Glossary · Voice
What is register in writing?
Register is the level of formality you use — and matching it to your audience and task is a marked skill.
Register is how formal or informal your language is. A job application uses a high, formal register; a message to a friend uses a low, casual one. It shows up in vocabulary (“purchase” vs “buy”), contractions, and sentence structure.
Exam writing usually asks for a controlled, semi-formal to formal register, and Cambridge and IELTS tasks often specify the audience so you can pitch it correctly. Slipping into slang or texting style in a formal task is a common, costly mistake.
How markers see it
Cambridge's “Communicative achievement” and IELTS rubrics both reward a register that fits the audience and purpose.
See register on your own writing.
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