Varieties and Registers of

Spoken and Written English

World English
• Comes in different forms
• One term or word may have the same meaning but
may be used in different approaches
• Philippine English is one of the many varieties of
English in the world
Philippine English
• Watch your steps vs. Watch your step
• For a while vs. just a moment/second vs. hold the line
• I’ll go ahead
• I will be the one to do that vs. I’ll do it vs. let me do it
• Make an ocular inspection vs. Go and have a look
• The other day vs. recently
• Last vs. on
Language Register
• The appropriateness of the level and style of speaking and
writing. It guides a speaker or writer in the use of vocabulary,
structure, and grammar

• Formal – the style of writing or speaking for unfamiliar

audience/readers or for your superiors in an office.
• Informal – casual or intimate is recommended when
writing/speaking to friends and familiar persons.
• Neutral – more objective, impersonal and factual type of
writing or speaking.
FORMAL
Formal register is the style of writing or
speaking for unfamiliar audience/ readers or
when talking to your superiors in an office

formal speeches

articles

studies

technical reports, announcements, business letters and emails

for business purposes
 A number of rules govern the use of formal
language register:
Use the third Avoid contractions Spell out numbers Use formal words Acronyms may be
person below one hundred rather than slang used in formal
Use cannot, will not, should and clichés speaking and writing,
Instead of using I, you use not, and could have Ex.: one, ninety-nine but you have to spell it
he/she out first and put the
acronym in
Use complete The use of active Use simple Use conjunctions to parentheses
sentences rather than passive sentences, rather indicate transitions or
sentences is than compound imply continuity or non-government
preferred and complex cause and effect organization (NGO)
sentences relationship in the
ideas of your
sentences
 Use the third person
I am writing this research to solve a problem
in the community
The researcher is writing this research to
solve a problem in the community
Acronyms may be used in
formal speaking and writing,
but you have to spell it out
first and put the acronym in
parentheses
INITIALISM - NGO
ACRONYM - PIN
Avoid contractions
Can’t, won’t, shouldn’t, should’ve X
Use complete sentences
Although he made it a point to finish his
research today.
Although he made it a point to finish his
research today, he still slept all night
through.
Spell out numbers below one
hundred
Ninety-nine respondents
101 respondents
The use of active rather than
passive sentences is preferred
Jerry knocked over the lamp.
The lamp was knocked over by Jerry.
 Use simple sentences, rather
than compound and complex
sentences
I am writing this research.
Use conjunctions to indicate
transitions or imply
continuity or cause and effect
relationship in the ideas of
your sentences

I am writing this research while he is F

sleeping. A
N
The researcher is writing this research to B
solve a problem in the community O
Y
S
INFORMAL
Informal register, otherwise called casual or
intimate, is recommended when
writing/speaking to friends and familiar persons

Talking on social media or in text messages

does not really have strict rules to follow

Here you may use figures of speech, personal pronouns,

symbols, acronyms, slangs, symbols and abbreviations, extra
punctuations and letters to show emphasis, and even
incomplete sentences, phrases and clauses
NEUTRAL
This register is the more objective, impersonal,
and factual type of writing or speaking.

articles

Magazine reviews

Technical reports
Short Writing an academic paper

Ranting on Twitter

Activity Speaking to a conference

Writing a blog

Tweeting about the K-pop group ENHYPEN

What type of Making a caption for a meme on Facebook

language register Talking to the President of University of Mindanao

should you use
Telling your friends about your day
when:
Asking your professor about the previous topic

Writing a song review on Ariana Grande’s latest single