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NBT Academic Literacy: Tone, Register and Author's Attitude Flashcards

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Read the first 7 NBT Academic Literacy: Tone, Register and Author's Attitude flashcards as text

  1. A health professional's letter reads: 'I wish to advise that the patient presents with symptoms consistent with early-stage hypertension and is advised to reduce dietary sodium intake.' The register is:

    Answer: Formal professional/medical

    Medical terminology ('presents with', 'consistent with', 'hypertension', 'dietary sodium') in an advisory letter is formal professional/medical register.

  2. Read: 'The researchers found a modest but statistically significant improvement in reading comprehension scores.' The word 'modest' indicates that the author's attitude is:

    Answer: Measured — the improvement exists but is not overstated

    'Modest' calibrates the extent of the improvement without dismissing or overstating it — a measured, objective stance.

  3. A social media post reads: 'CANNOT believe the govt raised fuel prices AGAIN 😤 this is literally insane'. The dominant register is:

    Answer: Informal emotive digital

    All-caps, emoji, 'literally', 'insane', and conversational syntax signal informal emotive digital register.

  4. Which of the following best describes the tone of the sentence: 'The committee's report, running to 342 pages, managed to say very little of substance'?

    Answer: Dry/wry — using length as ironic commentary on lack of content

    Juxtaposing the report's length (342 pages) against its lack of substance is classically dry, wry irony.

  5. An academic abstract states: 'This paper examines the extent to which socioeconomic factors influence educational outcomes in post-apartheid South Africa.' The author's attitude toward the topic is:

    Answer: Objective and inquiring — presenting a research focus without personal bias

    Passive, neutral language ('examines', 'extent to which') signals an objective, inquiring academic stance without advocating a position.

  6. A travel blog reads: 'Cape Town is honestly one of the most jaw-dropping cities on earth — the mountain, the sea, the food — you've just gotta experience it.' The register is:

    Answer: Informal enthusiastic

    'Honestly', 'jaw-dropping', 'gotta', and second-person address ('you') are hallmarks of informal, enthusiastic register.

  7. The phrase 'with all due respect' is often used in formal debate. In practice, it most commonly signals:

    Answer: Polite disagreement — a formal way of introducing a contrary point

    'With all due respect' is a conventional phrase used to soften a disagreement; the register is formal but the function is adversarial.