.
- Purpose — why you are writing a task, such as to inform, persuade, or explain. Example: Writing a letter to a principal to request a classroom change is to persuade.
Exam Tips
Key Definitions to Remember
- Audience: who reads your text
- Register: the formality of your text
- Purpose: the reason for writing
Common Confusions
- Mixing up audience and purpose
- Using the wrong register for the audience
Typical Exam Questions
- Who is the audience for a letter to a principal? The principal
- What is the register for a journal entry? Informal
- What is the purpose of writing an article about climate change? To inform
What Examiners Usually Test
- Ability to identify the audience
- Correct use of register based on context
- Understanding the purpose of a text