Register Use in English

1. I'm afraid we're having some problems with your performance. I would like to see you in my office this afternoon.

   -- C

2. What did you do last weekend?

   -- A

3. Hey, get over here now!

   -- D

4. Excuse me, do you think it would be possible for me to go home early this afternoon? I have a doctor's appointment.

   -- B

5. Well, we went to this wonderful restaurant in Yelm. The food was excellent and the prices were reasonable.

   -- A

6. Listen, I'm going home early, so I can't finish the project until tomorrow.

   -- D

7. Excuse me Bob, would you mind lending me $10 for lunch. I'm short today.

   -- A

8. Give me five bucks for lunch. I forgot to go to the bank.

   -- D

9. You are an extremely handsome young man, I'm sure you'll do well at our company.

   -- D

10. Excuse me Ms Brown, could you help me with this report for a moment?

    -- C

If you were confused by some of the answers, here are some short comments that should help you understand:

1. Management to Staff - In this sentence management, although unhappy, is still polite when asking an employee to come in for a critique.
2. Colleagues - This simple question is informal and conversational and therefore appropriate among colleagues.
3. Inappropriate - This is the imperative form and is therefore inappropriate for the workplace. Remember that the imperative form is often considered rude.
4. Staff to Management - Notice the polite form used when speaking to a superior at work. The indirect question form is used to make the question extremely polite.
5. Colleagues - This is a statement from a discussion about a non-work related topic among colleagues. The tone is informal and informative.
6. Inappropriate - Here an employee is announcing his / her plan to management without asking. Not a very good idea in the workplace!
7. Colleagues - In this statement a colleague politely asks another colleague for a loan.
8. Inappropriate - When asking for a loan never use the imperative form!
9. Inappropriate - The person making this statement would be considered guilty of sexual harassment in the United States.
10. Management to Staff - This is a polite request.

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