1.1 Adapting your style
In a Functional Skills English Level 2 or an Essential Skills Wales Communication Level 2 discussion, you gain marks for using appropriate language. This means that for both qualifications, you need to understand the kind of language that is appropriate in different situations.
You can adapt your language to the listener and the situation by keeping these questions in mind as you plan what you are going to say:
- Who …?
- Why …?
- What …?
- How …?
For example:
- Who am I speaking to?
- Why am I giving this explanation?
- What do I want to achieve?
- How can I achieve that?
Your own experience tells you that you speak in different ways depending on the people and the situation. The main difference, which helps to decide on your form of language, is whether the situation is formal or informal.
Formality usually depends on who you are speaking to and in what context. For example, you may use more formal English to speak to your boss and less formal slang to speak to your friends.
Activity 2 Formal and informal situations
Decide whether each of the situations below is formal or informal.
Discussion
Being able to identify whether a situation is formal or informal can help you to communicate more confidently. When you go to an event or activity, knowing whether it is formal or informal can help you to decide what to wear, the language to use and how much preparation you need to do beforehand. This can help you to be better prepared and more confident in your communication.