Formal and Informal Language
What is the difference between formal and informal language?
Formal and informal language serve different purposes. The tone, the choice of words and the way the words are
put together vary between the two styles. Formal language is less personal than informal language. It is used
when writing for professional or academic purposes like university assignments. Formal language does not use
colloquialisms, contractions or first person pronouns such as ‘I’ or ‘We’.
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.
Examples of formal and informal language are shown below:
Contractions
Informal: The improvements canʼt be introduced due to funding restrictions.
Formal: Improvements cannot be introduced due to funding restrictions.
Informal: I donʼt believe that the results are accurate.
Formal: The results are not believed to be accurate.
Informal: The research project wonʼt continue next year.
Formal: The research project will not continue next year.
Phrasal verbs
Informal: The balloon was blown up for the experiment.
Formal: The balloon was inflated for the experiment.
Informal: The patient got over his illness.
Formal: The patient recovered from his illness.
Informal: The results of the study were mixed up.
Formal: The results of the study were confused.
Slang/Colloquialism
Informal: The mob was very rowdy during the protest against cuts to university funding.
Formal: The crowd was very rowdy during the protest against the cuts to university funding.
Informal: Lecturers still count on students to use correct grammar and punctuation in essays.
Formal: Lecturers expect students to use correct grammar and punctuation in essays.
Informal: It was raining cats and dogs.
Formal: It was raining very heavily.
First person pronouns
Informal: I considered various research methods for the study.
Formal: Various research methods were considered for the study.
Informal: We believe the practice is unsustainable.
Formal: It is believed the practice is unsustainable.
Informal: During the interview I asked students about their experiences.
Formal: During the interview students were asked about their experiences.
Initialisms
UTS University of Technology Sydney
ISO International Standards Organisation
OECD Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development
The first time an acronym or initialism is used in an essay, it is acceptable to write the name in full
with the acronym or initialism in brackets after it.
Every subsequent time it is used the acronym or initialism can be used on its own. If an acronym or initialism
needs to be made into a plural, add a small ‘s’ to it without an apostrophe.
The following list will help you to recognize the informal and formal ways of saying the same thing. The list is
divided into sections of: verbs, transitions, emphasis words, abbreviations, and slang.
Verbs – 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
It’s about It concerns, It’s 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 someone’s nerves bother
ring up call
show up arrive
let permit
fill in substitute
block undermine
Transitions – 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
Emphasis Words – Informal & Formal
Informal Formal
tons of heaps of , large quantities of, a number of
totally completely, strongly
really very definitely
Letter Expressions – Informal & Formal
Informal Formal
Hi Robert, Dear Sir or Madam
Just wanted to
let you know… I am writing to inform you…
Love, Yours sincerely, Yours faithfully, 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 – Informal & Formal
Informal Formal
ASAP as soon as possible
T.V. television
photo photograph
cell cell phone
net Internet
Slang – Informal & Formal
Informal Formal
Kids children
Bad negative
good positive
really big considerable
right correct
wrong incorrect
smart intelligent
cheap inexpensive