The difference between formal and informal English. Welcome to the real world: Informal English

Source: article in English by Nita Paul (ed.), published on the site of the service of questions and answers "Quora". Here we offer you its translation.

English is not the most difficult language, but it is definitely one of the most difficult to learn. A person for whom English is their native language will easily pronounce a new word that he has not yet spoken, but for people who do not speak it, who are just learning English, this can be a real problem.

It is not so difficult to distinguish between formal and informal speech in English, since the distinction is quite clear. It is extremely important to understand this distinction well in order to correctly apply English at the right time.

Differences between colloquial and formal business English can be general view classify into differences in vocabulary, differences in word order and, finally, punctuation differences. But there are other important aspects in this regard.
For example, the fact that the colloquial style, which refers to informal language, is used in different situations, oral speech, but not in scientific written texts. In such texts, the use of formal language is mandatory.

People who study English need to get to know as much as possible large quantity different types of formal language. On the other hand, students should be aware that not all samples deserve the same credibility.

Textbooks, official documents, business letters, mailing lists, reports, articles, while the informal style is represented in our ordinary everyday conversations, can be the source of the representation of the formal style in the language.

The need for a formal style comes when you need to write a business letter, prepare a presentation, or read a book. However, this does not mean at all that you should ignore colloquial words and expressions, because you use them in ordinary daily conversations with native English speakers.

Below, let me offer an overview of the differences between informal and formal style in the context of the vocabulary used:

1) Texts using formal language are carefully edited and built with care. A person who uses a formal style usually has enough time to polish the text almost to perfect condition. But when writing quick messages, personal emails, or in a casual conversation, they resort to an informal style.

2) Formal language is used when making speeches, making presentations, and so on. Informal English accompanies unprepared spontaneous speech, when a person speaks without any prior preparation.

3) When using the formal style, the sentences are more complex and are characterized by a longer length. In informal language, short and simple sentences are preferred.
4) Standards of correctness are higher in formal language, so a sentence that might be considered acceptable in colloquial speech may not be so in formal business text.

5) In formal English, complex words, complex phrases and difficult to understand sentences are used. And in informal speech, sentences include simple everyday constructions and words that are easy to convey to the interlocutor and easy to understand.

Thus, formal and informal styles of speech are equally important for the student, since he will need to apply his English in different situations communication. Use different sources to search for patterns of formal and informal speech, they should help to clearly distinguish colloquial and official business. In particular, posts on forums, blogs, news texts, films, TV series, conversations of hosts and guests on radio and talk shows can become a source of illustrative examples.

Translated by Valentin Rakhmanov.

Speech styles exist in all languages, and English is no exception. Mastering the style is necessary for everyone who seeks to master the language and speak it as naturally as its native speakers.

Formal communication style

Formal business style ( formal) is used when writing business letters, contracts, agreements, lectures, in general, for documents.

Minimum number of cuts ( don't, he's, etc.) and the use of full forms of verbs - first line formal style.

Common and complex sentences, such as the "Toyota's sales bounced back in March as substantial discounts helped to win back customers who had been shaken by the film's mass safety recalls", – second feature official business style.

Third feature– longer words than in informal dialogues: for example, instead of start would be more appropriate to say "commence", end replaced by "terminate", but instead try» use endeavor. In principle, this also applies to modal verbs to a certain extent: if "can" generally has a fairly neutral stylistic connotation (for example, the phrase "Can I suggest you try this new model?" sounds very neutral) "might" will give the sentence in which it appears more formality ( "Might I suggest you try this new model?").

The fourth interesting feature the formal style is the decoding of abbreviations at their first mention in the text. The exceptions are abbreviations that are already widely known and definitely will not raise questions: for example, the Air Force, NATO and others.

Fifth characteristic feature the formal style of speech is emotional neutrality or even dryness and rigor of presentation of thought. For example, the signs "?!", "!!!" not applicable in business correspondence, as well as bright emotionally colored comparisons, metaphors and images.

And finally, the official business style implies an impersonal presentation. Phrases are inappropriate in documents "I consider...", "we say...", the replacements adequate to the formal style are "it is considered to be...", "it is said to be...".

Informal communication style

informal style (informal) as close as possible to oral speech: slang and syntax violations, personal pronouns (for example, "I think...", "We want...") and shortened forms of verbs ( "doesn't" instead of "does not", "it's" instead of "it is", "couldn't" instead of "could not" etc.) are its characteristic features.

Also, in informal correspondence and communication, often shorten sentences(e.g. subject or relative pronoun): so, instead of “I went to Barcelona last weekend. I have lots to tell you" you can say Went to Barcelona last weekend. Have lots to tell you" or in a phrase "The boy whom I met was beautiful» omit relative pronoun whom, so that the informal version will sound like "The boy I met was beautiful".

No less important and feature informal style is active use phrasal verbs: For example, "He gave up trying", "We must work out the solution".

Below you can find a selection of current useful structures and verbs characteristic of formal and informal speech styles, the so-called link words:

Go up (informal) - increase (formal);
Find out (informal) - discover (formal);
Set up (informal) - establish (formal);
Free (informal) - release (formal);
Show (informal) - demonstrate (formal);
Seem (informal) - appear (formal);
Keep (informal) - retain (formal);
But (informal) - however (formal);
So (informal) - therefore (formal);
To sum up (informal) - to conclude (formal);
Just wanted to let you know… (informal) – I am writing to inform you… (formal);
Hope to hear from you soon (informal) – I am looking forward to hearing from you (formal);
Call me if you need anything (informal) – Please do not hesitate to contact me (formal)

The most important thing is to clearly understand the appropriateness of using specific style speech in any given situation. This knowledge can be useful in daily practice, when passing exams, from the Unified State Examination to international ones, where you need to write a letter (formal or informal) in the written part, as well as when preparing a resume and in a conversation with a potential employer. The choice of an appropriate style of speech is the key to success in any communication.

Learn English with

So, who will benefit from this article? I think everyone! You may have already heard the term formal and informal English, and the point here is not at all in the use of slang, or in the correctness or incorrectness of the use of certain words or grammatical structures. Everything is much more interesting, in English, as well as in any other, one should distinguish between formal and informal style, the choice of which will depend on the situation.

I want to draw your attention to the fact that such a type of letter as, for example, regardless of the type ( , for and against essay, discursive essay, providing solutions to problems essay), in English requires the exclusive use of formal style; when writing different kind reports, official letters should also follow a more formal style. But, of course, to say that the formal style is mandatory only in writing, is not correct at all. Do not forget that in some situations oral speech also requires the use of more formal and official style such as when negotiating, reading a report, etc.

Let's look at the main distinctive features this style, and also try to find suitable examples to illustrate.

formal register

What not to do	What to do
Never use abbreviations such as it's; can't; we'll; didn't etc.	Always try to use the full form: it is; cannot; we will; did not.
Also, do not use abbreviations such as e.g., etc., i.e.	Use their full forms: example, and so on, that i.
Avoid using personal pronouns. How can this be avoided? You put the chemicals in the test tube. I think this is an important issue. We used two different methods.	The chemicals are put in the test tube. This issue could be important. There were two different methods.
	As you can see from the examples, using passive voice gives our proposals a more formal style, so feel free to use Passive Voice.
Try to use more neutral language so as not to sound too direct in your message to the reader or listener. I'm sorry but… I'm happy to say that…	We regret to inform you that… We have pleasure in announcing that…
The use of phrasal verbs is not recommended; try to find a synonym that will most accurately express your idea. The experiment was carried out. The prisoner got away.	This does not apply to absolutely everyone. phrasal verbs, the use of some of them is allowed, but if you are not sure if this verb can be used - look for a synonym. The experiment was conducted. The prisoner escaped.
Do not use idiomatic expressions, we will leave them for colloquial, spontaneous speech, or for letters that we will write to friends.
Don't use colloquial expressions. Looks like humanities are really great.	Sentences can be longer, the use of complex grammatical structures is encouraged. Yet, the number of the disciplines embraced under the notion of humanities is far more numerous than that of the natural sciences, which makes humanities a worthy competitor on the labor market.
Avoid using emotionally charged words such as, for example, awesome, huge etc.	Exist a large number of words that are often used in such speech, written or spoken, for example, to constitute, to undertake, new, truly, heyday, as it happens, retrieval and many others.
Do not start sentences with the following conjunctions: and, but, or, so; these conjunctions should be used inside a sentence, but not in order to start it.	Use link words ( linking words) such as, for example, however, although, yet, still etc.

Of course, all these rules, or even more precisely remarks, are not at all like clear and structured rules, but they must be followed. But this does not mean at all that you need to try to make your speech as ornate as possible, using a huge amount of incomprehensible words and turnovers. Not at all, don't overload your offers difficult words, and even more so with words that you are not sure about using. The letter is perhaps the most complex view activities, and it can take a long time before we learn how to logically and “beautifully” express our thoughts on paper, but, fortunately, today there are a lot of resources that can help us, and most importantly, in which we can find something new and beneficial to yourself. Here are just a few of them that I advise you to use when writing essays, letters, reports and more:

- Longman Online Dictionary. This dictionary is good because here you can find not only explanations of words, but also examples of their use in sentences, as well as possible turns and set expressions with these words. Many words are also marked formal / informal, which can serve as a good clue when choosing a word.

- british national corps. This resource is simply indispensable for those who prefer to "discover" the rules and patterns of using certain structures, words and phrases. This is a reliable resource that contains over 100 million examples of the use of various structures in speech and writing. By entering a word or combination of words into the search box, you will receive from 1 to 30 examples of sentences using this word, all of these examples are taken from a living language. In this way, you can check whether a certain phrase occurs in the language, or how a certain word can behave in a sentence (use of prepositions after a word, use of grammar with this word, etc.)

- on this site you can get a large number of synonyms for any word. But be careful! Do not forget to check not only the translation of an unfamiliar word, but also its explanation in English, as well as its use in a sentence, because very often, the translation may be inaccurate, and the word may not be appropriate to convey your idea.

I also advise you to use the so-called Collocation Dictionaries, because in order to know a word, it is not enough to be able to translate it, you also need to know the context in which it most often appears, that is, combinations that are more natural for this word.

I hope this article will help you not only understand the concepts formal and informal English, but also open up additional resources for you to learn English.

If you find an error, please highlight a piece of text and click Ctrl+Enter.

Although chats or messages sent via e-mail, the use of informal speech may be acceptable, an excess of colloquial vocabulary may reduce the quality of text in formal business style. By reducing the amount of spoken language in written texts, you will appear smarter. Incorrect use of vocabulary can lead to being considered ignorant. To improve your writing quality, become fluent in English so you know what words to avoid and what is acceptable for formal text-based communication.

Steps

The difference between formal and informal English

What to avoid in formal speech

Use punctuation correctly. For example, in American English, a colon ("Dear John:") is used at the beginning of a formal letter, while in British English a comma is used instead. Limit the use of parentheses, exclamation points, and hyphens in a formal style. Don't use &, use "and" instead. Place punctuation marks as you write so you don't forget anything.

Avoid using informal language and expressions, instead of "cute" use "adorable", instead of "yeah" - "yes"), instead of "movie" - "film", if you are not sure which form is correct, consult a dictionary . Also avoid using slang expressions like "cool," "dude," and "humongous." It is also worth removing phrases like “you know”, “perhaps you thought that ...” from the text. You will not be able to read the thoughts of your readers at the moment when they read your text. Just as useless is the expression “Think about it.” It can be assumed that your readers are already thinking about what they are reading, so you better express your thoughts clearly instead of such phrases. The adverb “pretty,” in the sense of “relatively, practically, or rather” is not used in formal speech and is generally unnecessary and inappropriate.

Don't use abbreviations. Take note that long form the word "can't" sounds like "cannot", not "can not."

Try not to write in the first or second person. In a formal style, objectivity is important, and the pronouns "I" and "You" will introduce elements of subjectivity. Phrases like "I believe that" should be removed from the context of the phrase if it is already obvious that this is the opinion of the author. The pronoun "I" is more appropriate and typical for blogs, while "You" is suitable for letters and manuals. In formal speech, the pronoun “I” is replaced by “We”, but it does not mean the usual “we”, but a kind of collective unconscious, which symbolizes a large number of people. Formal style does not use the pronoun you when it refers to people in general.

You must sleep at least eight hours every night. (informal version)
You should sleep at least eight hours a day. (formal style)
Most people need at least eight hours of sleep at night to get a good night's sleep. (formal style)

Don't start sentences with linking words. In writing, don't use "and," "but," "so," or "or" at the beginning of a sentence. Conjunctions are made to connect words, phrases, and parts of a sentence, so it won't play its role at the beginning of a sentence. Best of all connect such a sentence with the previous one by replacing the semicolon.In place of the union, you can use traditional adverbs such as "additionally" (or "moreover"), "nevertheless" (or "however"), "therefore" (or "thus"), and "alternatively" (or "instead" ,"otherwise"). "Though" can be used at the end of a sentence. For example: This product here is much cheaper. It will last only half as long, though. In informal speech, you can start a sentence with “also” , but in formal speech it should not be used, except perhaps to complement the verb (In the imperative mood or in indirect word order): "Also read Chapters Two and Three;" "Also included is a free ticket." In a paragraph , where sentences begin with linking conjunctions, there may not be enough smooth transitions of thought from one and to another.

Avoid cliches in formal speech. The formal style is close to the literary language, which will be understandable and unambiguous for all readers. Cliches make writing unoriginal, but despite this, they can look funny in colloquial speech, especially when some established phrases or expressions are played out. Here are some clichés to avoid:
- Hercules was strong as a bull.
- I will lend an arm and a leg to find a parking space during the holiday season.
- She was beautiful as a picture.
Avoid remarks. Do not start your letter with summary, just as you should not start an essay with a message about the topic of discussion. Do not use phrases:
- "I am writing to you to ask you to. . . ."
- "This paper is going to talk about how. . . ."
Avoid vague words. Vague words are less formal and leave room for interpretation. They don't express your ideas the way more specific phrases do. The words "a little" or "enough" should be replaced with something more precise.

What is appropriate in formal speech

The rules for using separator words are based on Latin, so it is not surprising that the speech in which they are used sounds like Latin. The Romans tried to use adverbs together with verbs, so adverbs often came before verbs. In Latin, Captain Kirk would say audacter ire, which translates to "go boldly". The phrase is often used in Latin text and in Star Wars fanfiction such as Audacter Ire and Justice for All. The Oxford Dictionary says that the phrase "boldly to go" is more formal than "to go boldly", due to the Latin word order. The effectiveness of separator words comes from the fact that the particle to and the verb are, as it were, a single whole. In the end, "to go" in Latin will sound like one word "ire". To place accents, the artist places a large picture between two small ones. By analogy, an adverb allows you to place stresses when it comes after the particle to before the verb.
1. Don't be afraid to share auxiliary with main.
  
  Learn when to end a sentence with a preposition (even in the most strict formal speech). See the article on how to become fluent in English to native speaker level for more details.
  
  Always use relative pronouns. In formal English, it is very important to always use "whom" or "which", even if they do not carry any additional semantic load. The relative pronoun can be omitted if only the participle is used. In this case, there will be no relative clause. Also, do not use the word “that” as a relative pronoun. It should be replaced with "which", "whom" or "who".
  - This is the paper I wrote. (informal speech)
  - This is the paper which I wrote. (formal)
  - That was the paper written by me. (formal) (This version uses the past participle and does not contain a relative clause. This version uses the third form of the verb and does not contain a relative clause. This version is the most formal, since it does not contain active verbs).
  - The bear which was dancing was graceful. (formal style)
  - The bear dancing was graceful. (more formal) (“Dancing” is not used in the active voice and in fact is not even a verb in the full sense of the word, since in this case it is used as an adjective. This is more obvious if the sentence is rephrased as follows: “The dancing bear was graceful.”)
2. Develop short sentences into longer and more slender ones. The formal style involves the use of longer sentences: comparative, compound, and comparative-complex. You can combine two or more simple sentences into one of the speech structures above. Long sentences add variety to text and can be especially effective when paired with short sentences. Contrasts always grab readers' attention. An illustration of the previous sentence is that you can also use a semicolon to link two sentences that are close in meaning to each other.
Examples

informal letter:

John, I'm looking for a job, and I've heard through the grapevine that you need a workhorse for your shop. Well, I'm the man of the hour, as I've got a lot to offer. I'm pretty hard-working, and I'm really good about being on time. I'm also used to working by myself. Anyway, tell me whether you want to get together for an interview, okay?

Formal professional letter: Dear John: I understand that you are looking for a strong worker to assist you in your shop. I would appreciate consideration because I am diligent, punctual, and accustomed to working with minimal supervision.

Please contact me if you are interested in arranging an interview. I thank you for your time.

Professional Joe

Warnings
- You can get a lot from a good thing. As mentioned earlier, you must tailor your formal style to your audience. A strict formal style may be necessary in some situations, but completely useless in others. Formal speech without active voice can tire your listeners if attention is not focused around human actions. Not without reason, after all, teachers have a divided opinion about the positive and negative of the passive voice. Make sure your speech is appropriate for this audience. And always try to write what readers will like.
- Looking up words in the thesuarus greatly increases the formality of your writing, but make sure you use the words correctly. Some words contain footnotes that dictionary doesn't explain. For example, the California Prune Board changed its name to the California Dried Plum Board because the word "prune" is constipated. Consider what the connotation of the word "juvenile" and its synonyms might be.