Using Formal

and Informal
Language
Appropriately
 Art Imitates Life
• In writing, formal and informal
language work in a similar way… to
influence tone, which, in turn, speaks
to your audience.
Tone
Tone is defined as the
writer’s attitude toward the
subject matter and his or
her readers.
Audience
The audience is your
reader or listener– the
recipient of your verbal or
written communication.
 Diction
• Diction is word choice
• Word choice is important in establishing
tone
• Three levels of diction:
– 1. high or formal diction
– 2. neutral diction
– 3. informal or low diction
Characteristic of Formal
and Informal Language
Formal Informal

serious light
objective humorous
impersonal personal
reasoned casual
controlled offhanded
reserved "loose"
plainspoken
simple
 Why does it even matter?
• Official or serious situations are often signaled
by the use of formal language, while ordinary or
relaxed situations are signaled by the use of
informal language.
– What determines formal or informal:
• public versus private occasion,
• The size of the audience,
• The relationship of the speaker/writer with the audience,
• Superiority and inferiority
• The ability to vary your language according to
the situation is often considered a mark of an
educated person.
 Certain Situations
Formal Situations Informal Situations

job interview text message

principal’s office visit friendly letter
business letter “locker” conversation
class essay Journal-style writing
 What makes INFORMAL
language?
• Simple grammatical structure
• Personal evaluation
– Using first person
– Using forms of “you”
• Colloquial or slang
vocabulary
– Contractions are considered
slang
What makes FORMAL
language?
• Formal language, even when
spoken, is often associated with
the conventions expected of
written standard English.
• Although you generally don’t
worry as much about formality in
speaking, it is extremely
important in writing because of
the knowledge you are recording
through the written word.
Continued on next slide…
 Remember… when you are speaking,
What makes
writing formal
or analyzing language in a
formal situation…
language (continued)?
• Formal language does not use contractions
• Avoids personal pronouns such as: you, I, us,
me, and we
• Includes more polysyllabic words—BIGGER
words
• Complex, complete sentences
• Avoidance of colloquial or slang vocabulary
Remember… when you are speaking,
What tooravoid
writing inlanguage
analyzing formalin a
writing… formal situation…
• Exclamation marks
• Needless words like “well” and “you know”
• First and second person point of view
• Beginning sentences with coordinating
conjunctions
• Too many short, choppy sentences that
could be combined to make more complex
sentence structures
What to avoid in formal
writing…
• Avoid most shortenings in formal writing. In
formal English, you talk on the “telephone,” not
the “phone”
• Know what acronyms may be used in your
writing. In formal English, you should limit your
use of acronyms, abbreviations making use of
letters that stand for certain words
• Similarly, limit your use of absolute terms, such
as "everybody," "always," "never"
• Avoid cliché’s and colloquialisms
 Common Colloquialisms and
Informal Words
• A lot, alot • Cute
• Ain't • Fellow
• Alright, all right • For sure
• Anyways • Get, obtain
• Anybody, anyone • Get, understand
• As • Gonna, wanna
• Big, large great • Got
• Buy • How come
• Contraption • How do you do
• Could of, would of, should • Humongous
of • Kid
 Common Colloquialisms and
Informal Words Continued
• Kinda, kind of, sorta, sort • So
of • Thus, thusly
• Let • Until, till, ‘til
• Like • Use
• Most • Use to
• On the other hand • Yeah
• Pretty
• Real, really
• Shall, will, should, would
 Formal or Informal?

After reading The Red Badge

of Courage, it is easy for you
to see Crane’s purpose in
telling the story.

Informal
 Formal or Informal?
Native American literature is
rich in cultural information
and poetic language.

Formal
 Formal or Informal?

Native American literature

isn’t rich in Puritain
characteristics.

Informal
 Formal or Informal?

Native American Literature

is oral. It is passed down by
word of mouth.

Formal
 Formal or Informal?

Everybody knows that

Snickers is the best candy
bar.

Informal
 Formal or Informal?

The field trip participants will

meet at the A-Town Wal-
Mart.

Formal
 References
“Formal/informal language.” 15 October
2008 <http://www.arts.gla.ac.uk/
SESLL/EngLang/LILT/forminf.htm>.
“How to Avoid Colloquial (Informal) Writing.” 16
October 2008
<http://www.wikihow.com/Main-Page>.
“Tone: A Matter of Attitude.” Capital
Community College. 2006. 15 October
2008 <http://grammar.ccc.commnet.
edu/grammar/composition/tone.htm>.