Informal vs Formal Language

Informal vs Formal Language

by Derica Wolf

Open Ended

What do you understand by "informal language"?

Open Ended

What do you understand by "formal language"?

​Informal Language

Informal or casual English is appropriate when you talk or write about things with people you know well.

​Formal Language

• ​We use formal English in more formal situations, such as academic or career writing.

• ​Use formal language or standard English in your essays and work correspondence.

Multiple Choice

"Thank you Arancha and Marise for co-hosting this meeting, and I hope you are all in good health."

• Formal language

• Informal language

Multiple Choice

"I cannot attend class today because my car refused to start."

• Formal language

• Informal language

Multiple Choice

I'm broke.

• informal

• formal

Multiple Choice

Informal language is ------------------------

• friendly and respectful.

• friendly and disrespectful.

• formal and respectful

• friendly and relaxed.

Multiple Choice

Formal language is ................................

• disrespectful and impolite.

• friendly and relaxed.

• respectful and polite.

• unfriendly and unrelaxed

Multiple Choice

We usually use formal language for..................

• writing letters to a boss.

• writing emails to strangers.

• business .

• all of the above.

​Use formal written language in your essays

​This means . . .

​

• ​eliminate any first-person point of view words (like I, me, or my).

• ​spell out words rather than using contractions (should not, rather than shouldn't).

• ​be specific (several minutes rather than a while).

• ​use more sophisticated vocabulary (understand rather than get it).

• ​eliminate slang (hey, awesome, and how come)

Multiple Choice

Informal language uses..........................

• informal speech.

• abbreviations.

• emojis, short forms and slang.

• all of the above.

Multiple Choice

How would you say, “We disagree about lots of stuff” in a more formal way?

• You and I don't agree.

• We do not agree often.

• We never agree about nothing.

• We always disagreeing.

Multiple Choice

Which sentence is the formal way of saying, “He asked for more cash.”

• He wants more money.

• Better give him more dough.

• He needed some extra bucks.

• He requested more money.

Multiple Choice

If you were writing an essay, which sentence would be a better claim statement?

• School uniforms would negatively affect the students' learning environment.

• I believe school uniforms infringe on students' rights to self-expression.

Multiple Choice

If you were writing an essay, which sentence would be a better claim statement?

• I am going to tell you about why democracy is the best system of government.

• Despite its clear shortcomings, democracy is superior to other forms of government.

Multiple Choice

If you were writing an essay, which sentence would be a better claim statement?

• Teachers should allow students to use cell phones in classrooms.

• Teachers should let students use their cell phones in their classrooms.