MODULE 2 PROFESSIONAL COMMUNICATION
2A FORMALITY IN BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
OBJECTIVES
1. To introduce the different levels of formality in communication
2. To explore different factors that can affect formality
3. To provide opportunities for learners to practice formal and semi-formal
writing
LEARNING OUTCOMES
Upon completion of this module, you will be able to:
1. Understand formal and semi-formal writing
2. Analyze different levels of formality in writing for professional or work
purposes
WARM-UP DISCUSSION
Work with a partner. Read the following two excerpts of an application letter. What
is the level of formality used in each one? What are the major features that suggest
the level of formality? If you were the HR manager, what would be your impression
of the two candidates? Share your ideas with your partner and with the class.
Excerpt 1:
I am applying for the position of a sales representative advertised on your
company website. I am an ideal candidate for the job because of my relevant
experience, good language skills, and excellent interpersonal skills.
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Excerpt 2:
Hey ya! I browse your website and that you guys are looking for a sales rep.
Well, I’m good for that job coz I've got to do stuff like it in the past, am good
with words, and am incredibly friendly!
1. RECOGNIZING CONTEXT AND FORMALITY
In the world of business, there are many different contexts that require different
levels of formality. Context refers to the situation in which the communication is
taking place while formality refers to a style of communication which fits your
purpose and which your audience expects. Correct recognition of the context and
formality is vital to your professional image as well as your company’s success.
Here are some examples of situations where you need to communicate for
professional or work purposes:
Internal Communication – when you External Communication – when you
are communicating with people within are communicating with people outside
your own company of your own company
• WhatsApp messages (or other • WhatsApp messages with
instant messaging platforms) customers / clients
with colleagues / boss • External emails / email chains
• Internal emails / email chains • Transactional letters (e.g. letter of
• Discussion boards inquiry, letter of complaint, reply
• Memorandums to complaints, letter of invitation)
• Minutes of meetings • Contracts / agreements
• Proposals (e.g., for new office • Proposals (e.g., an independent
equipment) consultant proposing to do a
• Research reports project for another firm)
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In general, external communication requires a higher level of formality but the level
of formality appropriate for each context is NOT only dictated by whether the
communication is internal or external; rather, it is determined by other factors,
including:
(a) power dynamic: the relationship between the reader and the writer (i.e.
whether there is a power difference between them and whether that
difference should be displayed)
(b) officiality: whether the content is intended to be “on the record”
(c) action: whether the document is meant to cause its reader to act in a
particular manner
(d) medium: the mode of communication between the reader and the writer
(some modes, such as letters and reports, are conventionally more formal
than others, like WhatsApp messages).
Thus, for example:
• A WhatsApp message written to a client for the purpose of networking and
inquiry can be slightly casual and informal. However, the same dialogue can
take on a more formal turn if it is part of the official communication of a
business deal.
• An email to your boss can be less formal if you are discussing the possibility
of a project. However, you may need to create a new email chain and increase
formality when you are actually making a proposal to your boss.
TASK 1: DETERMINING FORMALITY
Read the following situations. Would the context call for formal or informal
communication? Would some contexts call for a formality which is in-between
formal and informal?
1. A client has emailed you with a complaint about your company’s product and
would like compensation. FORMAL / INFORMAL / In-between
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2. Your supervisor has texted you to look for a venue for the company’s annual Mid-
Autumn Festival dinner. FORMAL / INFORMAL / In-between
3. Your colleague has sent you a short WhatsApp message asking for advice on how
to structure her report. FORMAL / INFORMAL / In-between
4. Your former classmate sends you a LinkedIn direct message (DM) letting you
know that he will be joining your company next month, apparently as your
supervisor. FORMAL / INFORMAL / In-between
5. Your groupmates created a WhatsApp group to discuss the direction of the
upcoming marketing campaign. FORMAL / INFORMAL / In-between
6. Your assistant has sent you an email, asking you to confirm the details of a
meeting with a new client. FORMAL / INFORMAL / In-between
7. Your former supervisor has sent you an email, asking to see if you have time for a
cup of coffee. FORMAL / INFORMAL / In-between
8. The CEO of another company sends you a LinkedIn direct message (DM), inviting
you to an informal meeting to discuss the possibility of working for his start-up.
FORMAL / INFORMAL / In-between
2. LEVELS OF FORMALITY IN BUSINESS
COMMUNICATION
The way you write and the word choices you make in your writing affect the
feelings and emotions of the reader. We can think of formality as a spectrum ranging
from the extremely informal casual style to extremely formal official style:
Official /
Casual/Overly-
Informal Semi-formal Formal Overly
informal
formal
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What would be the major characteristics of each level of formality?
Overly
Formal /
Official
Formal
Semi-
Formal
Informal
Overly
Informal /
Casual
In professional communication, the use of overly informal/casual style is clearly
undesirable. You never want the reader to view you as unprofessional and careless
as reflected in your fragmented writing. It is certainly possible to offend your
readers by being too informal or casual in your approach. Informal writing may
have limited use in situations where you communicate with someone close to you
and someone who will not judge your professionalism by the use of sometimes non-
standard language. Likewise, the overly formal/official style also has restricted use.
It is mainly used in situations where conventions and exact wording are essential in
conveying the message. In most business communication, this extreme level of
formality is not needed as the writing becomes too difficult for the reader. Most
readers in business do not expect that they need to spend enormous time on
understanding a message written with a myriad of difficult and highly complex
language.
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Formal style is the core of most business writing. Formal writing is clear and precise,
helping the readers to quickly understand your message. Moreover, in professional
settings, you’re generally expected to refrain from freely expressing your emotions.
Formal writing usually favors objectivity and keeps your emotions in check.
However, you may be able to use a semi-formal style if you are writing to someone
you know in person. With the growing popularity of electronic communication,
there is a trend of relaxing the formal style to using semi-formal style in some
communication. To be a competent communicator, you need a good control of these
two levels of formality in your writing.
TASK 2: REVISING MESSAGES FOR FORMALITY
Read the following messages. Identify the features which suggest the level of
formality in each message. Discuss whether each message is written in the correct
formality. If not, revise the message.
1. A WhatsApp message to your supervisor
Dear Mr. Tam,
It is with great pleasure to inform you that your booking with the Chinese restaurant in
Grand Mandarin Hotel has been confirmed. I would be delighted to assist you to provide
notification to the three guests in the aforementioned messages. Kindly keep me apprised
how else I may be of assistance.
Respectfully yours,
Kevin Chan
Formality?
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Revision?
2. An email to a client
Dear Ms Chu,
It’s great to hear from you! We’re very happy to accept your offer of $190,000 for our
product. Yes, we can definitely allow you to pay in two instalments. It’s fairly easy to
arrange. So, what’s a good date for you to sign the contact? It just takes me a couple of
days to prepare for it, so any time after Mar 4th before Mar 9th will do.
See you soon!
Carol
Formality?
Revision?
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3. FORMAL AND SEMI-FORMAL WRITING
In general, writing for professional or work purposes is likely to require a formal
style. While formal writing is more complex than informal writing, it should not
mean your writing is incomprehensible. It should only mean using a more
structured approach, with points clearly introduced, explained and concluded.
Formal writing should be carefully planned, revised and reviewed several times to
ensure that they are as clear as possible, and make all the necessary points. Formal
writing also reflects the 5 C’s (conciseness, clarity, courtesy, completeness,
correctness), which will be discussed in detail in the next module.
If you are uncertain as to how formal your writing should be, it’s usually wise to be
more cautious. Considering your audience carefully can help you decide when to
use the formal or semi-formal style. For example, if you’re writing to a prospective
client, you want to appear professional, so your writing might lean towards the
formal style. As the correspondence progresses, you might reassess and ease your
style accordingly. When you are responding to a message, it is generally safe to
mimic the formality afforded to you. If someone addresses you as Mr. or Ms., do the
same for them. If they use your first name, it’s usually safe to use theirs.
The medium of communication may affect the level of formality in writing.
Compared to paper-based communications, emails tend to use a less formal style.
However, this is changing as more organisations use emails for all communications.
You should therefore avoid the use of “text talk” or too much informality in emails.
A proper email written to a client/third party is almost certainly formal as you can
see below:
Dear Mr. Tam,
Thank you for your reply. We are happy to accept your offer of $10,000 in exchange
for Items A and B as prescribed in the previous email. Attached is the contract for this
transaction. If you have no issue with the contract, please come up to our office at
your convenience and sign it. We look forward to your favourable reply.
Sincerely,
Shirley Wong
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In the workplace, it is acceptable to use semi-formal language for some written
correspondence. Whereas informal writing is personal and unconventional, semi-
formal is more relaxed than formal, but still follows conventions of decorum and
etiquette. Common use of emails among colleagues can be semi-formal as shown in
the following example:
Hi Edwin,
Thanks for your quick reply. The schedule you have posted is great! However, do you
think we need to give the participants a longer break? After all, they’ll have to sit
through a 2-hr lecture; a 15-min break might be a bit short. Well, what if we shift
lunch by 15 min and give them a 30-min break instead? Let me know what you think.
Best,
Frankie
In semi-formal writing, we are specifically targeting a level of formality where
readers would feel that they can be more forthcoming and friendly in
communication. Semi-formal business writing still observes conventions and
etiquette of formal writing but can be slightly more expressive (though not rude). It
is grammatically correct but it can use short forms or contractions.
The medium of the message certainly affects the level of formality. Internal emails
tend to be on the semi-formal side:
Hi Louis,
Good news! It seems that Mr. Tam has accepted our offer, and he’s going to come up
to our office to sign the contract sometime next week. Do you think you can prepare
the contract in a couple of days?
Cheers!
Shirley
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There is also a lower level of formality (but not carelessness) in instant messages.
Semi-formal style can be used:
Hi Louis, what do you want for lunch to celebrate, Japanese or Korean?
Also, could you remind boss to sign the contract first before we pass it to Mr.
Tam? Thanks!
Posting a thread on company discussion boards is another context where semi-
formal style can be used:
Subject: Celebration lunch for our recent success!
Hi everyone, I wanted to ask if anyone has any good suggestion for a restaurant for
the company lunch next Friday to celebrate our win of this year’s Eggy Award. Mr.
Laine knows that everyone has worked very hard over the past three months, so he
wants us to properly celebrate.
He said that we can take a 2-hour lunch break, and that there is a “very generous
budget limit” for the occasion! He only asks that the restaurant has vegetarian
options for him and his wife, who will be joining us.
Mr. Laine has provided me with a link for some initial ideas, but he emphasizes that
he’s totally open. Now, I’m no expert when it comes to fancy dining (I only know the
best cha-chaan-tengs in the area). So, does anyone have any suggestions?
As mentioned earlier, the audience will affect whether your communication is in fact
semi-formal. The general principle is: formality increases with the difference in
power:
Subordinate < Colleague < Supervisor < “Big boss”/client/regulators
In addition, the context can be factored in as well. If you are asking your supervisor
for advice, the formality can be dialed down from formal to semi-formal. If you are
brainstorming for ideas with your colleague, it’s even possible to go from semi-
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formal down to slightly informal. The general principle is: formality increases with
the “official-ness” of the context:
Personal matter < work-related manner < official business < matters concerning
liabilities
According to Fay (2011), there are certain themes that can be accepted in the
workplace as contents of semi-formal discussions. These include:
1. Personal disclosure (news and information on intimate topics, e.g. family
news, illness, divorce, plans)
2. Sociality (collegial talk of a social nature)
3. Support giving/getting (reframing, affirming, requesting help)
4. Commiserating/complaining (expressing frustration, common understanding
of issues or events)
5. Business update/exchange (basic work-related interaction)
However, different offices/workplaces have different cultural norms. You are
advised to write carefully, especially regarding personal disclosure (some people
might feel that you are giving too much information) and complaints (some people
might find you annoying if you are complaining too much).
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TASK 3: WRITING ANALYSIS
Below are two samples of emails requesting informational interviews, one common
type of electronic correspondence. For each sample, comment on the level of
formality: How formal is the email? What language features suggest so? What does
the level of formality suggest about the relationship between the writer and the
recipient?
Sample 1
Subject: Informational Interview Request
Dear Mr. Chan,
My name is John Lee Siu Wan. I am a second-year business administration student at The Chinese
University of Hong Kong and I am reaching out to you to request a very small bit of your time,
even as little as twenty minutes, for an informational interview. My goal is to learn more about
your field because I am seriously considering a similar career. My goal is to learn the culture, style,
opportunities, risks and future for employment in this field. I gathered from the many articles you
have written and your LinkedIn profile that you are an acknowledged expert in this field, and I
would love the opportunity to discuss your expertise with you.
I have done some research about the field, for example, the qualifications needed. I would like to
understand more about what is involved from an insider’s perspective.
If you have some time to spare in the next three weeks, could we have a brief chat over the phone?
If you prefer a face-to-face chat, I could stop by your office. I appreciate any time that you can share
with me.
I promise that I am simply collecting insider information. This is not an attempt to market myself
for a job. I won't even bring a copy of my résumé, unless you think it would be helpful for the
discussion.
Thank you very much in advance for your help. I greatly appreciate your kindness and generosity.
Please let me know if there is anything I can do for you in the future.
Best regards,
John
[LinkedIn Profile URL]
(modified from [Link]
letters/email-requesting-an-informational-interview)
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Comment:
Sample 2
Subject: Catching Up and Collecting Information
Hi Tom,
Hope all is going well in your world!
I’d love your help. I’m exploring career alternatives, as I’ve told you briefly. Having worked part-
time as an HR assistant at Mason’s for two years has been great, and it’s time that I grow my skill
set and gain other experiences.
I’m exploring opportunities with the field of customer service, hoping to acquire more frontline
experience. Given your wide experience and network in this area, it would be great if I could seek
your view on how I may gain initial exposure to the industry.
If you have some time to spare in the next three weeks, it would be lovely to get together for a cup
of tea or coffee, or even lunch or dinner (my treat!). Please give me a couple of date/time options
that would work best for you, and we'll find a time to connect.
If you're too busy to get together now, a short, fifteen- or twenty-minute phone call would be a
great, too. Please just let me know the best time and phone number for you. I'd also love to catch
up on what's happening in your world.
Thank you so much for your assistance on this. Please let me know if there is anything I can help
you with.
Regards,
Sam
(modified from: [Link]
Comment:
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REFERENCES
Fay, M. J. (2011). Informal communication of co‐workers: A thematic analysis of
messages. Qualitative Research in Organizations and Management: An International
Journal, 6, 212‐229. [Link]
Indeed Editorial Team. (March 31, 2022). What is formal communication? (And why itʹs
important). [Link]
communication
[Link]. (2011-2024). Formal and informal writing styles.
[Link]
The Purdue Writing Lab. (2022). Levels of formality.
[Link]
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