Work with speech norms

Textbook basis

• Dooley Jenny, Obee Bob «Action for Kazakhstan Grade 11 (Science Schools) Student's Book», 2020, Express Publishing / Atamura, pp. 9, 10
• Dooley J., Obee B. «Action for Kazakhstan Grade 11 Student's Book», part 1, 2020, Express Publishing / Atamura, pp. 18, 19, 74, 108, 122, 146
• Dooley Jenny, Obee Bob «Action for Kazakhstan Grade 11 (Science Schools) Student's Book», 2020, Express Publishing / Atamura, pp. 67, 74
• Jenny Dooley, Bob Obee. «Excel for Kazakhstan (Grade 9) Student's book», Express Publishing, 2019, Module 1 "Hobbies & Qualities", pp. 8, 12, 17
• Jenny Dooley, Bob Obee. «Excel for Kazakhstan (Grade 9) Student's book», Express Publishing, 2019, Module 7 "Music & Film", pp. 78, 82, 87
• Goldstein B., Jones C. (with Heyderman E.), «English Grade 6 for Kazakhstan. Student's Book», Cambridge University Press, 2019, pp. 58, 65

Key points

• A speech norm is the correct and appropriate choice of words, grammar, spelling and punctuation for the situation.
• Register: formal (official letters, reports, letters to the editor) vs informal (messages and emails to friends). The register must be the same in the whole text.
• Formal style: no contractions (do not, not don't), one-word Latin verbs (obtain, request, require, postpone), polite modal phrases (Would you mind …? I would like to …), impersonal tone (The data suggest …).
• Grammatical accuracy: subject–verb agreement, tense consistency, articles, word order.
• Spelling and punctuation of high-frequency words: necessary, receive, environment, technology, different; capitals, commas, apostrophes, inverted commas.

Theory

1. Formal and informal register

Informal	Formal
get	obtain
need	require
put off	postpone
Can you …?	Would you mind …? / Could you possibly …?
Hey, wanna come?	I would like to invite you.
I think …	The data suggest … / It is doubtful that …
don't, can't, I'm	do not, cannot, I am
Hi Ted, … Love, …	Dear Sir/Madam, … Yours faithfully

• Informal emails use a friendly tone; formal emails are sent to people in an official position.
• Letters to the editor use a formal style with a polite, impersonal tone. Typical openings: I am writing to voice an opinion on … / I am writing in response to your article on … / I would like to congratulate you on your interesting article.
• Phrasal verbs, contractions and slang are usually informal; in a report or official letter replace them.

2. Grammatical norm in a text — a checklist for editing:

• Subject–verb agreement: The results show (not shows); Everyone knows.
• Tense consistency: in a story keep the past simple for events; do not jump between tenses inside a paragraph.
• Articles: an invention, the invention of ….
• Word order: in reported questions — He asked where it was.
• The work cycle: plan → draft → edit → proofread.

3. Spelling

• Double letters: different, necessary, difficult, beautiful (diferent, necesary are wrong).
• -ie- / -ei-: receive (not recieve).
• Topic words: technology (not tecnology), environment, competition, government, development, achievement.
• Techniques: divide the word into parts, spell it aloud, write it from memory and check in a dictionary.

4. Punctuation

• Capital letter at the beginning of a sentence and for names, days, months: Monday, Saturday, Gemma.
• Full stop / question mark / exclamation mark by meaning: Could we meet another day? I hope you have a fantastic time on Saturday!
• Comma: in lists (I enjoy reading, swimming and cycling), after introductory linkers (However, …; In my opinion, …), after a greeting in an email (Hi Ted,), before a question tag (It's a great stadium, isn't it?).
• No comma between the subject and its verb.
• Apostrophe in short forms: I'm, can't, I've, it's, don't.
• Inverted commas for direct speech: 'It's important to keep going and get better,' he says with a smile.

Examples

1. Choose the most appropriate sentence for a formal letter: A) Hey, wanna come to our meeting? B) I would like to invite you to our meeting. Answer: B.
2. Choose the formal equivalent of "We need more information." — We require further information.
3. Find the mistake: "The results of the survey shows that teenagers read less." — shows → show (subject results is plural).
4. Which word is spelt correctly? A) recieve B) receive C) receve. Answer: B.
5. Punctuate: "however i dont like watching sport" — However, I don't like watching sport.
6. Which ending suits "Dear Sir/Madam"? — Yours faithfully.

Common mistakes

• Mixing registers: get next to obtain, slang or contractions in an official letter.
• Using I think in a report instead of an impersonal phrase.
• Agreement "by meaning": The results shows, Everyone know.
• Jumping between tenses in one paragraph.
• diferent, necesary, recieve, tecnology.
• dont, Im, cant without apostrophes; a small letter at the start of a sentence; a comma between subject and verb.

Check yourself

1. What decides the register of a text? — The situation and the reader (addressee).
2. Give the formal equivalent of put off. — Postpone.
3. Correct: The data in the report shows a rise. — The data … show a rise (in formal style data is plural).
4. Spell correctly: enviroment, neccessary. — Environment, necessary.
5. Where do we put a comma in "In my opinion this film is a must-see"? — After "opinion": In my opinion, this film is a must-see.