English writing style

An English writing style is a combination of features in an English language composition that has become characteristic of a particular writer, a genre, a particular organization, or a profession more broadly (e.g., legal writing).

An individual's writing style may be distinctive for particular themes, personal idiosyncrasies of phrasing and/or idiolect; recognizable combinations of these patterns may be defined metaphorically as a writer's "voice."

Organizations that employ writers or commission written work from individuals may require that writers conform to a "house style" defined by the organization. This conformity enables a more consistent readability of composite works produced by many authors and promotes usability of, for example, references to other cited works.

In many kinds of professional writing aiming for effective transfer of information, adherence to a standardised style can facilitate the comprehension of readers who are already accustomed to it.[1] Many of these standardised styles are documented in style guides.

  1. ^ Russell, David R. (1997). "Rethinking Genre in School and Society: An Activity Theory Analysis". Written Communication. 14 (4): 504–54. doi:10.1177/0741088397014004004. S2CID 145803137.