Unit 3 · Lesson 2
Register & Audience
Register is how formal or informal your language is. Getting it wrong costs marks: even if your French grammar is perfect. Learn to match your writing to your audience every time.
Key idea
Before you write a single sentence, ask: who is my reader? A stranger = vous. A friend = tu. An official = formal salutation. Register is the first decision, not an afterthought.
Register quick guide
Formal: vous, full sentences, complex vocab
Semi-formal: vous, clear, approachable
Informal: tu / je, conversational, contractions
Register reference cards
Click a card to flip it.
Register & audience: key terms
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French
le registre formel
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English
formal register
Used for letters to officials, reports, and formal articles. Uses 'vous', complete sentences, and sophisticated vocabulary.
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Register quick reference — common errors
These are the most frequent register mistakes in IB Paper 1 scripts.
✗ Using 'tu' in a formal letter to an official
✓ Always use 'vous' when writing to strangers, officials, or authorities.
✗ Opening an exposé with 'Bonjour tout le monde'
✓ Open with 'Mesdames et messieurs,' or 'Chers camarades,' (if peers) for a formal speech.
✗ Using 'Cher Directeur,' in a letter to a school principal
✓ Use 'Monsieur le Directeur,': 'Cher' is semi-formal and inappropriate for authority figures.
✗ Mixing 'tu' and 'vous' in the same text
✓ Pick one and stay consistent throughout. Mixing registers is heavily penalised under Criterion C.
✗ Ending a blog with a formal letter closing formula
✓ End a blog informally: 'À bientôt!' or with a question: 'Et vous, qu'en pensez-vous ?'
Match the pairs
Match each term to its English meaning.
Register vocabulary
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Click a French word, then click its English match.
Quick quiz
Choose the correct register for each writing scenario.
Register & audience quiz
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You are writing a letter to the Minister of Education to request more funding for schools. Which salutation should you use?
Register and audience covered.
Next: writing techniques: connectors, opinion phrases, and how to structure a strong argument.