These exercises are designed to consolidate your understanding of English language registers covered in the course. You will practise identifying, correcting, and using formal, neutral, and informal language with precision.
→ See the course : Registers of language in English : complete course
Exercice 1 — Register Awareness: Fill in the Gaps
Complete each sentence with the most appropriate word or phrase to match the indicated register. Write the full corrected sentence as your answer.
- FORMAL – The board of directors has agreed to ___ the proposal pending further financial review. (proceed with / go ahead with / push forward)
- INFORMAL – I totally ___ what you mean about the new policy — it makes no sense at all. (get / comprehend / understand fully)
- FORMAL – We wish to ___ our sincere apologies for any inconvenience caused by the delay. (extend / give out / pass on)
- NEUTRAL – The report ___ that further investment in infrastructure is necessary to support growth. (suggests / reckons / is hinting)
Correction
- The board of directors has agreed to proceed with the proposal pending further financial review.
- I totally get what you mean about the new policy — it makes no sense at all.
- We wish to extend our sincere apologies for any inconvenience caused by the delay.
- The report suggests that further investment in infrastructure is necessary to support growth.
Exercice 2 — Spot the Register Mismatch
Each sentence contains a word or phrase that is inappropriate for the indicated register. Identify the error and rewrite the full sentence correctly.
- FORMAL LETTER – We are totally gutted to inform you that your application has been unsuccessful on this occasion.
- CASUAL CONVERSATION – I was rather disinclined to partake in the evening's festivities, so I stayed home.
- ACADEMIC ESSAY – The experiment's results were kind of all over the place, which made drawing conclusions tricky.
- PROFESSIONAL EMAIL – Hey, just wanted to shoot you a message re: the meeting scheduled for next Tuesday at 10 a.m.
Correction
- We are deeply sorry to inform you that your application has been unsuccessful on this occasion.
- I wasn't really up for going out that evening, so I stayed home.
- The experiment's results were inconsistent, which made drawing conclusions challenging.
- I am writing to confirm the meeting scheduled for next Tuesday at 10 a.m.
Exercice 3 — Choosing the Right Register
Choose the option (A, B, or C) that best fits the register required by the context described. Only one answer is correct.
- You are writing a cover letter for a senior management position. How do you express your enthusiasm for the role? A) I am genuinely excited about this opportunity and would love to chat more. B) I am highly motivated by this opportunity and would welcome the chance to discuss my suitability further. C) This job sounds amazing and I really, really want it.
- A friend texts you asking if you enjoyed the film you watched last night. Which reply matches the appropriate register? A) The cinematographic execution was commendable, though the narrative arc lacked coherence. B) It was pretty good actually — loved the ending but the middle dragged a bit. C) One found the production values satisfactory, albeit the screenplay was somewhat convoluted.
- You are presenting research findings at an academic conference. How do you introduce a limitation of your study? A) We didn't really have enough people in our study, which is a bit of a problem. B) It should be noted that the limited sample size may affect the generalisability of these findings. C) Honestly, we could've done with way more participants to make this work properly.
- You are responding to a formal complaint from a customer. Which sentence uses the most appropriate register? A) Look, we hear you and we're gonna sort this out ASAP, no worries. B) We acknowledge your concerns and assure you that the matter will be investigated promptly. C) Yeah, that does sound annoying — we'll look into it and get back to you.
Correction
- B) I am highly motivated by this opportunity and would welcome the chance to discuss my suitability further.
- B) It was pretty good actually — loved the ending but the middle dragged a bit.
- B) It should be noted that the limited sample size may affect the generalisability of these findings.
- B) We acknowledge your concerns and assure you that the matter will be investigated promptly.
To go further on this topic: