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Politeness, and matching your tone to the reader
Content isn't the only thing scored — the rubric also asks for consistently appropriate register. Here's how tone actually shifts across real prompts.
What "register" means
Matching your tone to the situation and the reader — politeness, and the right framing for a request, refusal, or criticism.
Shows up as its own bullet, every time
✓ "Use an appropriately polite and professional tone"
✓ "Use an appropriately respectful and professional tone"
Not optional — it's one of the graded requirements, spelled out directly.
Recipient changes it
A professor needs formal and deferential. A peer still needs to be respectful — but can be warmer and more direct.
Same politeness, different formality
To Professor Whitfield
"I'm writing to explain a difficult personal situation that has affected my ability to complete the assignment on time."
To roommate Jordan
"I wanted to talk about something that's been affecting my sleep and study time."
Two ways it goes wrong
Too casual sounds like a text. Too harsh sounds like a demand. The task even warns against this directly: "without being accusatory."
"hey, mind not making so much noise, it's kind of annoying" — too casual
"You need to stop leaving your stuff everywhere." — too harsh
"I've noticed the shared spaces have been pretty messy lately, and the late-night music has made it hard for me to sleep. Would you be open to figuring out a routine that works for both of us?"
The polite-request formula
Soften the ask, then be specific — that pattern covers almost every request on this task.
To landlord Mr. Torres — heating repair
"Please fix it soon." — vague, no softener
"Would it be possible to have someone look at it within the next day or two, given how cold it's getting?"
DEB
4 things to know about register
Audio: DEB (ElevenLabs)