FORMAL - INFORMAL
LANGUAGE
Let us learn the difference!
Formal Language
- less personal
- More common in writing for professionals or academic purposes
- Usually does not use colloquialisms, slang, contractions or first
person pronouns, such as ‘we’ or ‘I’.
Let us learn the difference!
Informal Language
- More personal, casual and spontaneous
- More common in communicating with friends or family either in writing or
conversation
- It uses colloquialisms, slang, contractions or first person pronouns,
such as ‘we’ or ‘I’.
How about the vocabulary?
More formal vocabulary commonly involves longer
words, more informal vocabulary commonly involves
shorter words.
Formal
Informal
commence
start
terminate
end
strive
fight
Colloquial and Slang (Informal)
Colloquial
Slang
Used by people in
everyday speech
Used by certain groups,
especially teenagers
Vocabulary may last
longer
Most likely change
with time
Example:
What’s up?
How ya been?
How’s it goin?
Example:
YOLO, geek, noob, rofl,
salty
Which one is it?
The improvements can’t be introduced
due to funding restrictions.
The improvements cannot be introduced
due to funding restrictions.
Informal Language
Formal Language
Which one is it?
The research project will not continue
next year.
The research project won’t continue next
year.
Informal Language
Formal Language
Which one is it?
The balloon was blown up for the
experiment.
The balloon was inflated for the
experiment.
Informal Language
Formal Language
Which one is it?
Lecturers still count on students to use
correct grammar in essays.
Lecturers expect students to use correct
grammar in essays.
Informal Language
Formal Language
Which one is it?
It is believed the practice is unsustainable.
We believe the practice is unsustainable.
Informal Language
Formal Language
Which one is it?
The girl I met in Singapore was interested
in working in Australia.
The girl whom I met in Singapore was
interested in working in Australia.
Informal Language
Formal Language
FORMAL - INFORMAL
LANGUAGE
That ends our lesson for today.
Great job, everyone!