Reading Comprehension Success in 20 Minutes a Day, 3rd Edition

Your Observations:
Example: I notice that letter A addresses the reader as
“Lucy,” whereas letter B addresses her as “Ms.
Mirabella.”
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S T Y L E : I T ’ S N O T W H AT T H E Y S AY B U T H O W T H E Y S AY I T
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Now, answer the following questions:
7. Which letter is more formal?
a. letter A
b. letter B
8. Which letter seems to have been written by
someone who knows the recipient well?
a. letter A
b. letter B
9. In which letter is the sentence structure more
complex?
a. letter A
b. letter B
10. Which letter is more descriptive and detailed?
a. letter A
b. letter B
You probably noticed immediately the difference
in degree of formality between these two letters. Letter
A is written in a very casual style, as if the writer knows
the reader very well and therefore does not need to use
a professional approach. Our first clue to this casual
relationship is the way the letter is addressed. Letter A
addresses the reader as “Lucy,” while letter B begins
with a formal “Dear Ms. Mirabella.” The same differ-
ence can be seen in the closing of the letters: “Isabel” vs.
“Sincerely, Ms. Lindsey.”
The (in)formality of each relationship is also
reflected in the sentence structure and degree of
description and detail. You probably noticed, for exam-
ple, that letter A uses short, choppy sentences, and
exclamation points, which make the letter sound less
formal, more urgent, and more demanding. The writer
also uses casual words like “listen” so that the writing
sounds conversational. On the other hand, letter B uses
longer, more complex sentences to make the letter
sound more formal and sophisticated.
At the same time, you probably noticed that let-
ter A does not provide the kind of specific information
that letter B does. Letter A tells us the writer placed an
order for “some invitations” “a while ago,” but letter B
tells us the order was placed “three weeks ago, on April
14” and that the order was for “two boxes of personalized