Formal and informal language - English Grammar Today

There are also examples where spoken English can be very formal, for example, in a speech or a lecture. Most uses of English are neutral; ... Formalandinformallanguage Grammar>UsingEnglish>TypesofEnglish>FormalandinformallanguageWeuseformallanguageinsituationsthatareseriousorthatinvolvepeoplewedon’tknowwell.Informallanguageismorecommonlyusedinsituationsthataremorerelaxedandinvolvepeopleweknowwell.Formallanguageismorecommonwhenwewrite;informallanguageismorecommonwhenwespeak.However,therearetimeswherewritingcanbeveryinformal,forexample,whenwritingpostcardsorletterstofriends,emailsortextmessages.TherearealsoexampleswherespokenEnglishcanbeveryformal,forexample,inaspeechoralecture.MostusesofEnglishareneutral;thatis,theyareneitherformalnorinformal.Formallanguageandinformallanguageareassociatedwithparticularchoicesofgrammarandvocabulary.Contractions,relativeclauseswithoutarelativepronounandellipsisaremorecommonininformallanguage.CompareShehasdecidedtoacceptthejob.formalShe’sdecidedtoacceptthejob.informal:She’s=contractionCompareThegirlwhomImetinSingaporewasinterestedinworkinginAustralia.formalThegirlImetinSingaporewasinterestedinworkinginAustralia.informal:relativeclausewithouttherelativepronounwhomCompareWewenttoBarcelonafortheweekend.Wehavealotofthingstotellyou.FormalWenttoBarcelonafortheweekend.Lotstotellyou.Informal:ellipsis(morelikelytobewrittenortextedthanspoken)MoreformalvocabularycommonlyinvolveslongerwordsorwordswithoriginsinLatinandGreek.Moreinformalvocabularycommonlyinvolvesshorterwords,orwordswithoriginsinAnglo-Saxon.Mostdictionariesindicateveryinformaland/orformalwords.formalinformalcommencestartterminateendendeavourtryWeoftenchoosetousecertainmodalverbstobemoreformalandpolite:CanIsuggestyoutrythisnewmodel?(neutral)MayIsuggestyoutrythisnewmodel?(moreformal)MightIsuggestyoutrythisnewmodel?(veryformal)Seealso:ContractionsEllipsisSpeechintowritingPoliteness   Popularsearches 01 Relativeclauses:definingandnon-defining 02 Wouldrather,wouldsooner 03 As,whenorwhile? 04 Hate,like,loveandprefer 05 Nouns:countableanduncountable 06 Suffixes 07 Presentperfectcontinuous(Ihavebeenworking) 08 As,becauseorsince? 09 Comparison:adjectives(bigger,biggest,moreinteresting) 10 Should Testyourvocabularywithourfunimagequizzes {{randomImageQuizHook.copyright1}} {{randomImageQuizHook.copyright2}} Imagecredits Tryaquiznow WordoftheDay myth anancientstoryorsetofstories,especiallyexplainingtheearlyhistoryofagroupofpeopleoraboutnaturaleventsandfacts Aboutthis Blog Conclusiveoranecdotal?Talkingaboutevidenceandproof. January05,2022 ReadMore NewWords Queenager January03,2022 Morenewwords hasbeenaddedtolist Totop Contents Adjectivesandadverbs Easilyconfusedwords Nouns,pronounsanddeterminers Prepositionsandparticles UsingEnglish Verbs Words,sentencesandclauses Adjectivesandadverbs Easilyconfusedwords Nouns,pronounsanddeterminers Prepositionsandparticles UsingEnglish Verbs Words,sentencesandclauses {{#displayLoginPopup}} Cambridge Dictionary+Plus Learnmorewith +Plus Signup forfreeandgetaccesstoexclusivecontent: Free wordlistsandquizzesfromCambridge Tools tocreateyourownwordlistsandquizzes Wordlists sharedbyourcommunityofdictionaryfans SignupnoworLogin Cambridge Dictionary+Plus Learnmorewith +Plus Createwordlistsandquizzesforfree SignupnoworLogin {{/displayLoginPopup}} {{#displayClassicSurvey}} {{/displayClassicSurvey}} {{#notifications}} {{{message}}} {{#secondaryButtonUrl}} {{{secondaryButtonLabel}}} {{/secondaryButtonUrl}} {{#dismissable}} {{{closeMessage}}} {{/dismissable}} {{/notifications}} CambridgeDictionary+Plus Myprofile +Plushelp Logout Dictionary Definitions ClearexplanationsofnaturalwrittenandspokenEnglish English Learner’sDictionary EssentialBritishEnglish EssentialAmericanEnglish Translations Clickonthearrowstochangethetranslationdirection. BilingualDictionaries English–French French–English English–German German–English English–Indonesian Indonesian–English English–Italian Italian–English English–Japanese Japanese–English English–Polish Polish–English English–Portuguese Portuguese–English English–Spanish Spanish–English Semi-bilingualDictionaries Dutch–English English–Arabic English–Catalan English–Chinese(Simplified) English–Chinese(Traditional) English–Czech English–Danish English–Korean English–Malay English–Norwegian English–Russian English–Thai English–Turkish English–Vietnamese Translate Grammar Thesaurus CambridgeDictionary+Plus {{userName}} CambridgeDictionary+Plus Myprofile +Plushelp Logout Login/ Signup English(UK)  Change English(UK) English(US) Español Español(Latinoamérica) Русский Português Deutsch Français Italiano 中文(简体) 正體中文(繁體) Polski 한국어 Türkçe 日本語 TiếngViệt Followus Chooseadictionary RecentandRecommended {{#preferredDictionaries}} {{name}} {{/preferredDictionaries}} Definitions ClearexplanationsofnaturalwrittenandspokenEnglish English Learner’sDictionary EssentialBritishEnglish EssentialAmericanEnglish Grammarandthesaurus UsageexplanationsofnaturalwrittenandspokenEnglish Grammar Thesaurus Translation Clickonthearrowstochangethetranslationdirection. BilingualDictionaries English–French French–English English–German German–English English–Indonesian Indonesian–English English–Italian Italian–English English–Japanese Japanese–English English–Polish Polish–English English–Portuguese Portuguese–English English–Spanish Spanish–English Semi-bilingualDictionaries Dutch–English English–Arabic English–Catalan English–Chinese(Simplified) English–Chinese(Traditional) English–Czech English–Danish English–Korean English–Malay English–Norwegian English–Russian English–Thai English–Turkish English–Vietnamese Dictionary+Plus WordLists Chooseyourlanguage English(UK)  English(US) Español Español(Latinoamérica) Русский Português Deutsch Français Italiano 中文(简体) 正體中文(繁體) Polski 한국어 Türkçe 日本語 TiếngViệt Contents AdjectivesAdjectives:formsAdjectives:orderAdjectivephrases:functionsAdjectivephrases:positionAdjectivesandadjectivephrases:typicalerrorsComparison:adjectives(bigger,biggest,moreinteresting)Comparison:clauses(biggerthanwehadimagined)Comparison:comparisonsofequality(astallashisfather)As…asAdverbsAdverbphrasesAdverbsandadverbphrases:positionAdverbsandadverbphrases:typicalerrorsAdverbs:formsAdverbs:functionsAdverbs:typesComparison:adverbs(worse,moreeasily)FairlyIntensifiers(very,atall)LargelyMuch,alot,lots,agooddeal:adverbsPrettyQuiteRatherReallyScarcelyVeryAboutAgoAlreadyAlwaysEarlyEverHardlyever,rarely,scarcely,seldomNextNolonger,notanylongerNomore,notanymoreNowOftenOnceSoonStillThenUsuallyEventuallyAdverbsasdiscoursemarkers(anyway,finally)Adverbsasshortresponses(definitely,certainly)AfraidAlikeHardLongOnlySame,similar,identicalLikelyandunlikelyAswell(as)EvenHardlyHopefullySurelyTooUltimatelyAboveorover?Across,overorthrough?Adviceoradvise?Affectoreffect?Allorevery?Allorwhole?Allow,permitorlet?Almostornearly?Alone,lonely,orlonesome?Alongoralongside?Already,stilloryet?Also,aswellortoo?Alternate(ly),alternative(ly)Althoughorthough?Altogetheroralltogether?Amountof,numberoforquantityof?Anymoreoranymore?Anyone,anybodyoranything?Apartfromorexceptfor?Ariseorrise?Aroundorround?Arouseorrouse?Asorlike?As,becauseorsince?As,whenorwhile?Beenorgone?Beginorstart?Besideorbesides?Betweenoramong?Bornorborne?Bring,takeandfetchCan,couldormay?Classicorclassical?Comeorgo?Considerorregard?Consist,compriseorcompose?Contentorcontents?Differentfrom,differenttoordifferentthan?Doormake?Down,downwardsordownward?Duringorfor?Eachorevery?Eastoreastern;northornorthern?Economicoreconomical?Efficientoreffective?Elder,eldestorolder,oldest?Endorfinish?Especiallyorspecially?Exceptorexceptfor?Expect,hopeorwait?Experienceorexperiment?Fallorfalldown?Faroralongway?Farther,farthestorfurther,furthest?Fast,quickorquickly?Fellorfelt?Femaleorfeminine;maleormasculine?Finally,atlast,lastlyorintheend?First,firstlyoratfirst?Fitorsuit?Followingorthefollowing?Fororsince?Forgetorleave?Fullorfilled?Funorfunny?Getorgo?Gratefulorthankful?Hearorlisten(to)?Highortall?Historicorhistorical?Houseorhome?Howis…?orWhatis…like?Iforwhen?Iforwhether?Illorsick?Implyorinfer?Inthewayorontheway?It’sorits?Lateorlately?Layorlie?Lendorborrow?Lessorfewer?Lookat,seeorwatch?Loworshort?Man,mankindorpeople?Maybeormaybe?Maybeorperhaps?Nearestornext?Neverornot…ever?Niceorsympathetic?Nodoubtorwithoutdoubt?Noornot?Nowadays,thesedaysortoday?Openoropened?Opportunityorpossibility?Oppositeorinfrontof?Other,others,theotheroranother?Outoroutof?Permitorpermission?Person,personsorpeople?Pickorpickup?Playorgame?Politics,political,politicianorpolicy?Priceorprize?Principalorprinciple?Quietorquite?Raiseorrise?Rememberorremind?Rightorrightly?Roborsteal?Sayortell?Sothatorinorderthat?Sometimesorsometime?Soundornoise?Speakortalk?Suchorso?There,theirorthey’re?Towardsortoward?Waitorwaitfor?Wake,wakeuporawaken?Worthorworthwhile?A/anandtheDeterminers(the,my,some,this)DeterminersandtypesofnounDeterminers:positionandorderDeterminers:typicalerrorsDeterminersusedaspronounsEveryPossession(John’scar,afriendofmine)SuchThis,that,these,thoseWholeNounsNouns:formNounsandprepositionsNouns:compoundnounsNouns:countableanduncountableNouns:formingnounsfromotherwordsNouns:singularandpluralAccommodationEquipmentFurnitureInformationLuckandluckyNewsProgressWeatherNounphrases:dependentwordsNounphrases:orderNounphrases:usesNounphrases:nounphrasesandverbsNounphrases:twonounphrasestogetherPronounsEachother,oneanotherEveryone,everybody,everything,everywhereItGenderNoone,nobody,nothing,nowhereOneOneandone’sPronouns:personal(I,me,you,him,it,they,etc.)Pronouns:possessive(my,mine,your,yours,etc.)Pronouns:reflexive(myself,themselves,etc.)Pronouns:indefinite(-body,-one,-thing,-where)Pronouns:one,you,we,theyRelativepronounsQuestions:interrogativepronouns(what,who)Someone,somebody,something,somewhereThatAbitAllAnyBothEitherEnoughLeast,theleast,atleastLessLittle,alittle,few,afewLots,alot,plentyManyMoreMost,themost,mostlyMuch,many,alotof,lotsof:quantifiersNo,noneandnoneofPlentySomeSomeandanyHowWhatWhenWhereWhichWho,whomWhoseWhyPiecewordsandgroupwordsComparison:nouns(moremoney,themostpoints)NounsandgenderReportedspeech:reportingnounsAgeHalfHolidayandholidaysMindOpinionPromiseReasonSort,typeandkindThingandstuffViewWayWork(noun)PrepositionsPrepositionalphrasesAboveAfter,afterwardsAgainstAmongandamongstAsAtAt,inandto(movement)At,onandin(place)At,onandin(time)BelowBeneathBeyondByDuringForFor+-ingFromInfrontofInspiteofanddespiteIn,intoNearandneartoOfOn,ontoOverToUnderUntilWithWithinWithoutCollocationCommandsandinstructionsCommentariesInvitationsOffersRequestsGreetingsandfarewells:hello,goodbye,HappyNewYearSuggestionsTelephoningWarningsDatesMeasurementsNumberTimeGeographicalplacesNamesandtitles:addressingpeopleNationalities,languages,countriesandregionsPlacenamesAbroadAwayandawayfromBackInsideNearbyOutsideUpPolitenessReportedspeechReportedspeech:directspeechReportedspeech:indirectspeechSexistlanguagePronunciationIntonationPolitenessInterjections(ouch,hooray)TagsChunksEllipsisHeadersandtailsHyperboleVagueexpressionsDowntonersHedges(just)SubstitutionAllrightandalrightPleaseandthankyouHereandthereJustKindofandsortofOhSoandnotwithexpect,hope,think,etc.SoYesAnywayDiscoursemarkers(so,right,okay)InfactOkay,OKWellYouknowYouseeBritishandAmericanEnglishDialectDoublenegativesandusageFormalandinformallanguageNewspaperheadlinesRegisterSlangStandardandnon-standardlanguageSwearingandtabooexpressionsAccordingtoActualandactuallyApproximations(aroundfouro’clock)AtallElseHearthat,seethatHowever,whatever,whichever,whenever,wherever,whoeverIt’stimeMayaswellandmightaswellMoreorlessOfcoursePointofviewApostrophe(’)AppositionContractionsContrastsDetachedimpersonalstyleInternetdiscourseandtextmessagesIt,thisandthatinparagraphsParagraphsPunctuationSpeechintowritingSpellingSuchasPastsimple(Iworked)Pastcontinuous(Iwasworking)Pastcontinuousorpastsimple?Pastsimpleorpresentperfect?UsedtoPastperfectsimple(Ihadworked)Pastperfectcontinuous(Ihadbeenworking)Pastperfectsimpleorpastperfectcontinuous?Pastperfectsimpleorpastsimple?PastverbformsreferringtothepresentPast:typicalerrorsPresentcontinuous(Iamworking)Presentperfectcontinuous(Ihavebeenworking)Presentperfectsimple(Ihaveworked)Presentperfectsimpleorpresentperfectcontinuous?Presentperfect:typicalerrorsPresentsimple(Iwork)Presentsimpleorpresentcontinuous?Present:typicalerrorsPresentverbformsreferringtothepastFuture:willandshallFuture:begoingto(Iamgoingtowork)Future:otherexpressionstotalkaboutthefutureFuturecontinuous(Iwillbeworking)FutureinthepastFutureperfectcontinuous(Iwillhavebeenworkingheretenyears)Futureperfectsimple(Iwillhaveworkedeighthours)Future:presentcontinuoustotalkaboutthefuture(I’mworkingtomorrow)Future:presentsimpletotalkaboutthefuture(Iworktomorrow)Future:typicalerrorsGoingtoFiniteandnon-finiteverbsImperativeclauses(Bequiet!)InfinitiveswithandwithouttoInfinitive:activeorpassive?Perfectinfinitivewithto(tohaveworked)Verbs:basicformsVerbs:formationHate,like,loveandpreferHear,see,etc.+object+infinitiveor-ingHelpsomebody(to)doLookforwardtoStop+-ingformorto-infinitiveVerbpatterns:verb+infinitiveorverb+-ing?Verbpatterns:verb+that-clauseVerbpatterns:withandwithoutobjectsWouldlikeWouldrather,wouldsoonerPhrasalverbsandmulti-wordverbsGetpassiveHavesomethingdonePassive:formsPassiveswithandwithoutanagentPassive:usesPassive:otherformsPassive:typicalerrorsCanCouldCould,mayandmightDareHadbetterMayMightModality:formsModality:meaningsandusesModality:tenseModality:otherverbsModality:othermodalwordsandexpressionsMustNeedOughttoShallShouldWillWouldConditionalsConditionals:ifConditionals:otherexpressions(unless,should,aslongas)Conditionals:typicalerrorsIfonlyIncase(of)Suppose,supposingandwhatifWishVerbs:typesVerbphrasesVerbsandverbphrases:typicalerrorsAppearAskandaskforBeBeexpressions(beableto,bedueto)ComeDoEnableEnjoyExplainGetGoHappenHaveHavegotandhaveHopeKnowLet,let’sLikeLookMadefrom,madeof,madeoutof,madewithMakeMarryanddivorceMatterMeanMissPreferPutSeeSeemSuggestTakeThinkWantTableofirregularverbsWordclassesandphraseclassesWordformationPrefixesSuffixesCompoundsAbbreviations,initialsandacronyms-ishand-yDiminutives(-let,-yandmini-)HyphensWordorderandfocusWordorder:structuresCleftsentences(ItwasinJunewegotmarried.)FrontingInversionNosoonerNotonly…butalsoAndAsifandasthoughAslongasandsolongasBecause,becauseofandcos,cosofBeforeButConjunctionsConjunctions:addingConjunctions:causes,reasons,resultsandpurposeConjunctions:contrastingConjunctions:timeEither…or…IfInordertoOrSinceUnlessWhereasWhetherWhileandwhilstYetAdjunctsClausesClauses:finiteandnon-finiteClausetypesComplementsDummysubjectsExclamationsHeadsObjectsSentencesSubjectsSubjectcomplementsSubject–verbagreementRelativeclausesRelativeclausesreferringtoawholesentenceRelativeclauses:definingandnon-definingRelativeclauses:typicalerrorsNeither,neither…norandnot…eitherNotNeither,neither…norandnot…eitherNotFormingnegativestatements,questionsandimperativesNegation:twonegativesNegativeclauseswithany,anybody,anyone,anything,anywhereNegationinnon-finiteclausesNegativeprefixesandsuffixesNegativeadverbs:hardly,seldom,etc.Negation:emphasisingNegationofthink,believe,suppose,hopeQuestions:alternativequestions(Isitblackorgrey?)Questions:statementquestions(you’reover18?)Questions:two-stepquestionsQuestions:typicalerrorsQuestions:wh-questionsQuestions:yes-noquestions(Areyoufeelingcold?)Questions:follow-upquestionsQuestions:echoandcheckingquestionsQuestions:shortforms 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