Which statement about register is true for letter writing?

Which statement about register is true for letter writing?

• A. Register is fixed
• B. Register depends on recipient and context
• C. Register irrelevant
• D. Always formal

Answer: (B)

Register is the level of formality in your language, and in letter writing it changes with who you’re writing to and why you’re writing. You tailor tone, vocabulary, sentence structure, and greetings to fit the reader and the purpose. For a formal job application or a professional inquiry, you’d use a formal register: polite, precise, full sentences, conventional openings and closings. For a note to a friend or a casual colleague, you’d shift to an informal register: relaxed tone, contractions, everyday vocabulary. This adaptability is why the correct idea is that register depends on the recipient and the context. It isn’t fixed, it isn’t irrelevant, and it isn’t always formal. When composing, think about the reader’s expectations and the purpose, and adjust the opening, body tone, and closing to match.

Register is the level of formality in your language, and in letter writing it changes with who you’re writing to and why you’re writing. You tailor tone, vocabulary, sentence structure, and greetings to fit the reader and the purpose. For a formal job application or a professional inquiry, you’d use a formal register: polite, precise, full sentences, conventional openings and closings. For a note to a friend or a casual colleague, you’d shift to an informal register: relaxed tone, contractions, everyday vocabulary. This adaptability is why the correct idea is that register depends on the recipient and the context. It isn’t fixed, it isn’t irrelevant, and it isn’t always formal. When composing, think about the reader’s expectations and the purpose, and adjust the opening, body tone, and closing to match.