Lesson 42 of 46

Formal vs informal English

Match your language to the reader and the situation.

The rules

1.Formal writing (reports, cover letters, first emails) avoids slang and often avoids contractions: "do not" rather than "don't".
2.Informal writing (messages to friends and close colleagues) can use contractions, short sentences, and everyday words.
3.Choose precise words for formal text: "children" not "kids", "request" not "ask for", "approximately" not "about".
4.Match your reader: be more formal with clients, senior people, and strangers.

Incorrect: ~~Hey, gonna send u the file asap.~~

Correct: Hello, I will send you the file as soon as possible.

No slang in professional writing.

Incorrect: ~~Thanks a ton for the heads up.~~

Correct: Thank you for letting me know.

Clear and neutral.

Incorrect: ~~We need to look into the issue and sort it out.~~

Correct: We need to investigate the issue and resolve it.

Formal verbs replace phrasal verbs.

Watch out: When unsure, choose neutral and polite over casual.

1. Most formal:

2. Best for a first email to a client:

3. Which is more formal?

Paste any text and see exactly what to fix, with the rule explained.