Informal: May use colloquial words/expressions
(kids, guy, awesome, a lot, etc.).
Formal: Avoid using colloquial words/expressions (substitute
withchildren, man/boy, wonderful, many, etc.)
Informal: May use contractions (cant, wont, shouldnt, etc.).
Formal: Avoid contractions (write out full words cannot, will
not,should not, etc.).
Informal: May use first, second, or third person.
Formal: Write in third person (except in business letters where
first person may be used).
Informal: May use clichs (loads of, conspicuous by absence,
etc.)
Formal: Avoid clichs (use many, was absent, etc.)
Informal: May address readers using second person pronouns
(you, your, etc)
Formal: Avoid addressing readers using second person pronouns
(use one,ones, the reader, the readers, etc.)
Informal: May use abbreviated words (photo, TV, etc)
Formal: Avoid using abbreviated words (use full versions
likephotograph, television, etc.)
Informal: May use imperative voice (e.g. Remember.)
Formal: Avoid imperative voice (use Please refer to..)
Informal: May use active voice (e.g. We have noticed that..)
Formal: Use passive voice (e.g. It has been noticed that.)
Informal: May use short and simple sentences.
Formal: Longer and more complex sentences are preferred (short
simple sentences reflects poorly on the writer)
Informal: Difficulty of subject may be acknowledged and empathy
shown to the reader.
Formal: State your points confidently and offer your argument
firm support.
Verbs Informal & Formal
Informal
Formal
say sorry
apologize, apologise
go up
increase
go down
decrease
set up
establish
look at
examine
blow up
explode
find out
discover
bring about
cause
put off
postpone, delay
rack up
accumulate
make up
fabricate
stand for
represent
find out
discover, ascertain
leave out
omit
point out
indicate
go against
oppose
get in touch with
contact
Its about
It concerns, Its in regards to
need to
required
think about
consider
get
obtain
put up
tolerate
deal with
handle
seem
appear
show
demonstrate, illustrate, portray
start
commence
keep
retain
free
release
Informal
Formal
get on someones nerves
bother
ring up
call
show up
arrive
let
permit
fill in
substitute, inform
block
undermine
give the go ahead, greenlight
authorize, authorise
Transitions Informal & Formal
Informal
Formal
Anyways
Nevertheless
Plus/Also
Moreover/ Furthermore
But
However
So
Therefore/Thus
Also
In addition, Additionally
ASAP
as soon as possible/at your earliest
convenience
Okay, OK
acceptable
In the meantime
In the interim
I think
In my opinion,
In the end,
Finally
To sum up
In conclusion,
In a nutshell/Basically
To summarize,
Informal
Formal
Anyway,
Notwithstanding
All right
Acceptable
Well,
To top it all off,
On top of it all,
In order to
Emphasis Words Informal & Formal
Informal
Formal
lots of/ a lot of
much, many
tons of, heaps of
large quantities of, a number of
totally
completely, strongly
really, very
definitely
Letter Expressions Informal & Formal
Informal
Formal
Hi Robert,
Dear Sir or Madam
Just wanted to let you know
I am writing to inform you
Love,
Yours sincerely, Yours faithfully,
Cheers,
Yours Truly, Best regards, kind regards
Hope to hear from you soon
I look forward to hearing from you
You can call me if you need anything
Please do not hesitate to contact me
Abbreviations Informal & Formal
Informal
Formal
ASAP
as soon as possible
T.V.
television
photo
photograph
cell
cell phone
net
Internet
Slang Informal & Formal
Informal
Formal
kids
children
bad
negative
good
positive
really big
considerable
right
correct
wrong
incorrect
smart
intelligent
cheap
inexpensive
loaded
rich
