Welcome to Audience, Purpose, and Register!
In Paper 2 of your English Language (9093) course, you are stepped into the shoes of a professional writer. Whether you are writing a blog post, a review, or a descriptive story, you aren't just writing into a void. You are writing for a reason, to a specific person, in a specific way. These three elements—Audience, Purpose, and Register—are the "Big Three" that will determine how you choose your words and structure your sentences.
For Paper 2, Section A, you will be asked to write a short response (up to 400 words) and then explain your choices in a reflective commentary. Understanding these concepts is the key to getting those 25 marks!
1. Audience: Who is listening?
The audience is the specific group of people who will read your work. In the exam, the prompt will tell you exactly who they are. It might be "young children," "readers of a local newspaper," or "travel enthusiasts."
Think of it like this: Imagine you are telling a story about a broken window. You would explain it differently to your best friend (informal, using slang) than you would to a police officer (formal, sticking to facts) or a toddler (simple words, focused on the "bang").
When considering your audience, ask yourself:
• What do they already know about the topic?
• What kind of vocabulary will they understand?
• What are their interests or values?
• How do I want them to feel after reading my text?
Quick Tip: If the audience is "general," aim for a polite, standard English that is accessible to most people. If the audience is "specialist," you can use more technical terms (lexis) related to that subject.
2. Purpose: Why are you writing?
The purpose is your goal. Why are you putting pen to paper? The syllabus highlights several key purposes that you will encounter in Paper 2.
Common Purposes in Paper 2:
• To Inform: Giving facts and data (e.g., a news story or a brochure).
• To Persuade: Trying to change the reader's mind (e.g., an advertisement or an editorial).
• To Entertain/Describe: Creating an emotional response or a vivid picture (e.g., imaginative or descriptive writing).
• To Review/Criticise: Giving an expert opinion on something (e.g., a movie or restaurant review).
• To Argue/Discuss: Presenting different sides of an issue (e.g., a discursive essay).
Did you know? Most texts have more than one purpose. A travel blog might want to inform you about a location while also entertaining you with funny stories and persuading you to visit!
3. Register: The "Vibe" of your writing
Register refers to the level of formality and the style of language you use. It is closely tied to the relationship between the writer and the reader.
The Formality Scale:
• Formal Register: Used for serious or professional contexts. It uses complex sentences, no contractions (e.g., "do not" instead of "don't"), and sophisticated vocabulary.
• Informal Register: Used for friends or casual audiences. It uses slang, contractions, shorter sentences, and a conversational tone.
• Neutral Register: A middle ground often used in journalism or textbooks—clear, objective, and professional without being "stiff."
Pragmatics: This is a fancy term for the "implied meaning." For example, if you write "It's a bit chilly in here, isn't it?" the register is polite and social, but the pragmatic meaning might be "Please close the window!"
4. How they work together (The Brief)
In Paper 2, Section A, you will be given a "brief." This is a set of instructions. To succeed, you must ensure your Form (the type of text, like a letter), Purpose, and Audience all match. This is what the examiners call "fulfilling the brief."
Example:
• Form: A letter to a headteacher.
• Audience: An adult in a position of authority.
• Purpose: To persuade them to change a school rule.
• Register: Needs to be Formal. Using slang or being rude would fail the brief because it doesn't match the audience.
Note: For more on how to actually write these pieces, see the chapter on "Writing a short text to a brief."
Common Mistakes to Avoid
• The Identity Crisis: Starting with a formal tone and accidentally switching to "text-speak" or slang halfway through. Keep your register consistent!
• Ignoring the Audience: Using very complex, "intellectual" words when writing for a young child.
• Missing the Point: Forgetting the purpose. If you are asked to argue a point, don't spend the whole 400 words just describing the scenery.
• Vague Writing: Being too general. Use specific vocabulary (lexis) that fits the context of the prompt.
Quick Review Box
• Audience: The "Who" (Target reader).
• Purpose: The "Why" (Goal: persuade, inform, describe, etc.).
• Register: The "How" (Formality level and tone).
• Consistency: Ensure your language choices match the brief from start to finish.
• Word Count: For Paper 2 Section A, keep it under 400 words!
Key Takeaway
Every time you start a writing task in Paper 2, take 30 seconds to underline the Audience, Purpose, and Form in the question. If you keep these three things in mind, your linguistic choices—like your sentence structures and vocabulary—will naturally fall into place!