Formal speech vocabulary

Speech needs to be appropriate for the audience. Thereis a clear difference

between using vocabulary suitable for a conversation with friends and

formal vocabulary.

When speaking in formal situations such as interviews, or to unknown people

and when giving presentations, formal vocabulary is used. This keeps the meaning

the same but demonstrates to the listener or reader that there is an awareness

of the importance of the situation and/or audience.

- Examples:

Every day speech Formal Speech

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ED Copy and match the everyday speech on the left to the corresponding formal

speech on the right.

a) I'm sorry receive

b) need assist

c) get | apologise

d) buy children

e) help require

f) make better improve

g) kids purchase

Ed Copy and complete each sentence to show you understand the meaning of the

formal speech.

a) | require...

b) | recently purchased...

c) You will receive...

d) He apologised...

à : o

| IST K

Ed Think of formal vocabulary for the following words or phrases.

_ a) start

b) end

c) seen

d) stop

e) fix

f) clever

g) get ready

h) write back

Challenge yourself |

O Here is a letter written using everyday / informal speech. Rewrite the letter using

formal vocabulary so that it can be sent to the managerof a local newspaper.

To Sir/Madam,

| am writing to let you know that me and my friends are trying to get some money for

our schoollibrary. Can you put a notice in your paper asking if anyone would like To give

) our school some money? Wed use the money people have given us to buy new books, CDs

and story sacks.

| hope you can help us.

Thanks a lot.

Lacey

a EE

ANNaay

Pages 4-5 3. a) anywhere b) any1. a) I’m sorry =| apologise c) ever d) anyone

b) need = require e) never f) anyc) «get = received) buy = purchase Pages 101 .: fis a) active b) passivee) help = assist ) . d) actif) make better = improve à Passe acuveg) kids = children o.

2. Accept any suitable answer that makes sense andis 2. a) The burglar stole the television.. b) The large beetle gobbled up theant.grammatically correct. Y The ce corse th last night3. Accept any suitable vocabulary. For example: 6 Cher cooked the Curry last night,. d) The nurse bandaged my knee.a) begin, commence .e e) The farmerfed the animals.b) finish, conclude . .. 4 f) Thechildren played the new instruments.c) noticed, viewed .d ; 3. a) The chair was pushed over by Tamara.) halt, terminate

. . b) The mouse was caughtby the cat.e) mend, adjust, repair ) Th far te ehawadt be the Ef) intelligent, knowledgeable, bright € e guitar 15 played by the Y

d) Lots of juice is drunk by the little girl9) prepare, arrange | !e) The ball was hit by the cricketer.h) reply, respondf) The thief rested by th li4. Example only — other words used are correct if meaning | amenas alested by Ine polles:

is unchanged. Pages 12-13

1. a) Please can you help me with my homework?It is quiteDear Sir /Madam difficult.

b) How many weeksare there in a year?l am writing to inform you that my friends and | are attempting c) Did you prefer watching thefilm or reading the book?to raise some money for our school library. Would it be possible | preferred the book.to display a notice in your paper requesting whether anyone d) Whenis it going to stop raining?would like to donate money to our school. We would use the e) Do you know when the library is open? | need to returnmoney people have donated to purchase new books, CDs and story some books.sacks. f) Although | am feeling confident now, how do you think I'll| hope you can assist us. feel before the test tomorrow?

g) Can you help me understand this report please?Yours faithfully h) How old was William Shakespeare when he died? |2; a) | don't really understand, do you?

Lacey Smith b) You did give your teacher the letter, didn't you?c) She has gotthe correct change, hasn't she?

Pages 6-7 d) You were expecting meto arrive today, weren't you?1. Personal impersonal 3. Accept anysuitable, grammatically correct question

- —— — tags. For example:a text message a letter from the gas company. a) wasn'tit?an email to a friend a job application b) isn’t ita note to your mum a police report c) isn't it?a postcard a letter of complaint o d) wouldn't he?

2. Accept anyofthe following: The use of‘Hi’ is too e) cl it/he/she?informal / personal; The use of “hasn't' is too informal/ f) dont they? ; |personal;‘Is that ok?’ is too informal / personal: ‘Love, 4. Accept any suitable, grammatically correct questions.Mr Burns' is too informal / personal; There are no For example: Where did you buy stamps? Are you English?complex sentences. / The sentencesareall very short. Have | got it right?

3. The letter should have correct grammar and Pages 14-15punctuation, an impersonal greeting (e.g. DearSir / 1. Accept any suitable ending. For example:Madam) and sign-off (e.g. Yours faithfully), complex a) | would passall the exams.sentences, and formal, matter-of-fact vocabulary. b) her parents would be very proud.

Pages 8-9 c) | would not be at the park.1. a) | don'tlisten to anyone. Y d) | would walk to school on my own.

b) You're not going nowhere. x 5 | ou por neve a headache,c) The babycan’t hardly talk yet. x would be: allowed to:go.d) Don't get into any trouble. y 2. Accept anycorrect subjunctive using any correcte) You're not going anywhere. /

f) The baby can hardly talk yet. /g) Don't get into no trouble. xh) | don’t listen to no one. x

2. a) anywhere b) any

c) anyone d) anybodye) anything f) anything

pronoun.For example:a) | were

b) Were they/was l/were he/were shec) we were

d) Were we

e) it were

f) it were not