Vocabulary and Register
This domain tests precise word choice, idiom and the ability to adapt language to audience and purpose. Register is the combination of formality, field-specific vocabulary and tone that suits a particular reader and situation.
Core rules
- Choose the word with the right connotation, not just the right meaning.
- Use collocation: words that naturally go together, such as 'heavy rain', not 'strong rain'.
- Adapt formality: formal writing avoids slang, contractions and vague words such as 'stuff'.
- Use technical terms only when the audience will understand them.
- Avoid repeating the same verb or adjective; choose a precise alternative.
- Idioms should sound natural and should not be mixed: 'a piece of cake' is informal, not suitable for a report.
Worked example
Informal: 'The council got rid of the rubbish.' Formal report: 'The council removed the refuse.' Reasoning: 'got rid of' is a phrasal verb with an informal tone; 'removed' is precise and neutral; 'refuse' is the appropriate formal noun for household waste. The revision suits a report to a local authority.
Traps that cost marks
- Using a thesaurus word that does not fit the context.
- Mixing formal and informal language in one text.
- Using an idiom incorrectly or in the wrong register.
- Repeating 'good', 'bad', 'big' or 'thing' instead of choosing a precise word.
- Using jargon that excludes the named audience.