Formal and Informal Language

Formal and Informal Language

The difference between formal and informal English is not a difference between correct and incorrect, but a difference of what is known as register. A register is a variety of language related to a particular subject matter or area of activity, a set of words and expressions as well as syntactical features that may be said to characterise that specific area of language.

In writing academic reports and the like, it would be normal to draw most of the vocabulary and expressions from the formal register, and few, if any, from the informal.

Formal Language

Although English does not have a strong set of rules for formal language, speakers need to be careful how they speak in different situations.  Formal language is often used in official public notices, business situations, and polite conversations with strangers.  Formal language has stricter grammar rules and often uses more difficult vocabulary. 

Informal Language

English is often spoken informally especially in the States, Canada, and Australia.  Informal language is all right for friends, co-workers, host family, or service staff (at a restaurant for example).  Informal language has less strict grammar rules and often has shortened sentences.

Examples I

Informal	Formal
They did an experiment	The experiment was carried out / reformed by them
Then the Drive Manager goes through some steps to install the programme	The Drive Manager then performs / executes a series of functions / operations in order to install the programme
One after the other	At regular intervals
They found out what the important things were	They determined / discovered / established / identified the important properties / characteristics / issues
You can find out all about the survey on page 7	Details of the survey are to be found on page 7
We think you should discuss the research findings at the next departmental meeting	It is recommended that the research findings are discussed at the next departmental meeting
Doctors have come up with a new method of….	Doctors have created / established a new method of….
Safety officers are looking into the problem	Safety officers are investigating the problem
The cost of cleaning services has gone up 25% over the last three years	The cost of cleaning services has risen by 25% over the last three years

Example II

Informal	Formal
We do not think it is a good idea to do anything at the moment	It is suggested that no action should be taken at this stage
Many thanks to the staff at “Computers R Us” for their help on the technical side	Thanks are extended to the staff at “Computers R Us” for their technical support (Slightly less formal: We would like to thank ….)
You need to get the patient’s help when doing these hearing tests	When conducting these audio logical tests, the active participation of the patient being tested is required.
There were no big differences between the three different groups we tested	No significant differences emerged between the three different groups tested
A lot of	Many / much / a great deal of
This seemed to fix the problem	This appeared to rectify the problem
Enough	Sufficient
This shows that …	This demonstrates…
Numbers are going up	Numbers are increasing
They put the plan into action	The plan was implemented / carried out
This let them keep the same temperature during the whole experiment	This allowed / permitted / resulted in / ensured a constant temperature throughout the experiment / for the entire experiment

Exercise

Rewrite the sentences in a more academic style using verbs from the list below. Note that you may need to change the verb tense.

Investigate, assist, raise, discover, establish, increase, eliminate

1.     Systems analysts can help out managers in many different ways.

2.     This program was set up to improve access to medical care.

3.     Medical research expenditure has gone up to nearly $350 million.

4.     Researchers have found out that this drug has serious side effects.

5.     Exercise alone will not get rid of medical problems related to blood pressure.

6.     Researchers have been looking into this problem for 15 years now.

7.     This issue was brought up during the coroner's inquest.

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.

· Formality of language varies in relation to such factors as public versus private occasion, the size of the audience, the relationship of the speaker/writer with the audience, and so on. The ability to vary your language according to the situation is often considered a mark of an educated person.

What makes INFORMAL language?

•         Simple grammatical structure

•         Personal evaluation

•         Colloquial or slang vocabulary

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.

What makes formal 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

•         Impersonality

•         A consistent preference for “learned” words

What to avoid in formal writing………………..…..…

•         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, stage directions and colloquialisms

Gerund and Participle

Every gerund, without exception, ends in ing. Gerunds are not, however, all that easy to identify. The problem is that all present participles also end in ing. What is the difference?

 

Both Gerunds and Participles are verbal; that is, they are both formed by adding +ing to a verb and both express action or a state of being. The difference between the two lies in their function within the sentence.

Gerund has the same functions as Nouns in sentences. They can be single words or gerund phrases.

Unlike Gerunds, which function as nouns in sentences, Participle can function as Adjective in sentences. The examples and exercises in this activity focus on present participles, which suggest action and come from active verbs. As adjectives, participles modify nouns or pronouns.

Examples of Gerund:

 

Since Francisco was five years old, swimming has been his passion.

Francisco's first love is swimming.

Francisco enjoys swimming more than spending time with his girlfriend Diana.

Francisco gives swimming all of his energy and time.

When Francisco wore dive fins to class, everyone knew that he was devoted to swimming.

 

Note: Swimming in all the above examples functions as a noun that’s why Swimming is a Gerund

Examples of Participles:

One day last summer, Francisco and his coach were swimming at Daytona Beach.

A Great White shark ate Francisco's swimming coach.

Now Francisco practices his sport in safe swimming pools.

Note: Swimming in all the above examples functions as Modifiers that’s why swimming is a present participle 

(Modifiers are words, phrases, or clauses that provide description in sentences.)

More Examples of Gerund:

Subject Gerunds:

Learning is a lifelong process. . 

Learning to speak and write English well takes a lot of practice. 

Direct object Gerunds:

Bertha hates shopping. She'd rather save her money.

She prefers putting her money in a savings account.

Gerunds as objects of prepositions:

James is not known for studying

He failed his last exam on identifying the parts of speech. 

Subject complement Gerunds after linking verbs:

All summer long, Lisa's favorite pastime has been  surfing.

Meanwhile, her younger brother's favorite activity has been surfing the internet.

More Examples of Participle:

Adjective + Noun: 

I was awakened by the screaming child. (The participle modifies child.)

Subject + Linking Verb + Adjective complement:  

The horror film was extremely frightening. (The participle modifies horror film).

Participial Phrase:  

The police noticed the thief hiding on the rooftop.

(The participial phrase modifies thief).

Introductory Participial (Adjective) Phrase: 

Looking for a place to hide, the thief climbed the fire escape to the rooftop.

Verbals: Gerunds

You have learned that a participle is one kind of verbal. Another kind of verbal is a gerund.

n  Bowling is a very old sport.

n  Gardening is a satisfying hobby.

n  Collecting baseball cards can be a lucrative pastime.

A gerund is the present participle of a verb (the –ing form) used as a noun.

n  In a sentence a gerund can function in all of the ways that a noun does.

n  Subject: Reading is my favorite activity.

n  D.O. : I enjoy reading.

n  Object of Preposition: Today is a good day for reading.

n  Predicate Noun: My favorite activity is reading.

n  To determine whether a word ending in –ing is a verb, participle, or gerund, you must see how the word is used in the sentence.

First find the simple subject and the simple predicate. They will help you know whether a word is a gerund.

n  Cora and Andy are running in tomorrow’s big race. (Running is part of the verb phrase are running)

n  The running water overflowed. (Running is a participle, modifying the subject water)

n  Running is both a fun and healthful exercise. (Running is the subject of this sentence. It is a gerund)

Find each gerund in these sentences. Is it used as a subject, D.O. , object of a preposition, or a predicate noun?

1.     Sketching is fun for me.

2.     Marya exercises everyday by swimming.

3.     Her other leisure activity is painting.

4.     She and I are singing in the chorus tonight.

5.     Of all my interests, I care most about reading.

6.     Traveling comes second or third on my list of favorites.

7.     What is the most interesting hobby for you?

Find each gerund in these sentences. Is it used as a subject, D.O. , object of a preposition, or a predicate noun?

8. A hobby can be anything from fishing to painting.

9. Few things are better for relaxing than a satisfying hobby.

10. Some people enjoy gardening whereas others prefer reading.

11. Gardening gloves protect the hands of those who do yard work.

12. Many people find pleasure in painting, sculpting, or carving.

Find each gerund in these sentences. Is it used as a subject, D.O. , object of a preposition, or a predicate noun?

13. Practical hobbies include sewing, building, and cooking.

14. Skating, skiing, and swimming are some healthful hobbies.

15. Reading about faraway places is satisfying to many people.

16. People of all ages relax and get in shape by jogging.

17. In-fact, running has become a hobby as much as an exercise.

Find each gerund in these sentences. Is it used as a subject, D.O. , object of a preposition, or a predicate noun?

18. Winston Churchill, a former Prime Minister of Great Britain, liked painting     and writing.

9. Collecting was President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s hobby, and he acquired an amazing stamp collection.

20. President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s favorite kind of exercise was golfing.