Writing: purpose, audience and register · 写作:目的、读者与语域
Why and who
- Before you write, ask: why am I writing, and who will read it?
- Purpose: to inform, to argue, or to discuss.
- Audience: a friend, a teacher, an organiser.
An email to a friend and a letter to a manager should not borrow each other’s shoes.
为什么、写给谁
- 动笔前先问:我为什么写,谁会读?
- 目的:告知、论证,或讨论。
- 读者:朋友、老师,或组织者。
给朋友的邮件和给经理的信，可别互相借鞋穿。
You should write to a friend and a teacher in the same way. · 给朋友和给老师应该用同样的写法。
No — the register changes with the reader. · 不对——语域要随读者改变。
Formal or informal?
- Register = how formal your language is.
- Friend → informal: I'm, don't, friendly words.
- Teacher → formal: I am, do not, polite words, no slang.
Purpose and audience together decide how formal your writing should be
正式还是非正式?
- 语域 (register) = 语言有多正式。
- 朋友 → 非正式:I'm、don't、亲切的词。
- 老师 → 正式:I am、do not、礼貌用语,不用俚语。
Formal or informal? · 正式还是非正式?
Hear the register of a phrase before you borrow it for your own writing. · 借用一个短语前,先听出它的语域。
You write to your head teacher. Which opening is best? · 你写信给校长。哪个开头最合适?
A head teacher needs formal, polite language. · 写给校长要用正式、礼貌的语言。
Join your ideas
- Put one main idea in each paragraph.
- Link ideas: also, however, therefore.
- A short plan keeps your writing in order.
把观点连起来
- 每段只放一个主要观点。
- 用衔接词连接:also、however、therefore。
- 一个简短的提纲能让文章有条理。
Choose a contrast word: 'I like tea. ___, I prefer coffee.' · 选一个表示转折的词:'I like tea. ___, I prefer coffee.'
'However' shows contrast between two ideas. · 'However' 表示两个观点之间的转折。
Write one polite sentence you could say to a teacher to ask for help with your homework. · 写一句礼貌的话,向老师请求帮忙看你的作业。
Example: 'Could you please help me with my essay?' · 例如:'Could you please help me with my essay?'
One message, two voices
- To a friend: "Hey Sam! Fancy helping at the school fair on Sat? It'll be fun!"
- To the head: "Dear Mrs Chen, I am writing to ask whether we could hold a school fair on Saturday."
- Same request — different greeting, verbs and tone, because the reader changed.
- Pick the register before your first word: it decides Hey vs Dear, fancy vs whether we could.
同一件事,两种口吻
- 给朋友:"Hey Sam! Fancy helping at the school fair on Sat? It'll be fun!"
- 给校长:"Dear Mrs Chen, I am writing to ask whether we could hold a school fair on Saturday."
- 同一个请求——称呼、动词、语气都不同,因为读者变了。
- 落笔前先定语域:它决定了 Hey 还是 Dear,fancy 还是 whether we could。
Match the reader to the best opening. · 把读者和最合适的开头配对。
The reader chooses the greeting for you — friend gets warmth, stranger gets formality. · 读者替你选好了称呼——朋友要亲切,陌生人要正式。
- Know your purpose and audience first.
- Match the register to the reader.
- One idea per paragraph; link them clearly.
- 先弄清目的和读者。
- 让语域与读者相称。
- 每段一个观点,并清楚地连接。