Formal and Informal Language
Formal and Informal Pairs
1) How do you do?
2) It’s a pleasure to meet
you. Goodbye.
3) I’m afraid your child is
experiencing difficulty.
4) One grows weary in
these matters.
5) I agree with my
colleague that.
6) Please state your
business.
A) What’cha want?
B) Nice to meet you. See
ya!
C) Lily’s right…
D) Your kid is causing
trouble.
E) I’m tired of this junk.
F) What’s up?
Formal vs Informal Language
 Single word adverbs
 Arise, board
 Formal connecting words
 In addition, furthermore,
however
 Impersonal
 It is claimed that…
 Abstract nouns
 Is happiness possible
during unemployment?
 No contractions
 I will, we cannot
 Phrasal verbs
 To get up, to get on
 Informal connecting
words
 And, but, so
 Personal
 People claim that…
 Modal verbs, adjectives
 Can people be happy when
they haven’t got a job?
 Contractions
 I’ll, we can’t
Academic Written Language
 Standard usage and grammar
 Standard vocabulary
 Distance between the writer and reader
 Third person
 Passive voice
 Authoritative and neutral
 Not aggressive, timid, or too enthusiastic
Distance
 Passive voice – the focus is the result of an action,
not the subject doing the action
 “Scientists observed strange behavior in hedgehogs after
feeding them fish and chips.”
 “Strange behavior was observed in hedgehogs after they were
fed fish and chips.”
 Third person (not “I” or “you”)
 “One often feels the pressure of modern lifestyle.”
Tone
 The following should be avoided:
 1) Aggressive tone
 “This is the correct way of spreading butter on bread.”
 2) Timid tone
 “This might be a decent way of spreading butter on bread.”
 3) Enthusiastic tone
 “This way of spreading butter on bread is amazing and should
be learnt by everyone!”
Style
 Polonius:
My liege, and madam, to expostulate
What majesty should be, what duty is,
What day is day, night night, and time is time,
Were nothing but to waste night, day, and time;
Therefore, since brevity is the soul of wit,
And tediousness the limbs and outward flourishes,
I will be brief. Your noble son is mad. . . .
(Hamlet Act 2, scene 2, 86–92)
 AKA get to the point!
Academic Writing Guidelines
 Avoid common but vague words (nice, big, …)
 Focus on structure and paragraphs
 Avoid too much personal and emotive language
 Hedging = avoiding commitment
 Avoid generalizations