Formal

and
Informal English
Formal English is used in “serious” texts and
situations — for example, in official
documents, books, news reports, articles,
business letters or official speeches.
Informal English is used in everyday
conversations and in personal letters.
Here is an example of formal English that
you might come across in a book:

As the price of five dollars was reasonable, I

decided to make the purchase without
further thought.
The same thought would be expressed quite
differently in informal English. Here’s an
actual example that I heard from a young
American:

It was, like, five bucks, so I was like “okay”.

You need to know formal English because
you want to be able to read a book, give a
business presentation or write an official
letter. You also need informal English
because you want to be able to understand
and communicate with English speakers in
everyday situations.
• read a book

• give a business presentation

• write an official letter.

to be able to understand and communicate
with English speakers in everyday situations.
 Differences between formal and informal
English
FORMAL ENGLISH
Used in official, literary, academic, etc.
content.
Typically used in careful, edited writing —
when the writer has a lot of time to polish
his text. Formal English also occurs in
speech, usually when the speaker is saying
something that was prepared beforehand
(for example, reading the news or delivering
an official speech).
iNFORMAL ENGLISH
Used in everyday, personal conversations.
Typically used in “improvised” speech —
when the speaker is speaking without
preparation, as in a conversation (in real life
or over the phone). Informal English also
occurs in writing, usually whenever the writer
is writing quickly and without editing (for
example, in an Internet chatroom or in quick,
personal e-mails).
 FORMAL ENGLISH
Sentences are longer and more complicated,
for example: Toyota’s US sales bounced back
in March as substantial discounts helped to win
back customers who had been shaken by the
firm’s mass safety recalls.
iNFORMAL ENGLISH
Sentences are simpler and shorter, for
example: Did you see Toyota’s sales figures?
Looks like the discounts have actually worked.

The standard of correctness is higher. Some

things are considered correct (or at least
acceptable) in informal English, but wrong in
formal English. For example:I’ve made less
mistakes. (formal: I’ve made fewer
mistakes.)She’s liking it. (formal: She likes it.)I
feel real tired. (formal: I feel really tired.)You did
good. (formal: You did well.)
FORMAL ENGLISH iNFORMAL ENGLISH
Because informal English is “improvised”, it
is sloppy. Speakers (and sometimes writers)
often do the following:Use “delaying
expressions” to give themselves time: Well, I
think they should have asked us first, you
know?Use “correcting expressions” to
correct themselves: He’s not well. I mean,
he’s not sick, but he’s very tired.Use
“qualifying expressions” to show that what
they said is not exactly right: This whole
blogging thing is getting kind of old.
 FORMAL ENGLISH
A huge number of words and phrases are used
mainly in formal English. For example:
nevertheless, to disclose, to constitute, to
undertake, daunting, impervious, anew, truly,
solace, to enchant, frantically, sizeable, to
clutch, heyday, as it happens, upsurge,
retrieval
iNFORMAL ENGLISH
Informal English contains useful “everyday
phrases”, for example:Here you are. There you
go. (when giving something to
someone)Excuse me?, Come again? (to ask
someone to repeat something)What do you
mean? (to ask for explanation)So, you’re
saying that...? (to ask for confirmation)Exactly!,
I couldn’t agree with you more. (to agree with
someone)By the way..., Anyway... (to change
the topic)See you. Take care. (to say goodbye)
A huge number of words and phrases are used
mainly in informal English. For example: dude,
freaking, uh-huh, nope (= no), to puke, trashy,
grownup, awesome, to chill out, stuff, hard-up,
to tick somebody off, to sell like crazy.
 FORMAL ENGLISH
Many (but not all) phrasal verbs are avoided.
iNFORMAL ENGLISH
Phrasal verbs are used frequently. For
example, in informal situations, people usually
say found out instead of discovered, came
across instead of encountered and got away
instead of escaped.
Words and phrases are sometimes
pronounced in a shortened and simplified way,
e.g. Lemme go!, I’m doin’ fine, Whassup?,
Whatcha gonna do?