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Register:
Introduction
English Language candidates are required to
recognize the appropriate use of registers depending with situation, settings,
occasion or purpose as well as to recognize the purpose of a given utterance and
tell whether it was for example made to ridicule, praise, belittle, motivate,
cheer or discourage. In addition students should tell whether an utterance is
appropriate in a given set of circumstance.
Register questions are set in Section B of
Paper 2 and come with a total of 10 marks. These are usually split into 5
questions with each question worth 2 marks. Number 1 to 4 is usually made up of
situations upon which two sub-questions are set with each sub-question worth 1
mark. The 5th question is usually a matching question with the candidate
usually required to match four items from one list with four items in another
list.
Common types register questions
1. Questions that ask for the most likely
feelings/emotions that are likely to be generated in a given case. For example:
In a case where an individual learns that their relative has died they are
likely to feel sorrow/grief, if they receive the news that they have passed
their O Levels they are likely to feel elated or even euphoric and so on.
2. What does each response/utterance reveal
about your character? In these types of situations the candidate is presented
with a scenario where a certain individual makes two different utterances that
reveal two different characters and the candidate is asked, in a way, to name
the likely character of the person who would make each of the utterances. For
example you have run out your weekly allowance you can either go to your father
and say, “My pocket money is finished give me more.” Or you say,” Daddy I have
used up all my money buying an essential study book, I wonder if it’s possible
for you to give me more money this week.” What would your father think of your
character in each case? Here two different characters are revealed. In the
first instance you are being disrespectful and demanding and the second case
shows that you are respectful and guileless (upfront).
3. Give two reasons why an individual would
say something. In such questions a person makes an ambiguous
utterance/gesture/action that can be interpreted in two very different ways and
the candidate is asked to provide these ways. For example your mother hires an
electrician to do repairs in your house and when the job is done the
electrician hands her the bill she looks at it and exclaims,” Is this the charge!”
There are two different reasons why she would do this either the price is
unexpectedly low and she is somewhat pleasantly surprised that way or it could
be the bill is shockingly high.
4. How would you describe your mood? The
nature of these questions does not differ much from the ones on character and
emotions/feelings.
5. What does each response tell you about the
speaker’s attitude towards your problem? Again as with character, feelings and
mood questions a scenario is followed by two responses that are indicative of
two different attitudes and the candidate should be able to pick these out for
example is the speaker being sarcastic, prejudicial or contemptuous or is
he/she being considerate, caring and helpful?
6. What does each response reveal about your Manner?
Again these questions are very similar to the attitude, character and feelings
questions above. Most candidates confuse character and manner the two are not
the same at all. We will attempt to explain the difference in the two in the
coming chapters.
7. Match utterances and their appropriate
intentions/manners/feelings/moods or attitudes.
Regardless of the question you are presented
with, you should know that register, unlike say Maths, is all about
appropriateness which means that there are a range of acceptable answers and
not just one answer. The question that should be at the foremost of your mind
is: What would a normal person do/think? How would a normal person react/feel?
The keyword being normal.
Factors
affecting register
As has been already alluded to above there
are several factors that affect the appropriateness of a given utterance or
behavior because what may be perfectly acceptable in one instance may be
frowned upon or cause offense in another instance. Consider the following
examples and try to guess situations where they would be appropriate:
“Jabulani you sly bastard, that’s what you
have been hiding from me! You are a good friend bro.”
“The dollar has gained on the Euro owing to
an expected interest rate hike by the Federal Reserve on the back of strong
growth figures.”
” The patient has been admitted now. He is a
52 year old male with a history of cardio vascular illnesses, he was presenting
symptoms of aphasia and possible dementia. It is not yet clear if this is a
result of Alzheimer’s or it was just brought about by some sort of psychotic
break.”
‘The “quantum” in quantum physics refers to
the fact that everything in quantum physics comes in discrete amounts. A beam
of light can only contain integer numbers of photons– 1, 2, 3, 137, but never
1.5 or 22.7. ‘
As can clearly be observed from above these
utterances can only be made in certain circumstances. Some of them when made to
some people can cause offense while some are likely to be met with blank stares
of confusion. There are several reasons for this:
Context
This refers to the situation/setting where
the exchange takes place. People behave and speak differently depending on the
circumstances they find themselves in. This may also mean a place, location,
position or momentary state in which the conversation takes place. For example
the context might be a wedding, a party with friends, a funeral, a scuffle, a
train station or a birthday. The appropriateness of a given utterance varies
depending on the circumstances. Smiling and dancing would usually be out of
place at a funeral for example.
Status
Status refers to the rank one holds in
society. It also refers to the relationship between/among those communicating
with each other. It might well be perfectly normal for two friends to trade
banter with each other as a sign of affection for example friends might even
call each other idiot without causing any offense whatsoever and even getting
laughs in return. Calling your father/mother an idiot to his/her face is unlikely
going to be met with a similar response however, chances are you would not want
to find out the result of such an utterance!
Topic
This refers to the matter under discussion.
Even if it is a case of two friends talking it is unlikely they will use the
same language and tone for different topics. For example the language we use
when discussing our relationship with friends would be different to the
language we use when discussing our religion. A lot of the time there are
subjects with their own peculiar terms and phrases often referred to as
functional languages. For example doctors, economists, programmers (hackers),
physicists and marine biologists have their own specialist languages and terms
that they can only use among themselves that would be precise and perfectly
sensible to themselves but confusing when used in other settings.
Purpose
There is a purpose behind every act of communication
and the aim which you are angling to achieve plays an important role in
determining the language and behavior that you employ during the process.
Examples of purpose include to hurt, to persuade, to caution, to warn, to
amuse, to comfort, to congratulate and to mock. In all cases the choice of
language will reflect the purpose behind the communication.
Degree of
formality
As shown during the discussion of status
above the relationship between two people affects how they communicate with one
another. There are formal relationships which usually include professional
relationships at work, the relationship between a teacher and a student,
patient and doctor, superior and subordinate among others. These relationships
are notable by the constant use of titles of the people involved. For example
Doctor, sir, Mr., Mrs., Ms., Professor, Honorable, Sir, Lord, Your Grace,
Excellency and Your Majesty. Relationships can also be semi-formal for example
the relationship between parents and their children, people who are acquainted
with one another and work colleagues who meet each other for drinks after work.
Informal relationships exists between people who can/are expected to be
overly-familiar with one another for example best friends (sometimes called
BFFs).
In the next topic we will look at how you
should approach and answer register questions using some varied and actual
examples taken from past examination papers.
Answering
Register Questions
It might seem trite to say this but the key
to passing any examination is to answer the question and to answer it
correctly; that is all there ever is to an examination. Although English is an
art subject which means the answers are not precise and exact as in science
subjects, like Physics for example, there is an underlying logic to the
apparent madness.
Register being part of the English
Examination is no exception. To understand some of the tricks examiners employ
in a bid to make you fail (they would deny that this is their intention but it
is still true they do not seem to want you to pass!) you should practice well
before you write your examination. If you have not yet done so read the
introduction to English Language Notes here to learn more about practicing.
English might not be Maths but is still worth
practicing. There is no glory in practice but without practice there is no
glory. Do not however mistake activity for progress, reading is not always a
worthwhile practice! Read the introductory section to learn more about
effective studying techniques.
Answering Register
Techniques
1. Read and understand the situation
carefully. The instruction for all register questions clearly instructs you to
read the situations given out in the question paper carefully before you
attempt to answer the questions which follow them. An instruction that most
people ignore as they hurry to their peril. Read slowly and visualize the
situation taking note of such things as the status of the
participants/characters in the situation, the topic under discussion, the
purpose of the discourse, the relationship between/among them.
2. Immerse yourself into the situation.
Imagine yourself into each of the participant’s shoes in turn and try and
experience the likely emotions each is feeling and the reactions involved.
3. Read and understand the question on what’s
required. For example if the question is about emotions whose emotions/feelings
are being asked for.
4. When you have decided on the most
appropriate answer write out your answer on an answer sheet taking particular
care that the numbering is correct.
5. It is always better to give an answer as a
full sentence rather than just one word in register. For starters it allows you
to clarify exactly what you mean for example who is angry with whom and for
what and secondly it allows you to string a couple of similar answers which
makes it likely you will score with examiners.
Also beware of direct translations e.g. boredom
(ukubhowakala) when you mean annoyed. Take time to learn the meanings of words
under each of the topics. To learn more please click here to go back to English
Notes Home and click on the various Register topics.
To learn more about the differences in shades
of meanings for example disconcerted, annoyed, angry, furious and lived use a
thesaurus and a dictionary so as to understand the precise meaning of certain
words. What is the difference between angry and annoyed because there is a
difference otherwise it would be just useless redundancy to have two different
words that mean exactly the same thing.
Answering
Register Questions
It might seem trite to say this but the key
to passing any examination is to answer the question and to answer it
correctly; that is all there ever is to an examination. Although English is an
art subject which means the answers are not precise and exact as in science
subjects, like Physics for example, there is an underlying logic to the
apparent madness.
Register being part of the English
Examination is no exception. To understand some of the tricks examiners employ
in a bid to make you fail (they would deny that this is their intention but it
is still true they do not seem to want you to pass!) you should practice well
before you write your examination. If you have not yet done so read the
introduction to English Language Notes here to learn more about practicing.
English might not be Maths but is still worth
practicing. There is no glory in practice but without practice there is no
glory. Do not however mistake activity for progress, reading is not always a
worthwhile practice! Read the introductory section to learn more about
effective studying techniques.
Answering
Register Techniques
1. Read and understand the situation
carefully. The instruction for all register questions clearly instructs you to
read the situations given out in the question paper carefully before you
attempt to answer the questions which follow them. An instruction that most
people ignore as they hurry to their peril. Read slowly and visualize the
situation taking note of such things as the status of the participants/characters
in the situation, the topic under discussion, the purpose of the discourse, the
relationship between/among them.
2. Immerse yourself into the situation.
Imagine yourself into each of the participant’s shoes in turn and try and
experience the likely emotions each is feeling and the reactions involved.
3. Read and understand the question on what’s
required. For example if the question is about emotions whose emotions/feelings
are being asked for.
4. When you have decided on the most
appropriate answer write out your answer on an answer sheet taking particular
care that the numbering is correct.
5. It is always better to give an answer as a
full sentence rather than just one word in register. For starters it allows you
to clarify exactly what you mean for example who is angry with whom and for
what and secondly it allows you to string a couple of similar answers which
makes it likely you will score with examiners.
Also beware of direct translations e.g.
boredom (ukubhowakala) when you mean annoyed. Take time to learn the meanings
of words under each of the topics. To learn more please click here to go back
to English Notes Home and click on the various Register topics.
To learn more about the differences in shades
of meanings for example disconcerted, annoyed, angry, furious and lived use a
thesaurus and a dictionary so as to understand the precise meaning of certain
words. What is the difference between angry and annoyed because there is a
difference otherwise it would be just useless redundancy to have two different
words that mean exactly the same examination
EMOTIONS/FEELINGS
A feeling is an emotional state. Emotions are
sensations derived from one’s circumstances, mood or relationship with others.
Usually feelings are accompanied by a set of physiological changes such as a
change in heartbeat or breathing rate. These changes can even be more obvious
such as shaking or crying.
Whenever two/more people are communicating
with one another various feelings/emotions are stirred by the conversation.
This is inevitable. For example one of the two people involved in a
conversation starts out angry because of some perceived wrong done to him/her
by the other person. The first person speaks angrily to the second part and the
later’s feelings are evoked as well and they are bound to respond with feelings
of their own. The result is an ever-changing and perpetual cycle of emotions
for the duration of the conversation and often emotions persist well after the
conversation is done.
It is important to note that these emotions
may well evolve as the exchange continues. For example Julia is angry because
she thinks it was Jane (her younger sister who used her make up), Julia angrily
confronts her sibling about how she is always touching her “stuff”, because
Jane is innocent she feels annoyed and informs Julia it was their mother who
used Jane’s make up, Julia upon learning this feels mollified and perhaps a
little embarrassed for always thinking the worst of her sister causing her to
apologise and upon hearing the apology, Jane might feel satisfied. You will do
well to note that there are innumerable ways in which the conversation could
have gone. For example Julia might have chosen not to trust/believe Julia’s
explanation taking it for a cheap lie which might have incensed her and caused
her to lash out and throw expletives at Jane who would no doubt be enraged and
so on.
Common feelings include excitement, hurt,
shock, anger, jealous, sorrow, joy and so on. As we have already demonstrated
above the person spoken to may or may not adopt the same emotion depending with
circumstances. It is always important to understand that in register there are
no fixed answers. The key is to provide an answer that is plausible within the
given circumstances. To divine the likely feelings of one part of the
conversation in a given circumstance.
Feelings are an emotional experience. When
emotions are aroused certain sensations are triggered in the body. Emotions are
involved in the production of sensations of excitement, anger, affection, pain,
joy, sentimentality and sympathy. They are involved in the production of
sensations of tenderness, passion, sorrow and so on. You can ask someone, “How
did she feel on her wedding day?” The respondent could say, “She was overjoyed.
She was ecstatic”. Or you can ask someone, “What feelings are evoked by this
song?” The respondent can say, “It evokes feelings of nostalgia. Or it evokes
feelings of sorrow”. Or if it is a story you can say “The reader or listener is
left with feelings of pain, anger and dejection”.
It is worth repeating the fact that
feelings/emotions in a speaker’s voice have an obvious effect on the other
speaker in the same dialogue. The way he reacts and the way he responds all are
a result of the tone set by the first speaker’s utterance. What it means is
that the speaker’s voice with its feelings/emotions carries the tone of the
conversation, thereby creating the mood of the situation.
Practicing identifying likely emotions
As already said the examiners are only
looking for you to provide them with the likeliest emotion in a given scenario
and depending with the case involved there are usually a set of possible
answers in each given case. One way to practice recognizing emotions is to look
at the list of typical emotions listed at the end of these notes find the
precise meaning of each emotion and try to create situations where the feelings
can be evoked e.g. When caught red-handed stealing, a thief experiences
feelings of guilt, shame or embarrassment. You can start with the words below
to get you going. A more complete list will be linked to this topic once it is
available.
A list of some of the most common feelings loving
hate angry jealous sad afraid sorry relaxed jubilant thankful elated surprised content
encouraged reassured optimistic sensitive curious anxious confident shy ashamed
embarrassed lonely skeptical
As already said a more complete list will be
provided at the end of the register notes, just keep checking the English Notes
topic home to see when the chapter is available.
Practice creating scenarios where the
feelings are likely to be generated so that you can become more adept in
examinations when it comes to diagnosing what feelings are likely to be
generated. For example George and his fiancé Rudo decide to visit the New Start
Centre to get tested before they get married. They are likely to feel anxious
as they sit waiting for their results outside the testing centre.
Answering the feelings/emotion questions in
the exam.
It is always useful to follow the steps below
when answering register questions involving feelings/emotions in the
examination:
1. Read and understand the situation
especially the background part as it gives you an idea of the
circumstances/mood/relationship between the players involved. For example if
two people are friends insults can be seen as friendly banter which can be even
desirable while they would be deemed offensive if used on a stranger.
2. Immerse yourself in the scenario,
visualize the situation in your mind and play it out like a drama of sorts. Put
yourself in their shoes.
3. Carefully read and understand the
question/requirement of the question. Whose feelings are being asked for in the
question? It will do you no good to correctly answer a question that you were
not asked. This is especially important because as we have already seen the
questions usually involve more than one person.
4. Put yourself into the position of the person
for whose emotion you are being asked for and try to put a name to those
emotions that are stirred within yourself when you do this.
5. Write you answer down. Remember it is
always preferable to provide your answers as a full sentences rather than one word
answers. Not only will your answer be able to understand but it is even
possible to concatenate several feelings covering a spectrum of emotions.
Example
a) You have won $100 worth of books in a
raffle organised to raise funds for the library. A classmate says:
i) “Congratulations! How wonderful.”
ii) ” Trust you! I never seem to have such
luck.”
What does each comment reveal about the
speaker’s feelings towards your success.
Answer
i) The classmate is genuinely
happy/pleased/elated for me. (0 marks for interested and excited)
ii) The classmate is
resentful/jealous/envious of my success. (0 marks for bored, sad and depressed)
b) In mathematics a girl comes top of a class
of both girls and boys. The teacher says:
i) “That was excellent, Sophie. Congratulations!”
ii) “Hey boys, how does it feel getting
beaten by a girl?”
In each case say how the girl would feel.
Number your answers separately i) and ii).
Answer
i) The girl would feel pleased/very
happy/delighted/proud herself and her performance or she will feel on top of
the world. (0 marks for happy, pompous and boastful)
ii) The girl will feel
hurt/offended/belittled/little/looked down upon/put
down/upset/insulted/annoyed. (0 marks for oppressed, suppressed, depressed, disappointed
and discouraged)
Things to note
When it comes to answering register questions
it is important to understand the exact English meaning of various feelings.
The most common stumbling block for students when it comes to register is
Direct Translation where a word from the vernacular (Shona for me I do not know
whether this is also a problem with native Ndebele speakers or other local
languages since I do not speak them but I would suppose this is the case also)
into the wrong English equivalent usually because there are several English
words with different shades of meaning. A fact that is not helped by the fact
that a lot of English words have been incorporated into the Shona language
itself with some words evolving in meanings that are different from their
original English words.
An example is the phrase “to be bored” a
feeling someone is going to experience when they have little to do or they have
nothing interesting to occupy them. The Shona equivalent “ukubhowakala” does
not mean the same thing at all. It can usually be roughly translated as “to be
hurt” even though the phrase originally came from the English phrase “to be
bored”. Direct translation is when a student confuses between the two. Another
example involving different shades of meaning in Shona and English is
“ukuyangeka”. The Shona word is very broad in meaning and can cover feelings
like shame, embarrassed and shyness all of which are known differently in
English.
NB Find out the meanings of most common
feelings so that you can distinguish between them. Also only use the names of
feelings that you know the exact meaning of when answering questions.
MANNER
The way a person speaks or responds to an
utterance can reveal the manner in which they speak. Manner is the way a person’s
behaves towards others and it refers to a person’s style or approach during
discourse. For example a person’s utterance or response/reply might be taken to
mean among other things to show that the person is being polite, graceful,
civil, respectful, gentle, and courteous if they are made in a positive way.
Conversely when the utterance/response is
made in a negative way it could be rude, contemptuous, insincere, hostile,
ungracious, intolerant or uncultured among a host of possible answers.
It is important to note that words used to
describe the manner in register situations can sometimes be adverbs that are
used to describe one’s likely manner given what they are saying in the given
situation. The key word being adverb. Thus most adverbs that can be used that
can be used to describe a person’s bearing or way of behaving towards/with
others can be modified into register solutions for questions asking for a
person’s manner usually by dropping the -ly suffix that ends most English
adverbs.
For example nervously can be turned into
nervous, patiently into patient, openly into open, innocently into innocent,
greedily into greedy, foolishly into foolish, enthusiastically into
enthusiastic, eagerly into eager, coldly into cold, menacingly into menacing
and cautiously into cautious. You should note that these are just few examples.
You should go back to the English Notes Home and click on a word list section
to view a list of common manners and do your own research so as to become more
proficient.
Manner vs Character
A good number of words that are used to describe
manner can also be used to describe one’s character, for example aggressive,
causing some students to confuse between the two. While manner refers to the
way a person speaks/behaves in the moment character is more enduring. A good
analogy is that manner is like weather (the present state of the atmosphere)
while character is like climate (the prevailing atmospheric conditions in a
given place and time). Go back to English Notes Home and click on character to
learn more about his difference.
Examples
1. Your cellphone rings and when you pick up
the person calling asks to speak to someone unknown to you. You say:
i) “Never heard of him. Sorry.”
ii) “I am sorry but I think you dialed the
wrong number.”
In each case what will the caller think of
your manner? Number your answers i) and ii) separately.
Answer:
i) She/he will think I am being
curt/brusque/abrupt/unfriendly/impolite/discourteous/rude.
Comment: You only need to provide one answer
although you can provide two answers using the conjunction and for example: She
will think I am being curt and impolite. It is important to note that a lot of
people (Shona speakers) constantly confuse the words harsh and its Shona
homophone hasha. The two are not similar at all for while the English word
“harsh” refers to a tendency towards meting out severe punishment the Shona
word is used to mean “short tempered” or “anger.” Whatever your native
language, if English is your second you need to constantly bear in mind these
subtle differences or they will be your undoing.
Students who provided harsh, proud, haughty,
rough, blunt, rough (another word that is often used differently in the
vernacular) and bad mannered would get a 0 for their troubles. “Bad mannered”
and “rude” are two vague words that are often used as some sort of panacea by
students. You should always try to be as precise as possible and avoid throwing
the two around. In fact “bad mannered” is guaranteed to get you zero credit
because it is such an imprecise phrase.
ii) He/She will think I am polite/courteous.
Comment: You would also get no credit for
using the phrase “good mannered” which is just as bad as its counterpart “bad
mannered”. Although almost similar in meaning the word “civil” would also not
get you credit since it is usually employed in situations where a person seeks
to deescalate a situation especially in a potentially unpleasant exchange. For
example a neighbors conversing about how one of the neighbor’s dog is making a
lot of noise or during a disagreement or debate.
ATTITUDE
Attitude refers to the way one thinks or
feels about something. In register it usually used to refer to a position one
has taken in the matter at hand. Attitude can be a settled way of thinking or
feeling, usually conceived out of one’s past experiences and pre-conceived
notions about something.
For example we can talk of one’s attitude
towards the Maths subject, your attitude towards white/black people, your
attitude towards women wearing miniskirts, your attitude towards elections,
your attitude towards people of the opposite sex or your attitude towards the
poor. As has already been alluded to, although people’s attitudes might be
revealed in given scenarios as might be shown by their utterances in a given
register scenario, they often betray pre-held underlying beliefs. Attitude may
also refer to how well people are willing to change these beliefs and adopt new
ones.
Examples of common attitudes include: bias,
menacing, prejudice, understanding, welcoming, open minded, tolerant,
intolerant, sensitive (not to be confused with its equivalent that is used to
describe character), caring, and positive, negative, pessimistic, optimistic,
realistic and cynical.
A person’s attitude in register question is
usually revealed by their utterance or the way they respond. You should go to
the English Notes Home and take a look of at a more comprehensive list of words
that can be used to describe attitude. Take time to learn the precise meaning
of each word so as to be able to use it correctly and more accurately.
The word “attitude” is often used in the
vague sense to signify someone who has a truculent and uncooperative attitude
especially in statements like “Your son has an attitude.” In which sense it is
usually meant to mean that the person being described is obstinate in some
sense. It is important to note that this is not the meaning of the word
attitude in ZIMSEC English examinations where it is employed to mean one’s
settled way of thinking or feeling vis-a-vis the matter at hand.
Examples
1. You go to the Passport Office to make enquiries
about how to go about replacing your lost passport. The clerk on duty says:
i) “I am not here to serve careless people so
do not offering to pay.”
ii) “Certainly, I can replace it but I am
afraid you will have to pay a replacement fee.”
What does each response reveal about the
clerk’s attitude towards your problem. Number your answers separately i) and
ii).
Answer:
i) He/She is unhelpful. or she/he is
insensitive/unsympathetic to my plight.
ii) she/he is sympathetic/helpful/sensitive.
2. You do well in your end of year
examinations. Two different teachers write the following comments on your
report card:
i) ” A surprising performance. I feel.”
ii) “Well done! Keep it up.”
What is each teacher’s attitude towards your
efforts in each case. Number your answers separately i) and ii).
Answer:
i) He/She is unconvinced by your performance.
Or she/he doubts the performance and thinks it was a fluke and cannot be
replicated.
ii) She/he believes in your ability. She/he
is pleased/delighted by your performance.
REASONS
Often enough people act or talk in ways that
might be interpreted in any number of different ways depending on the
circumstances and other factors. As a candidate you will be presented with
scenarios in which the characters speak or act ambiguously and are asked to
provide different interpretations for these characters’ actions or words.
Such questions often include the keyword
“why” within their text. For example:
State two different reasons why….?
Suggest two different reasons why …?
Give two different reasons why …?
As has been clearly demonstrated here the
keyword is “why” and the questions usually require you to give two different
reasons which you will have to number separately. The reasons do not have to be
in any set order, they just have to be different. One candidate’s reasons might
be presented in the opposite order of another candidate’s and they will still
both get full marks.
It is important however that the two reasons
you give have to be different and not mere rephrasing of the same reason. In
most questions the most appropriate reasons are usually on the opposite end of
the scale although this is not always the case.
Consider the following examples and the
answers provided.
Examples
1. Your mother hires an electrician to do
some minor repairs to your home’s geyser installation. Once the repairs are
done the electrician presents your mother with the bill and upon reading it
your mother says,” Is this the price?” Suggest two different reasons why she
would say this. Number your answers separately i) and ii).
Answer:
i) She thinks the electrician is overcharging
her.
ii) She thinks the electrician is very cheap.
2. You go to work one morning wearing one of
your favorite outfits. A colleague comments: ” I admire your simple taste in
clothes.”
Give two different reasons why your colleague
would say this. Number your answers separately i) and ii)
Answer:
i) She/he approves of my taste in clothes or
he likes the dress.
ii) He/She finds the dress cheap or
unattractive. Or she/he thinks I have poor taste in clothing
You must avoid the word nice in register. It
is an overloaded and vague word whose meaning is imprecise and to be honest the
Etymology of the word nice is not at all nice. In this instance saying your
colleague thinks the dress is nice would have gotten you a nice 0 in return so
avoid using the word and opt for more meaningful words instead.
Note the answers above can be phrased
differently or even present slightly different reasons but the reasons have to
be logical and appropriate for the scenarios given. Also remember to number
your answers separately.
As with all English skills you should
practice on “reason” questions until you become more proficient.
REACTION
Usually any form of utterance elicits some
form of response from the listener or intended recipient. In register a
reaction is a response to someone’s statement, behavior or situation. You may
tell someone something that they will consider an insult for example, in which
case you are likely to get an angry response (reaction). For example how will
most people respond if you were to call them idiots? More often than not you
will get the response pictured above: a “what did you just call me?” face and
probably some angry words in return from the offended person as well.
Depending on what they are reacting to there
are any number of ways that a person can react. An invitation to a party might
excite someone, the sudden and unexpected death of a close friend or relative
is likely to be met with shock, your mother discovering that you did not do
your assigned chores might be met with disappointment, being constantly
bothered might annoy you, a thief caught in the act of stealing might panic,
when a person stealthily approaches you and taps your shoulder you might be
startled and so on.
A reaction can take many forms: it could be
in words, it could be in the form of gestures, facial expressions (for example
a smile, frown or flustered look) or it could be in the form of body language
for example a wary posture. It may also be in the form of action for example
when you make the motion that somehow signifies that you are about to slap
another person they normally respond by putting their hands up to block the
expected blow if they are given enough time to act.
As always the key thing is to be able to come
up with a plausible, appropriate response that is normally expected given the
set conditions in the question. Students may well give different answers when
presented with the same question and scenario but the answers have to be
plausible and reasonable when considering the circumstances.
Consider the following examples on reaction
questions.
Examples
1. Your sister is learning to bake a cake but
what she has produced is not good. You say:
i) “Why don’t you join the building industry?
They need bricks like this.”
ii) “This is not so bad for a first attempt.
Next time try measuring out the ingredients more carefully.”
What will be your sister’s reaction to each
of these statements? Number your answers separately i) and ii).
Answer:
i) She will be hurt/offended/insulted/pained
and disappointed. (She will is unlikely to be discouraged as your comment
simply insulted her efforts.)
ii) She will be encouraged. Or she will feel
her efforts were appreciated.
2. You walk into a shop five minutes before
it is due to close for lunch. The owner of the shop overhears the assistant
saying to your:
i) “Good afternoon. Can I help you?”
ii) ” It’s almost lunch time. Come back at
2.”
How is the owner of the shop likely to react
to each of these remarks? Number your answers separately i) and ii).
i) He/She is likely to compliment you on your
dedication.
ii) He/She is likely to reprimand you.
You should know that there a lot of ways in
which the shop owner will react the key is to come up with an appropriate
response.
As with all English topics you will have to
practice until you become proficient.
CHARACTER
Character refers to the way a person behaves,
his manners and general behavior. Character can also be viewed as a person’s
disposition, nature, personality or temperament. Some people can be described
as being vain, others fearless while others can be described as selfish among a
lot of possible characters.
As has already been said in our discussion of
Manner there is a difference between manner and character. While manner refers
to the way a person is behaving in the current situation, character refers to
the general way a person normally acts. Character is determined after we have
been acquainted with a person for some time allowing us to be able to determine
their general behavior. During the ZIMSEC examination we are not given this
luxury and are instead asked to make what amounts to an educated deduction of a
person’s character based on their utterances in the given questions.
Some forms of character can described as bad
or negative. For example a person can be described as vain, arrogant,
dishonest, rude, reckless, selfish, insolent and reckless among other things.
On the other hand some forms of character can only be described as good or
positive. For example people can be described as fearless, brave, courageous,
likable, charismatic, compromising, forgiving and agreeable. In between the two
are some forms of character which cannot be so easily classified. Some
characters for example can either be good or bad depending on the circumstances
for example indifferent, neutral, proud and aggressive.
Whenever you are presented with a register
question asking you to give the character of an individual involved in an
exchange in the exam you should be specific as to what side of a person’s
character is being exhibited within a given register exchange. For while many
character descriptions can be used to describe one person, for example a person
can be proud and fearless, usually in register questions in the exam a light is
shone on only one of these personality traits, which trait you are supposed to
identify.
It would not be enough therefore for you do
simply describe a given person’s character as simply being bad or good as the
two words have meanings which are too broad as the make them meaningless. In
fact the two are not acceptable answers at all and if you use them you can be
guaranteed you will not be getting any marks.
Go to the English Notes Home page and have a
look at the most common types of characters. Try to find out and learn the
exact meaning and description of each character so that you will be able to
more accurately identify the character in the exam. You can also practice with
your friend(s) by looking at each character and creating scenarios to
demonstrate each of these characters.
Example
1. Thabani spends the day away from home and
both his parents do not know where he has been. When he finally gets home and
his parents quiz him he says:
i) “I am not a baby anymore. I can look after
myself.”
ii) ” I am sorry for making you worry so
much. I will not do it again.”
In each case say what kind of person Thabani
is. Number your answers separately i) and ii).
Answer:
i) He is rude/crude/unfeeling/lacks
respect/ill mannered.
ii) He is
respectful/sympathetic/polite/concerned.
Comment: Although the question does not
directly ask for character it is implied in the phrase “what kind of person”. A
lot of people, especially those to whom English is a second language would be
tempted to give haughty, proud, selfish or bad mannered as the answer in i) and
they would be wrong. None of these words mean the same as character shown by Thabani
in this instance and the confusion stems from direct translation. Again you
should find out the precise meanings of common character descriptions.
Describing Thabani’s character as bad mannered would just be vague.
Similarly apologetic and repentant would not
be accepted as answers in ii) for while Thabani is certainly being apologetic
and repentant both words describe his manner rather than his character. We have
no way of knowing whether this is just a onetime thing or if this is his
general behavior.
TONE AND
MOOD
Tone and mood are often wrongly used
inter-changeably although they are in some instances similar in meaning. Their
differences can be more easily demonstrated when they are used in context.
Tone
Tone refers to pitch, quality and strength of
a person’s voice when conversing. It is normally possible to tell whether a
person is angry, joyous, sad, hostile, menacing or excited among other things
by the tone of his or her voice. A person’s voice is usually laced with emotion
such as joy, sadness or anger depending with the situation in which they find
themselves in. It is this tone that creates the mood of the exchange.
For example a doctor walks out of the
operating theater with a serious look on his face and approaches the relatives
of a patient who have been anxiously waiting for news on the status of the
loved one and says,” I am sorry we tried everything, but Mr. Jones has passed
away.” His tone can be described as serious and the resulting mood can be
described as being that of sadness.
There are many types of tones for example:
witty, harsh, light-hearted, assertive, sardonic, cynical, aggressive,
sarcastic, mocking or playful. We can also describe a tone as being formal or
informal depending on the circumstances.
Mood
As has already been mentioned mood is created
by tone. It can be described as the prevailing atmosphere within which an
exchange takes place and it is usually created by the tone of the speakers. For
example the mood can be somber, sorrowful, sad, gloomy, relaxed, happy or
merry.
We can say a person was upset by the insults
they received, the bride was in a joyous mood on her wedding night, the crowd
was mad with rage after a kombi driver run over a toddler, the Member of
Parliament was disappointed after losing an election or he was in mourning
after his brother died. All these reveal the mood or prevailing emotional state
of people in certain circumstances.
Example
1. “I think I could have done better in Maths
if the teacher had been more patient with me.”
“Quite true, judging by the poor results you
got in other subjects.”
i) What does the first speaker’s tone reveal
about their mood?
ii) What does the second speaker reveal about
their tone?
Answer:
i) He/She is sad and a little resentful.
ii) She/he is being sarcastic.
Go to the English Notes Home to view a list
of common tones and moods.
Register Matching questions
For years now the fifth question (usually
question e) in register has been a matching question. The question carries 2
marks and requires you to match 4 register items in the first column to four
items in the second column with each correct answer you give being worth half a
mark. In some rare instances the student is presented with a jumbled list of
register words and asked to match them in pairs.
In the former instance the student should
only write down the number of the response in the first column and match write
down the corresponding item against that number from the second column.
Consider the following example:
Example Question) each of the following
sentences has a different purpose:
1) “How about a cup of tea?”
2) “Your children make a lot of noise, don’t
they?”
3) “Mr Dube wants us all to go to the school
hall?”
4) “Don’t you think it would be better to
discuss things over with your friend?”
Match each of the sentences above to one of
the purposes given below:
Advising
Informing
Inviting
Complaining
Write down the number only of the sentence
and match it against the most appropriate purpose.
Answer:
1) Inviting.
2) Complaining
3) Informing
4) Advising
Comment: You do not have to rewrite the
entire utterances in the first column, only their corresponding number. Writing
the entire sentence or utterance not only goes against the provided
instructions which does not reflect well on your understanding of the English
Language which would be currently under examination but it also wastes a lot of
valuable time which is limited in the examination. Save time because you can
never have too much time in an examination.
Matching questions are very varied in nature.
They normally ask you to match ideas, utterances, objectives, words and
conditions. These questions appeal more to common sense rather than some set
structure that can be determined in advance. The best way to excel on these is
to improve your English and Register understanding by reading textbooks, our
English Notes and increasing the extent of your vocabulary.
Extensive practice using past examination
papers will go a long way in improving your exam preparedness when it comes to
these types of questions. It is also important to remember that appropriateness
plays an important role during the matching process whatever the question.
Also remember each item can only be matched
with a single corresponding item and you can use the process of elimination by
matching the most obvious items first and matching the remaining ones that you
are not so sure of.
REGISTER
GLOSSARY OF USEFUL WORDS
As a completing year student you will find
the following list of words useful when answering your final public examination
register questions. There are however two things that you should note:
1. While this list of words was created and
chosen to cover most common questions it is by no means exhaustive; it is not
even close to being exhaustive although it will no doubt prove to be invaluable
to most students.
2. It is important for you to find out the
exact and precise meaning of each and every one of the following words so that
you will use them correctly when answering questions. Do not assume meanings
based on your experience and how you have thus far used the word. You should
look up the meanings of even the most basic words like “bored”. Do not live
anything to chance.
It has become something of a song, the way we
constantly remind you that English is an art subject, but that does not make it
less true. With art subjects not everything can be taught in the classroom so
it is essential that you take the time and make an effort to practice on your
own and learn new things and develop your own style and technique. There is no
substitute for hard-work and often in English the difference between the
mediocre students and those who excel is hard work.
To ease your reading experience we have
grouped these words according to their categories in register. You should note
however that there are several words that transcend these arbitrary groupings
and be found in more than one group.
Emotions/Feelings
Ridiculed; ecstatic; reassured; confident; uneasy; disappointed; depressed pleased frightened enraged; upset; furious; discouraged; nervous; glum; humiliated; agitated; demoralized; disheartened; bored; hopeful; frustrated; dejected; confident; pleased; jealous; relieved; delighted; interested; calm; comforted; sympathetic; fascinated; passionate; secure; irritated; angry; bitter; resentful; infuriated; indignant; fuming; disappointed; dissatisfied; in despair; ashamed; guilty; uncertain; doubtful; embarrassed; disillusioned; unbelieving; skeptical; distrustful; pessimistic; optimistic; weary; fearful; anxious; worried.
Attitude
Tolerant; supportive; cynical; contemptuous; envious ; unfriendly; encouraging; proud; indifferent; aggressive; uncaring; sympathetic; arrogant; unforgiving; friendly; carefree; respectful; welcoming; intransigent; funny; appreciative; belligerent; moody; confrontational; sarcastic; sardonic; ribald; quizzical; pessimistic; optimistic; realistic; melancholy; patronizing; forthright; contemplative; callous bitter apathetic accusatory reflective; Understanding; sensitive; negative; positive.
Character
Indifferent; fearless; generous; bigoted; reliable; optimistic; patient; decent; cruel; hostile; pessimistic; threatening; mature; oppressive; rude; strict; boastful; immature; wicked; childish; candid; aggressive; stubborn; mischievous; weird; witty; manipulative; manic; argumentative; arrogant; aggressive; assertive; bossy; careless; cautious; caring; charming; cheeky; conscientious; conceited; creative; coy; curious; dogmatic; enthusiastic; domineering; extroverted; introverted; funny; impulsive.
Reaction
Menacing; startled; diplomatic; threatening; rudely; alarmed; surprised; delighted; indifferently; angrily;
Manner
Impulsive; cheerful; uncultured; contemptuous; rude; suspicious; unfriendly; polished; respectful; warm; polite; rough; tolerant; disgusting; sincere; ungracious; discourteous; honest ; hostile; condescending; coarse; authoritative; cold; arrogant; calm; comical; critical; cynical; derisive; ecstatic; pompous; hurtful; facetious.
Mood
Morose; happy; somber; hostile; sad; melancholy; awe.
Tone
Serious; playful; excited; erudite; satiric; solemn; whimsical; sincere; reflective; reverent; ribald; quizzical; pessimistic; patronizing; optimistic; objective; mocking; matter of fact; judgmental; intimate; haughty; earnest; derisive; didactic; caustic; contemplative; contemptuous; callous; cynical.
Emotions/Feelings
Ridiculed; ecstatic; reassured; confident; uneasy; disappointed; depressed pleased frightened enraged; upset; furious; discouraged; nervous; glum; humiliated; agitated; demoralized; disheartened; bored; hopeful; frustrated; dejected; confident; pleased; jealous; relieved; delighted; interested; calm; comforted; sympathetic; fascinated; passionate; secure; irritated; angry; bitter; resentful; infuriated; indignant; fuming; disappointed; dissatisfied; in despair; ashamed; guilty; uncertain; doubtful; embarrassed; disillusioned; unbelieving; skeptical; distrustful; pessimistic; optimistic; weary; fearful; anxious; worried.
Attitude
Tolerant; supportive; cynical; contemptuous; envious ; unfriendly; encouraging; proud; indifferent; aggressive; uncaring; sympathetic; arrogant; unforgiving; friendly; carefree; respectful; welcoming; intransigent; funny; appreciative; belligerent; moody; confrontational; sarcastic; sardonic; ribald; quizzical; pessimistic; optimistic; realistic; melancholy; patronizing; forthright; contemplative; callous bitter apathetic accusatory reflective; Understanding; sensitive; negative; positive.
Character
Indifferent; fearless; generous; bigoted; reliable; optimistic; patient; decent; cruel; hostile; pessimistic; threatening; mature; oppressive; rude; strict; boastful; immature; wicked; childish; candid; aggressive; stubborn; mischievous; weird; witty; manipulative; manic; argumentative; arrogant; aggressive; assertive; bossy; careless; cautious; caring; charming; cheeky; conscientious; conceited; creative; coy; curious; dogmatic; enthusiastic; domineering; extroverted; introverted; funny; impulsive.
Reaction
Menacing; startled; diplomatic; threatening; rudely; alarmed; surprised; delighted; indifferently; angrily;
Manner
Impulsive; cheerful; uncultured; contemptuous; rude; suspicious; unfriendly; polished; respectful; warm; polite; rough; tolerant; disgusting; sincere; ungracious; discourteous; honest ; hostile; condescending; coarse; authoritative; cold; arrogant; calm; comical; critical; cynical; derisive; ecstatic; pompous; hurtful; facetious.
Mood
Morose; happy; somber; hostile; sad; melancholy; awe.
Tone
Serious; playful; excited; erudite; satiric; solemn; whimsical; sincere; reflective; reverent; ribald; quizzical; pessimistic; patronizing; optimistic; objective; mocking; matter of fact; judgmental; intimate; haughty; earnest; derisive; didactic; caustic; contemplative; contemptuous; callous; cynical.
