Section 20.7 Homework: Genre and Register
Part A: Register Analysis.
Question 1. Below are four passages. For each one, identify the register (formal, informal, academic, professional) and list at least two specific features that indicate that register (vocabulary, sentence structure, pronouns, contractions, etc.).
a) The committee has voted to postpone the decision pending further review of the submitted documentation.
Register:
Features:
b) Hey, just checking in about the meeting—are we still on for tomorrow?
Register:
Features:
c) The data suggest a statistically significant correlation between the variables (p < .05), although further research is warranted.
Register:
Features:
d) So basically the whole thing fell apart because nobody was in charge and everyone was just doing their own thing.
Register:
Features:
Question 2. Rewrite this informal passage in formal academic register. Then identify at least three specific changes you made.
Original: The study was pretty interesting. The researchers found that people who exercise more tend to be happier. It makes sense when you think about it.
Formal version:
Changes made:
1.
2.
3.
Part B: Genre Conventions.
Question 3. Choose two of the following genres. For each, identify at least three conventions that readers expect (structure, language, formatting, etc.):
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Academic research article
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Professional business email
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Newspaper article
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Social media post (specify platform)
Genre 1:
Conventions:
Genre 2:
Conventions:
Question 4. Think about a genre you read or write frequently (it could be academic essays, text messages, social media posts, work emails, etc.). What are the unwritten rules of that genre? How did you learn them? (1 paragraph)
Part C: Adapting to Context.
Question 5. For each situation below, describe the appropriate register and explain why that register is appropriate for the audience and purpose.
a) An email to your professor requesting a deadline extension:
Register:
Why appropriate:
b) A cover letter for a job or internship application:
Register:
Why appropriate:
c) A group text planning a weekend trip:
Register:
Why appropriate:
Question 6. The following passage has inconsistent register. Identify the shifts and revise for consistency:
The research methodology was carefully designed to ensure validity. We basically just surveyed a bunch of people. The results demonstrate significant findings that are super important for future studies.
Register shifts identified:
Revised passage:
Part D: Reflection.
Question 7. Think about your own writing across different contexts (school assignments, emails, texts, social media, professional communication). In 1–2 paragraphs, address:
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How do you adjust your language for different audiences and purposes?
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Do you find these adjustments natural, or do some registers feel uncomfortable for you?
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Are there registers you’d like to become more skilled at using?
Question 8. The chapter distinguishes between genre conventions that serve genuine communicative purposes and those that might be arbitrary or gatekeeping. Choose a genre you’re familiar with (academic writing, professional email, legal documents, etc.). In 1–2 paragraphs:
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Identify one convention that seems genuinely useful for communication
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Identify one convention that might be arbitrary or serve more as a social marker than a communicative function
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How should writers navigate conventions they find arbitrary?
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Genre refers to recognized text types with conventional features.
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Register varies by tenor (relationship), field (subject), and mode (channel).
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Formal register uses standard grammar, complete forms, and impersonal constructions.
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Informal register uses contractions, simple structures, and personal tone.
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Academic writing features hedging, complex sentences, and nominalization.
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Professional writing balances formality with accessibility.
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Writers must adapt grammatical choices to context, audience, and purpose.
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Consistency of register throughout a text is important.
