CAE Register and Style 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which phrase is most appropriate for opening a formal report?
- This report aims to examine the findings of... (Correct answer)
- I'm writing to tell you about...
- So, here's what we found out about...
- Just to let you know, we looked into...
Correct answer: This report aims to examine the findings of...
Formal reports use impersonal, objective language such as 'This report aims to examine,' avoiding contractions and informal tone.
Question 2: Which sentence demonstrates an appropriate use of hedging language in academic writing?
- The results definitely prove that exercise improves mood.
- The results clearly show that we should all exercise more.
- The results suggest that regular exercise may contribute to improved mood. (Correct answer)
- The results are so obvious — exercise makes you feel better.
Correct answer: The results suggest that regular exercise may contribute to improved mood.
Hedging language like 'suggest' and 'may' is used in academic writing to express cautious claims rather than absolute statements.
Question 3: In which of the following contexts would a formal register be LEAST appropriate?
- A letter of complaint to a local council
- A proposal submitted to a company director
- A text message to a close friend (Correct answer)
- An article for a professional journal
Correct answer: A text message to a close friend
Text messages to close friends typically use an informal register; formal language in this context would sound unnatural and stiff.
Question 4: Which of the following is a characteristic of formal written English?
- Frequent use of contractions like 'don't' and 'it's'
- Nominalization, such as using 'investigation' instead of 'investigate' (Correct answer)
- Use of colloquial expressions like 'a lot of' or 'loads of'
- Direct address using 'you guys' or 'folks'
Correct answer: Nominalization, such as using 'investigation' instead of 'investigate'
Nominalization — converting verbs or adjectives into nouns — is a hallmark of formal academic and professional writing in English.
Question 5: A student writes: 'The company's profits went up a lot last year.' Which revision makes this sentence more formal?
- The company earned more cash last year.
- The company's profits increased significantly during the previous year. (Correct answer)
- Last year, the company got richer by quite a bit.
- The company did really well profit-wise in the past year.
Correct answer: The company's profits increased significantly during the previous year.
'Increased significantly' replaces the informal 'went up a lot,' and 'the previous year' is more formal than 'last year' in written contexts.
Question 6: Which of the following best describes the term 'register' in English language use?
- The speed at which a speaker delivers their words
- The variety of language used depending on the social context and audience (Correct answer)
- The grammatical accuracy of a piece of writing
- The number of vocabulary items a writer uses
Correct answer: The variety of language used depending on the social context and audience
Register refers to the variety or style of language adjusted according to the social situation, purpose, and audience, ranging from formal to informal.
Question 7: Which opening is most appropriate for a CAE-style formal letter of application?
- Hey there! I'm super interested in this job...
- I am writing with reference to the position advertised in... (Correct answer)
- Just dropping you a line about the job I saw...
- So I found your job ad and thought I'd get in touch...
Correct answer: I am writing with reference to the position advertised in...
'I am writing with reference to' is a standard formal opening for a letter of application, avoiding contractions and informal vocabulary.
CAE Register and Style 1
Which phrase is most appropriate for opening a formal report?