Register Shifts
Moving between formal and casual speech inappropriately.
Examples
- Dear Sir, hey dude...
Key rules
- Register is the level of formality in speech and writing
- Shifting register inappropriately causes confusion, such as using slang in a formal letter
- Choose the register to match the audience and purpose
Common mistakes
- Dear Sir, hey dude, let me know → Dear Sir, I would be grateful if you could let me know
Use cases
- Business writing
- Emails to strangers
- Academic writing
💡 Tip: Read the message aloud and ask whether it suits the person receiving it.