Formal Tone

Key Learning Points

● Formal tone is used in academic, professional, and serious contexts.
● Formal tone avoids slang, contractions, and colloquialisms.
● Formal tone uses complete sentences and proper grammar.
● Formal tone often uses more complex sentence structures and vocabulary.
● Formal tone maintains a respectful and objective viewpoint.

Misconceptions
● Formal tone is always long-winded and complicated.
While formal tone often uses more complex sentence structures and vocabulary, it should still
be clear and concise. The complexity should not compromise the clarity of the message.
● Formal tone is the same as old-fashioned or archaic language.
Formal tone is not about using outdated language. It's about using language appropriately for
a serious or professional context.
● Formal tone means you can't show any emotion or personality.
While formal tone is more objective and less personal, it doesn't mean you can't express any
emotion or personality. It's about expressing these in a more restrained and respectful way.

Keywords
● Formal Tone
A style of language used in professional, academic, and serious contexts.
● Colloquialism
Informal language, phrases, or sayings used in casual conversation.
● Contraction
A shortened form of a word or group of words, with the omitted letters often replaced in
written English by an apostrophe.
● Objective
Not influenced by personal feelings or opinions; considering only facts.
● Respectful
Showing politeness or deference.

Starter Quiz
What is a formal tone in English writing?

Distractors:

1. A style of language full of old-fashioned words.

2. A style of language that is always long-winded and complicated.

3. A style of language that doesn't allow any emotion or personality.

Correct Answers:

A style of language used in professional, academic, and serious contexts.

Which of the following is NOT appropriate in formal tone?

Distractors:

1. Using complete sentences and proper grammar

2. Maintaining a respectful and objective viewpoint

3. Using more complex sentence structures and vocabulary

Correct Answers:

Using slang and contractions

Exit Quiz
Why is formal tone important in English writing?

Distractors:

1. It makes your writing sound old-fashioned.

2. It makes your writing longer and more complicated.

3. It removes all emotion and personality from your writing.

Correct Answers:

It helps convey your message in a professional, respectful, and clear manner.

Which of the following is a characteristic of formal tone?

Distractors:

1. Uses a lot of emotion and personal opinion

2. Uses a lot of slang and informal language

3. Is always long-winded and complicated

Correct Answers:

Avoids slang, contractions, and colloquialisms