Writing: Purpose, Audience, Tone and Register

This lesson covers DfE content statements L2.23 and L2.27 — communicating information, ideas and opinions clearly, coherently, and accurately, and selecting vocabulary, register, and style appropriate for the audience and purpose.

In the writing exam, every task will tell you who you are writing to and why. Your job is to adapt your language, tone, and style to match. Getting this right is worth a significant proportion of the marks.

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Understanding the Task Brief

Every writing task in the exam comes with a brief. The brief tells you:

1. The format — what to write (letter, email, report, article, etc.)
2. The purpose — why you are writing (to persuade, inform, complain, advise, argue, etc.)
3. The audience — who you are writing to (employer, council, general public, colleagues, etc.)
4. The context — the situation or scenario

Example Brief

You recently attended a training course at work. The course was poorly organised and the content was not relevant to your role. Write a formal email to the training manager expressing your concerns and suggesting improvements for future courses.

From this brief, you can extract:

Element	What the Brief Tells You
Format	Formal email
Purpose	To complain and to suggest improvements
Audience	Training manager (a professional, probably senior to you)
Context	A poorly organised training course
Implied tone	Professional, measured, constructive — not angry or rude

Exam Tip: Underline or highlight the key words in the brief: the format, purpose, and audience. These are your instructions. If the brief says "formal email to a manager", do not write an informal message to a friend. If it says "persuade", do not just inform. Matching the brief exactly is critical.

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Register: Formal vs Informal

Register refers to the level of formality in your writing. The register you use must match the audience and purpose.

Register	Features	When to Use It
Formal	No contractions, no slang, complete sentences, passive voice acceptable, professional vocabulary, impersonal tone	Letters to organisations, reports, complaints, job applications, formal emails to managers
Semi-formal	Some contractions acceptable, friendly but professional tone, personal pronouns, clear and direct language	Emails to colleagues, articles for a company newsletter, advice pieces
Informal	Contractions, colloquial language, short sentences, personal tone, conversational	Personal emails, social media posts, texts (rarely required in the exam)

The Same Message in Three Registers

Formal: I wish to bring to your attention that the photocopier on the second floor has been out of service for over a week. I would be grateful if this could be resolved at your earliest convenience.

Semi-formal: Just a quick note to let you know that the second-floor photocopier has been broken for over a week now. Could someone take a look at it when they get a chance?

Informal: Hey — the photocopier upstairs has been broken for ages! Any chance of getting it fixed?

In the exam, you will almost always need formal or semi-formal register. Informal writing is rarely appropriate.

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Tone

Tone is the attitude your writing conveys. It is closely related to register but is more about the feeling behind the words.

Tone	When to Use It	Example Phrase
Professional/measured	Formal complaints, reports, workplace emails	"I would appreciate your attention to this matter."
Assertive	When you need to be firm but polite	"I must insist that this is resolved by the end of the week."
Persuasive/passionate	Articles and letters arguing for or against something	"We cannot stand by while our community loses this vital resource."
Sympathetic/supportive	Advice pieces, communications about sensitive topics	"We understand this has been a difficult time for you."
Constructive/solutions-focused	Complaints that also suggest improvements	"While the current system has limitations, I believe the following changes would address the key issues."
Enthusiastic/positive	Promotional writing, positive reports	"This programme has delivered outstanding results."

How Tone Can Go Wrong

What You Want	What You Write	Problem
Professional complaint	"Your service is absolutely disgusting and I am fuming."	Too emotional and aggressive — undermines your credibility
Supportive advice	"You really should have thought about this sooner."	Sounds judgemental and patronising
Persuasive argument	"Everyone with any sense knows this is the right thing to do."	Insulting to people who disagree — alienates your audience
Formal report	"Basically, the whole thing was a bit of a mess."	Too informal for a report

The golden rule: Your tone should make the reader want to help you or agree with you, not feel attacked or talked down to.

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Adapting Language for Different Audiences

Here is how the same message changes depending on who you are writing to:

Scenario: You want your workplace to provide healthier food options in the canteen.

To your manager (formal email):

Dear Ms Carter,

I am writing to propose the introduction of healthier food options in the staff canteen. Several colleagues have expressed an interest in having access to fresh salads, fruit, and lower-calorie main courses alongside the existing menu. Research consistently shows that a balanced diet can improve concentration and reduce afternoon fatigue, which could benefit productivity across the team. I would be happy to discuss this further at your convenience.

To your colleagues (semi-formal email or newsletter article):

Would you like to see healthier options in the canteen? Quite a few of us have mentioned wanting more choice — things like fresh salads, fruit bowls, and lighter meals. If you agree, let me know and I will put together a proposal for management. The more support we have, the more likely it is to happen!

To the canteen provider (formal letter):

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am writing on behalf of the staff at [Company Name] to request that additional healthy food options be included in the daily canteen menu. We would welcome the addition of fresh salads, seasonal fruit, and at least one lower-calorie main course each day. We believe this would increase usage of the canteen and improve customer satisfaction. I would be grateful for an opportunity to discuss how this might be implemented.

Notice how each version:

• Uses a different level of formality
• Addresses the specific audience's concerns (manager = productivity; colleagues = support; provider = usage and satisfaction)
• Maintains a consistent purpose (requesting healthier food)

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