10 differences between formal and informal language - The ...

Knowing when to use formal or informal English at work will depend on the business, the industry, who you are speaking with, and what you ... Ifyourplanschange,govirtual,comelater,orgetyourmoneyback × TheLondonSchoolofEnglish LondonSchoolOnline TheLondonSchoolofInternationalCommunication Menu Search Selectschool TheLondonSchoolGroup TheLondonSchoolofEnglish LondonSchoolOnline TheLondonSchoolofInternationalCommunication Whychooseus Open Experience EnglishLanguageImmersion AlumniSuccessStories Tailor-MadeEnglishTraining People SocialProgramme Courses Open LearnEnglishOnline GeneralEnglish BusinessandProfessionalEnglish AcademicEnglish ExamPreparation:IELTS&TOLES EnglishforLawyers InterculturalTraining Accommodation Open Residences Homestay ForCorporates Open OurApproach CorporateClientList CaseStudies EnglishLanguageTesting TheLondonSchoolTrust Blog Information Open AboutUs Brochure&Prices HowtoRegister&Pay VisaInformation StayingintheUK StudentLogin Whenweareopen Howtofindus Locations Open UK London,HollandParkGardens Sweden SelectLanguage: English Español Italiano Français Português Deutsch Türkçe 日本語 简体中文 Home » Blog » 10differencesbetweenformalandinformallanguage 10differencesbetweenformalandinformallanguage Sharethis Tweet Share Share Share Email WhatsApp KnowingwhentouseformalorinformalEnglishatworkwilldependonthebusiness,theindustry,whoyouarespeakingwith,andwhatyouaretalkingabout.Whenyouareworkingcross-culturallyorwithpeopleyoudonotknowverywell,usingformallanguagehelpseliminateanymisunderstandingsandhelpsyousoundpoliteandprofessional. Hereare10tipsonhowtouseformalandinformallanguage. 1. Knowinwhichsituationsyoucanuseinformallanguage Thistableshowsthemainscenariosinwhichitisbesttouseformallanguage.UsingveryformalEnglishineverydaysituationscansoundpompous,soalwaysthinkaboutthecontextandyourtargetaudience. Formallanguage Informallanguage Whenyouarecommunicatingwithsomeonethatyoudon’tknowverywell Situationsthataremorerelaxedandthatinvolvepeoplethatyouknowwellorknoweachotherwell Businessemails Somebusinesscorrespondence Academicwriting/articles Ineverydayconversations Professionalacademicsituations Personalemails Presentations Socialmedia Reports Advertising Publictenders Spontaneousspeech Officialdocuments Textmessages Talkingtosuperiors Talkingtopeers Legaldocuments Somemeetingminutes Publicspeaking(speeches,lectures,etc) Networkingorsocialisingwithclients Jobinterviews Teammeetings 2. Grammar Informallanguage,grammarismorecomplexandsentencesaregenerallylonger.Forexample: Weregrettoinformyouthatthedeliverywillbedelayedduetoadverseweatherconditions[formal] Sorry,butthedeliverywillbelatebecauseoftheweather[informal] Haveyouseenmyglasses?[formal] Seenmyglasses?[informal] Iamsorrytohavekeptyouwaiting[formal] Sorrytokeepyouwaiting[informal] 3. Modalverbs Formallanguageusesmodalverbs.Forexample: We would begratefulif….Could youkindlyinformusasastowhether..? 4. Pronouns Formallanguageislesspersonal,andismorelikelytousethe‘we’asapronounratherthan‘I’:Forexample: We canassistinthe resolution ofthismatter.Contactusonourhelplinenumber[formal]I canhelpyousolvethisproblem.Callme![informal]We regrettoinformyouthat……[formal]I’m sorry,but….[informal]We havepleasureinannouncing….[formal]I’m happytosay…[informal] 5. Vocabulary Informallanguage,wordsaregenerallylonger.Forexample: Require [formal]vs need [informal]Purchase [formal]vs buy [informal]Acceptable [formal]vs okay [informal]Assistance [formal]vs help [informal]Require [formal]vs want [informal] ImproveyourconfidenceinspokenEnglishwithourGeneralEnglishcourseor IndividualEnglishtraining inourcentreinLondonoronline. 6. Pronunciation Speechisgenerallyslowerinformallanguage,allowingforcorrectandclearpronunciation,andthetoneofthevoiceismore serious. 7. Contractions Thesearenotusedinformallanguage.Ininformallanguagetheyareusedforeasierflowandfasterspeech.Forexample: Shehas decidedtoacceptthejoboffer[formal]She’s decidedtoacceptthejoboffer[informal] 8. Abbreviationsandacronyms Thesearenotusedinformallanguage.Forexample: ‘Assoonaspossible’[formal]vs‘asap’[informal]‘Advertisement’[formal]vs‘ad’or‘advert’[informal]‘Photograph’[formal]vs‘photo’[informal] 9. Colloquiallanguage Thisisnotusedinformallanguage.Forexample: Wouldyoulikeacupoftea?[formal]vsFancyacuppa?[informal]‘Wouldyouliketo…’[formal]vs‘Doyouwant….’[informal] 10. Emojisareneverusedinformallanguage! Glossary Eliminate:toremoveoreliminatesomething. Pompous:grand,solemn,orself-important. Resolution:afirmdecisiontodoornottodosomething. Serious:grave,thoughtfulorsubdued. ThisbloghasbeenwrittenatlevelC2.Practiseyourreadingandlisteningbyreadingtheblogsbelow. MoreEnglishtipsandskills Howtosoundnaturalwithadverbsofattitude (listeningskills)Workingonline:whataretheimplicationsforlanguageandcommunication? (levelC2)HowtowriteeffectivebusinessandworkemailsinEnglish (LevelB2)HowtoimproveyourtelephoneEnglish (levelC1)BusinessEnglishforworkandcareers:50wordsyouneedtoknow (levelC2)'Fakenews'expressionsyoushouldknow (levelC1) Recommendedcourses: BusinessandProfessionalEnglishBusinessandProfessionalEnglish25+BusinessandProfessionalEnglish-VirtualGroupsEnglishforWork&CareersBusinessandProfessionalEnglish25+plusIndividualTrainingGeneralEnglish-VirtualGroupsGeneralEnglish Subscribetoournewsletter GetEnglishskillstips,offers,news,andeventssentdirectlytoyourinbox Subscribe Fordetailsabouthowweuseyourinformation,readourPrivacyPolicy.Youmaywithdrawyourconsentatanytimebyunsubscribing. 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