Formal and Informal Language/ Expression; Day: 62
What is the difference between formal and informal language?
Formal and informal language serve different purposes in written communications depending on the reader (Audience) and reason for writing (Purpose). The tone, the choice of words and the way the words are put together vary between the two different styles.
āĻĒā§āϰāĻĨāĻžāĻāϤ āĻāĻŦāĻ āĻ āύāĻžāύā§āώā§āĻ āĻžāύāĻŋāĻ āĻāĻžāώāĻž āĻĒāĻžāĻ āĻ (āĻļā§āϰā§āϤāĻž) āĻāĻŦāĻ āϞā§āĻāĻžāϰ āĻāĻžāϰāĻŖ (āĻāĻĻā§āĻĻā§āĻļā§āϝ) āĻāϰ āĻāĻĒāϰ āύāĻŋāϰā§āĻāϰ āĻāϰ⧠āϞāĻŋāĻāĻŋāϤ āϝā§āĻāĻžāϝā§āĻā§āϰ āĻŦāĻŋāĻāĻŋāύā§āύ āĻāĻĻā§āĻĻā§āĻļā§āϝ⧠āĻāĻžāĻ āĻāϰā§āĨ¤ āϏā§āĻŦāϰ, āĻļāĻŦā§āĻĻā§āϰ āĻĒāĻāύā§āĻĻ āĻāĻŦāĻ āĻļāĻŦā§āĻĻāĻā§āϞāĻŋāĻā§ āĻāĻāϤā§āϰāĻŋāϤ āĻāϰāĻžāϰ āĻāĻĒāĻžāϝāĻŧ āĻĻā§āĻāĻŋ āĻāĻŋāύā§āύ āĻļā§āϞā§āϰ āĻŽāϧā§āϝ⧠āĻĒāϰāĻŋāĻŦāϰā§āϤāĻŋāϤ āĻšāϝāĻŧāĨ¤
Formal language is less personal than informal language. It is used when writing for professional or academic purposes like graduate school assignments. Formal language does not use colloquialisms, contractions or first-person pronouns such as âIâ or âWe.â
āĻāύā§āώā§āĻ āĻžāύāĻŋāĻ āĻāĻžāώāĻž āĻ āύāĻžāύā§āώā§āĻ āĻžāύāĻŋāĻ āĻāĻžāώāĻžāϰ āĻā§āϝāĻŧā§ āĻāĻŽ āĻŦā§āϝāĻā§āϤāĻŋāĻāϤāĨ¤ āϏā§āύāĻžāϤāĻ āϏā§āĻā§āϞ āĻ ā§āϝāĻžāϏāĻžāĻāύāĻŽā§āύā§āĻā§āϰ āĻŽāϤ⧠āĻĒā§āĻļāĻžāĻĻāĻžāϰ āĻŦāĻž āĻāĻāĻžāĻĄā§āĻŽāĻŋāĻ āĻāĻĻā§āĻĻā§āĻļā§āϝ⧠āϞā§āĻāĻžāϰ āϏāĻŽāϝāĻŧ āĻāĻāĻŋ āĻŦā§āϝāĻŦāĻšāĻžāϰ āĻāϰāĻž āĻšāϝāĻŧāĨ¤ āĻāύā§āώā§āĻ āĻžāύāĻŋāĻ āĻāĻžāώāĻž āĻāĻĨā§āĻĒāĻāĻĨāύ, āϏāĻāĻā§āĻāύ āĻŦāĻž āĻĒā§āϰāĻĨāĻŽ-āĻŦā§āϝāĻā§āϤāĻŋ āϏāϰā§āĻŦāύāĻžāĻŽ āϝā§āĻŽāύ “āĻāĻŽāĻŋ” āĻŦāĻž “āĻāĻŽāϰāĻž” āĻŦā§āϝāĻŦāĻšāĻžāϰ āĻāϰ⧠āύāĻžāĨ¤
Informal language is more casual and spontaneous. It is used when communicating with friends or family either in writing or in conversation. It is used when writing personal emails, text messages and in some business correspondence. The tone of informal language is more personal than formal language.
āĻ āύāĻžāύā§āώā§āĻ āĻžāύāĻŋāĻ āĻāĻžāώāĻž āĻāϰāĻ āύā§āĻŽāĻŋāϤā§āϤāĻŋāĻ āĻāĻŦāĻ āϏā§āĻŦāϤāĻāϏā§āĻĢā§āϰā§āϤāĨ¤ āϞāĻŋāĻāĻŋāϤāĻāĻžāĻŦā§ āĻŦāĻž āĻāĻĨā§āĻĒāĻāĻĨāύ⧠āĻŦāύā§āϧ⧠āĻŦāĻž āĻĒāϰāĻŋāĻŦāĻžāϰā§āϰ āϏāĻžāĻĨā§ āϝā§āĻāĻžāϝā§āĻ āĻāϰāĻžāϰ āϏāĻŽāϝāĻŧ āĻāĻāĻŋ āĻŦā§āϝāĻŦāĻšāĻžāϰ āĻāϰāĻž āĻšāϝāĻŧāĨ¤ āĻāĻāĻŋ āĻŦā§āϝāĻā§āϤāĻŋāĻāϤ āĻāĻŽā§āϞ, āĻĒāĻžāĻ ā§āϝ āĻŦāĻžāϰā§āϤāĻž āĻāĻŦāĻ āĻāĻŋāĻā§ āĻŦā§āϝāĻŦāϏāĻžāϝāĻŧāĻŋāĻ āĻāĻŋāĻ āĻŋāĻĒāϤā§āϰ āϞā§āĻāĻžāϰ āϏāĻŽāϝāĻŧ āĻŦā§āϝāĻŦāĻšā§āϤ āĻšāϝāĻŧāĨ¤ āĻāύā§āώā§āĻ āĻžāύāĻŋāĻ āĻāĻžāώāĻžāϰ āĻā§āϝāĻŧā§ āĻ āύāĻžāύā§āώā§āĻ āĻžāύāĻŋāĻ āĻāĻžāώāĻžāϰ āϏā§āϰ āĻŦā§āĻļāĻŋ āĻŦā§āϝāĻā§āϤāĻŋāĻāϤāĨ¤
Examples of formal and informal language are shown below:
Contractions
āϏāĻāĻā§āĻāύ
- Informal: The improvements canât be made due to budget cuts.
- āĻ āύāĻžāύā§āώā§āĻ āĻžāύāĻŋāĻ: āĻŦāĻžāĻā§āĻ āĻāĻŽāĻžāύā§āϰ āĻāĻžāϰāĻŖā§ āĻāύā§āύāϤāĻŋ āĻāϰāĻž āϝāĻžāĻŦā§ āύāĻžāĨ¤
- Formal: Improvements cannot be made due to budget restrictions.
- āĻāύā§āώā§āĻ āĻžāύāĻŋāĻ: āĻŦāĻžāĻā§āĻā§āϰ āϏā§āĻŽāĻžāĻŦāĻĻā§āϧāϤāĻžāϰ āĻāĻžāϰāĻŖā§ āĻāύā§āύāϤāĻŋ āĻāϰāĻž āϝāĻžāĻŦā§ āύāĻžāĨ¤
Phrasal Verbs
āĻĢā§āϰā§āϏāĻžāϞ āĻā§āϰāĻŋāϝāĻŧāĻž
- The ballon was blown up for the experiment.
- āĻĒāϰā§āĻā§āώāĻžāϰ āĻāύā§āϝ āĻŦā§āϝāĻžāϞāύ āĻāĻĄāĻŧāĻŋāϝāĻŧā§ āĻĻā§āĻāϝāĻŧāĻž āĻšāϝāĻŧā§āĻāĻŋāϞāĨ¤
- The ballon was inflated for the experiment
- āĻĒāϰā§āĻā§āώāĻžāϰ āĻāύā§āϝ āĻŦā§āϝāĻžāϞāύ āϏā§āĻĢā§āϤ āĻāϰāĻž āĻšāϝāĻŧā§āĻāĻŋāϞ
Slang/Colloquialism
āϏā§āϞā§āϝāĻžāĻ/āĻāĻĨā§āĻĒāĻāĻĨāύ
- Professors still count on students to use correct grammar and punctuation in essays.
- āĻĒā§āϰāĻŦāύā§āϧ⧠āϏāĻ āĻŋāĻ āĻŦā§āϝāĻžāĻāϰāĻŖ āĻāĻŦāĻ āĻŦāĻŋāϰāĻžāĻŽ āĻāĻŋāĻšā§āύ āĻŦā§āϝāĻŦāĻšāĻžāϰ āĻāϰāĻžāϰ āĻāύā§āϝ āĻĒā§āϰāĻĢā§āϏāϰāϰāĻž āĻāĻāύāĻ āĻāĻžāϤā§āϰāĻĻā§āϰ āĻāĻĒāϰ āύāĻŋāϰā§āĻāϰ āĻāϰā§āĨ¤
- Professors expect students to use correct grammar and punctuation in essays.
- āĻĒā§āϰāĻĢā§āϏāϰāϰāĻž āĻāĻžāϤā§āϰāĻĻā§āϰ āĻāĻžāĻā§ āĻĒā§āϰāĻŦāύā§āϧ⧠āϏāĻ āĻŋāĻ āĻŦā§āϝāĻžāĻāϰāĻŖ āĻāĻŦāĻ āĻŦāĻŋāϰāĻžāĻŽ āĻāĻŋāĻšā§āύ āĻŦā§āϝāĻŦāĻšāĻžāϰ āĻāϰāĻžāϰ āĻĒā§āϰāϤā§āϝāĻžāĻļāĻž āĻāϰā§āύāĨ¤
First Person Pronouns
āĻĒā§āϰāĻĨāĻŽ āĻŦā§āϝāĻā§āϤāĻŋ āϏāϰā§āĻŦāύāĻžāĻŽ
- IÂ considered various research methods for the study.
- āĻāĻŽāĻŋ āĻ āϧā§āϝāϝāĻŧāύā§āϰ āĻāύā§āϝ āĻŦāĻŋāĻāĻŋāύā§āύ āĻāĻŦā§āώāĻŖāĻž āĻĒāĻĻā§āϧāϤāĻŋ āĻŦāĻŋāĻŦā§āĻāύāĻž āĻāϰā§āĻāĻŋāĨ¤
- Various research methods were considered for the study.
- āĻāĻŦā§āώāĻŖāĻžāϰ āĻāύā§āϝ āĻŦāĻŋāĻāĻŋāύā§āύ āĻāĻŦā§āώāĻŖāĻž āĻĒāĻĻā§āϧāϤāĻŋ āĻŦāĻŋāĻŦā§āĻāύāĻž āĻāϰāĻž āĻšāϝāĻŧā§āĻāĻŋāϞāĨ¤
- During the interview we asked the applicants for a personal reference.
- āϏāĻžāĻā§āώāĻžā§āĻāĻžāϰā§āϰ āϏāĻŽāϝāĻŧ āĻāĻŽāϰāĻž āĻāĻŦā§āĻĻāύāĻāĻžāϰā§āĻĻā§āϰ āĻāĻāĻāĻŋ āĻŦā§āϝāĻā§āϤāĻŋāĻāϤ āϰā§āĻĢāĻžāϰā§āύā§āϏ āĻā§āϝāĻŧā§āĻāĻŋāϞāĻžāĻŽāĨ¤
- During the interview applicants were asked to provide a personal reference.
- āϏāĻžāĻā§āώāĻžā§āĻāĻžāϰā§āϰ āϏāĻŽāϝāĻŧ āĻāĻŦā§āĻĻāύāĻāĻžāϰā§āĻĻā§āϰ āĻāĻāĻāĻŋ āĻŦā§āϝāĻā§āϤāĻŋāĻāϤ āϰā§āĻĢāĻžāϰā§āύā§āϏ āĻĒā§āϰāĻĻāĻžāύ āĻāϰāϤ⧠āĻŦāϞāĻž āĻšāϝāĻŧā§āĻāĻŋāϞāĨ¤
VERBS â INFORMAL & FORMAL
Informal | Formal |
---|---|
say sorry | apologize, apologise |
go up | increase |
go down | decrease |
set up | establish |
look at | examine |
blow up | explode |
find out | discover |
bring about | cause |
put off | postpone, delay |
rack up | accumulate |
make up | fabricate |
stand for | represent |
find out | discover, ascertain |
leave out | omit |
point out | indicate |
go against | oppose |
get in touch with | contact |
Itâs about | It concerns, Itâs in regards to |
need to | required |
think about | consider |
get | obtain |
put up | tolerate |
deal with | handle |
seem | appear |
show | demonstrate, illustrate, portray |
start | commence |
keep | retain |
free | release |
get on someoneâs nerves | bother |
ring up | call |
show up | arrive |
let | permit |
fill in | substitute, inform |
block | undermine |
give the go ahead, greenlight | authorize, authorise |
TRANSITIONS â INFORMAL & FORMAL
Informal | Formal |
---|---|
Anyways | Nevertheless |
Plus/Also | Moreover/ Furthermore |
But | However |
So | Therefore/Thus |
Also | In addition, Additionally |
ASAP | as soon as possible/at your earliest convenience |
Okay, OK | acceptable |
In the meantime | In the interim |
I think | In my opinion, |
In the end, | Finally |
To sum up | In conclusion, |
In a nutshell/Basically | To summarize, |
Anyway, | Notwithstanding |
All right | Acceptable |
Well, | |
To top it all off, | |
On top of it all, | |
In order to |
EMPHASIS WORDS â INFORMAL & FORMAL
Informal | Formal |
---|---|
lots of/ a lot of | much, many |
tons of, heaps of | large quantities of, a number of |
totally | completely, strongly |
really, very | definitely |
LETTER EXPRESSIONS â INFORMAL & FORMAL
Informal | Formal |
---|---|
Hi Robert, | Dear Sir or Madam |
Just wanted to let you knowâĻ | I am writing to inform youâĻ |
Love, | Yours sincerely, Yours faithfully, |
Cheers, | |
Yours Truly, Best regards, kind regards | |
Hope to hear from you soon | I look forward to hearing from you |
You can call me if you need anything | Please do not hesitate to contact me |
ABBREVIATIONS â INFORMAL & FORMAL
Informal | Formal |
---|---|
ASAP | as soon as possible |
T.V. | television |
photo | photograph |
cell | cell phone |
net | Internet |
SLANG â INFORMAL & FORMAL
Informal | Formal |
---|---|
kids | children |
bad | negative |
good | positive |
really big | considerable |
right | correct |
wrong | incorrect |
smart | intelligent |
cheap | inexpensive |
loaded | rich |
FORMAL vs INFORMAL EXPRESSIONS
Formal and informal expressions for written or verbal communication.
Formal English expressions are used in letters or in situations involving people you do not know very well.
The tone is respectful and polite.
Informal English expressions are used in everyday conversations, letters and emails exchanged with friends, family, colleagues or people you know well.
The tone is casual and friendly.
FORMAL | INFORMAL |
âĒI regret to inform you that … | âĒI hate to have to tell you this but … |
âĒI am writing to inform you that … | âĒJust a quick line to say … |
âĒIt is a pleasure to meet you. | âĒNice to meet you. |
âĒUpon your arrival … | âĒAs soon as you get here âĻ |
âĒAt your earliest convenience | âĒAs soon as you can |
âĒI regret that I will be unable to attend … | âĒSorry I canât make it. |
âĒI would appreciate being kept informed âĻ | âĒPlease keep me posted/updated. âĒKeep me in the loop! |
âĒI would like to remind you that … | âĒDon’t forget … |
âĒWould you be available on ….. ? | âĒI suggest we get together on ….. |
âĒI really appreciate your assistance | âĒThanks a lot! |
âĒPlease accept my apologies for … | âĒSorry for … |
âĒIt will not be necessary for you to … | âĒYou wonât have to … |
âĒIt would be of great benefit to you to … | âĒIt would do you good to … |
âĒWe have a vast amount of information at your disposal. | âĒI have lots of information for you. |
âĒWe were hoping you could … | âĒCould you …? |
âĒIt is my opinion that … | âĒI think … |
âĒPlease remember me to Alex. | âĒSay hello to Alex for me. |
âĒI’d like to express my gratitude for… | âĒThanks a million. I owe you one! |