Descriptive, Narrative, and Persuasive Writing Guides – Page 14

✍️ Part 13: Language Tone and Register — Matching Style to Task

(Descriptive, Narrative, and Persuasive Writing for IGCSE, AS Level, and IB Exams)

Your ideas may be brilliant, but if your tone or register doesn’t fit the task, audience, or purpose—you lose marks. Examiners expect confident, intentional control of voice. This part will help you fine-tune your writing style like a pro.

What Are “Tone” and “Register”?

Tone = the emotional attitude of the writer (e.g., sarcastic, formal, cheerful, reflective)
Register = the level of formality based on audience and context (e.g., informal blog vs. formal letter)

🎯 Why They Matter

Tone and register are explicitly assessed in IGCSE, AS, and IB English
Matching tone to task shows maturity, audience awareness, and purpose
Shifting tone within a piece (if done skilfully) can create emotional impact

🧭 Understanding Style Expectations by Task

Task Type	Common Tone(s)	Register
Descriptive	Reflective, moody, vivid	Neutral-formal
Narrative	Personal, dramatic, ironic	Usually informal
Persuasive	Assertive, urgent, witty	Semi-formal to formal
Speech	Motivational, direct	Depends on audience
Formal Letter	Polite, professional	Formal
Informal Email	Conversational, friendly	Informal
Article (School Mag)	Energetic, informative	Semi-formal

🛠️ How to Set the Right Tone & Register

Know Your Audience
- Are you writing to a friend, the headteacher, or the general public?
- This changes word choice, structure, and formality level.
Check the Purpose
- Describe? Persuade? Reflect? Argue? Each purpose has a different tone fingerprint.
Use Vocabulary That Fits
- Avoid “very,” “really,” “nice” in formal tasks. Instead: “extremely,” “particularly,” “delightful.”
- Use contractions (I’m, don’t) only in informal writing.
Sentence Structure Matters
- Short, punchy sentences = tension, drama, emphasis
- Longer, layered ones = reflection, detail, or persuasion
Punctuation Choices Support Tone
- Exclamations (!) can add energy in informal contexts
- Colons, dashes, ellipses can control pace and subtlety in formal writing

✨ Tone Shifts in Action

Flat: The boy was scared.
Tonal control: A tremor rippled through his chest as the silence thickened—then snapped.

Flat persuasive: We should recycle.
Persuasive tone: Isn’t it time we took responsibility for the world we’re borrowing from our children?

**🎓 High-Level Tone Moves for A/A* Grades**

Vary tone for effect: start reflectively, build tension, end with clarity
Use modality (e.g., might, must, should) to express certainty/uncertainty
Master subtlety — show frustration or admiration without bluntly stating it
Echo the task’s keywords in your tone (e.g., if the prompt says “lively speech”, don’t write a dull monologue)

🚩 Common Mistakes & Fixes

Mistake	Fix
Formal letter with chatty tone	Use “I would like to…” instead of “I wanna…”
Narrative written like a news report	Add sensory details, internal thoughts, figurative language
Persuasive essay with no emotional tone	Use rhetorical questions, emotive adjectives, direct address
Misjudging audience (e.g., too sarcastic)	Reread prompt — who are you really writing for?

🎯 Examiner Tip

“Successful candidates adapt their tone and register confidently. The best writing is not just clear but convincing in its voice.”
– Edexcel/IB Examiner Report

🧪 Practice Task

Pick one prompt and write two versions with different tones:

Write a formal letter to your local MP about reducing plastic use.
Write a blog post encouraging teens to adopt more eco-friendly habits.
Describe the last five minutes before a rocket launch — once with awe, once with fear.