Writing: Purpose, Audience and Tone

This lesson covers two closely connected writing skills: writing for different purposes (L1.22) and matching your tone and language to your audience (L1.24). In the exam, the task will always tell you who you are writing for and why. Your job is to adjust your writing so that it suits that audience and achieves that purpose.

Getting the purpose, audience, and tone right is one of the most important things in the writing exam. A perfectly spelled letter written in the wrong tone will still lose marks. This lesson will make sure you understand what examiners are looking for and how to deliver it.

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Writing Purposes at Level 1

At Level 1, you are most likely to be asked to write for these purposes:

Purpose	What It Means	Typical Tasks
Inform	Give the reader facts and information	Emails updating colleagues, notes explaining changes, reports on events
Request	Ask for something	Letters requesting information, emails asking for time off
Complain	Report a problem and ask for it to be fixed	Letters of complaint to a company, emails reporting faults
Apply	Present yourself for a job or opportunity	Application form responses, covering emails
Explain	Help the reader understand something	Emails explaining a process, notes explaining a decision
Advise	Give suggestions or recommendations	Notes to colleagues, short reports with recommendations

How to Match Your Writing to the Purpose

If the Purpose Is...	Your Writing Should...
Inform	Be factual, clear, and well-organised. Stick to the facts.
Request	Be polite and specific. Say exactly what you need and why.
Complain	Be firm but polite. State the problem, the impact, and what you want done.
Apply	Be positive about yourself. Highlight relevant skills and experience.
Explain	Be clear and logical. Use simple language and go step by step.
Advise	Be helpful and supportive. Give practical suggestions.

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Understanding Audience

The audience is who you are writing for. The exam question will tell you the audience, either directly or by describing the situation.

Audience	Examples
Your manager	A formal email requesting time off
A colleague	A note explaining the new rota
A company you have not dealt with before	A formal letter of complaint
A customer	A polite email confirming a booking
The general public	A notice on a community board
A friend or family member	An informal message or note

How Audience Affects Your Writing

Audience	Level of Formality	Greeting	Sign-Off	Language
Manager or senior person	Formal	Dear Mr/Mrs/Ms...	Yours sincerely, Kind regards	Professional, polite, no slang
Colleague (professional)	Semi-formal	Hi John, Dear Sarah	Best wishes, Thanks	Polite but less stiff
Unknown company	Very formal	Dear Sir/Madam	Yours faithfully	Businesslike, respectful
Friend	Informal	Hi! Hey!	Cheers, See you	Relaxed, casual

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Getting the Tone Right

Tone is the feeling or attitude that comes through in your writing. It is the written equivalent of your tone of voice when speaking.

Tone	When to Use It	Example Phrases
Polite and professional	Most formal writing (letters, emails to managers)	"I would be grateful if...", "Thank you for your time"
Friendly and helpful	Emails to colleagues, notes for team members	"Just to let you know...", "Hope this helps"
Firm but respectful	Complaints, requests that have been ignored	"I am disappointed that...", "I would appreciate a prompt response"
Encouraging and positive	Application responses, good news messages	"I am keen to...", "I am confident that..."
Clear and direct	Instructions, notices, safety information	"You must...", "Do not...", "Please ensure..."

How Tone Can Go Wrong

Situation	Wrong Tone	Right Tone
Complaining to a company	"Your service is absolute rubbish and I'm furious" (too aggressive)	"I am writing to express my disappointment with the service I received" (firm but polite)
Emailing your manager	"Yo boss, need Friday off, cool?" (too casual)	"Dear Mrs Thompson, I am writing to request a day of annual leave on Friday 21st March" (professional)
Note to a colleague	"Dear Sir/Madam, I hereby wish to inform you..." (too formal)	"Hi Tom, just a quick note to let you know..." (friendly and natural)

Exam Tip: Before you start writing, ask yourself three questions: (1) Who am I writing to? (2) Why am I writing? (3) What tone should I use? If you get these right, you are already on track for good marks.

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Combining Purpose and Audience: Worked Examples

Example 1: Formal Complaint Letter