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Formal & Informal Language
The language you use in a piece of writing will affect
how your readers respond. Formal language is
serious and dignified. Informal language is more like
everyday speech.
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Formal & Informal Language
The language you use in a piece of writing will affect
how your readers respond. Formal language is
serious and dignified. Informal language is more like
everyday speech.
Which of these sentences would you expect to find in a
persuasive essay addressed to the school administrator?
The parking setup at school is so stupid because kids get crazy
trying to get into the few spaces we have.
Because the student parking lot at our school is too small,
drivers create a dangerous situation when they jostle to get a
space.
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Formal & Informal Language
The language you use in a piece of writing will affect
how your readers respond. Formal language is
serious and dignified. Informal language is more like
everyday speech.
Which of these sentences would you expect to find in a
persuasive essay addressed to the school administrator?
The parking setup at school is so stupid because kids get
crazy trying to get into the few spaces we have. i
Because the student parking lot at our school is too small,
drivers create a dangerous situation when they jostle to
get a space. i
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Formal & Informal Language
Understanding formal and informal language will help
you become a more effective writer. Click on the type
of language you want to explore.
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Formal & Informal Language
Understanding formal and informal language will help
you become a more effective writer. Click on the type
of language you want to explore.
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• Formal Language
• Informal Language
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Formal & Informal Language
Formal Language
Use formal language for research papers, essays, school
assignments, business letters, applications, and any
situation where you have a serious purpose.
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Formal & Informal Language
Formal Language
Use formal language for research papers, essays, school
assignments, business letters, applications, and any
situation where you have a serious purpose.
Formal language contains
•
•
•
•
•
Complex sentence structures
Sophisticated vocabulary
Standard punctuation
No contractions
No slang
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Formal & Informal Language
Formal Language
What elements of formal language do you see in this model?
complex sentence structures
sophisticated vocabulary
standard punctuation
Survivors is a movie for serious horror fans only. The special
effects team, using plasticine and robotics, created some of
the most frightening vampires on film. These vampires are
so extraordinarily realistic that the images will linger in
viewers’ imaginations. The fiery ending will shock even
hardened horror aficionados.
Click to see the complex sentence structures
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Formal & Informal Language
Formal Language
What elements of formal language do you see in this model?
complex sentence structures
sophisticated vocabulary
standard punctuation
Survivors is a movie for serious horror fans only. The special
effects team, using plasticine and robotics, created some
of the most frightening vampires on film. These vampires
are so extraordinarily realistic that the images will linger
in viewers’ imaginations. The fiery ending will shock even
hardened horror aficionados. i
Click to see the sophisticated vocabulary
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Formal & Informal Language
Formal Language
What elements of formal language do you see in this model?
complex sentence structures
sophisticated vocabulary
standard punctuation
Survivors is a movie for serious horror fans only. The special
effects team, using plasticine and robotics, created some of
the most frightening vampires on film. These vampires are so
extraordinarily realistic that the images will linger in viewers’
imaginations. The fiery ending will shock even hardened
horror aficionados.
Click to see the standard punctuation
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Formal & Informal Language
Formal Language
What elements of formal language do you see in this model?
complex sentence structures
sophisticated vocabulary
standard punctuation
Survivors is a movie for serious horror fans only. The special
effects team, using plasticine and robotics, created some of
the most frightening vampires on film. These vampires are
so extraordinarily realistic that the images will linger in
viewers’ imaginations. The fiery ending will shock even
hardened horror aficionados.
Next
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Formal & Informal Language
Formal Language
Identifying whom you are writing for and your purpose for
writing will help you decide whether or not you need to
use formal language.
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Formal & Informal Language
Formal Language
Identifying whom you are writing for and your purpose for
writing will help you decide whether or not you need to
use formal language.
If your purpose is to persuade, and you are writing to the
local newspaper, how would you revise this sentence?
Kids at Springfield High get creeped out over the rats and
other stuff in the woods around the school.
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Formal & Informal Language
Formal Language
Identifying whom you are writing for and your purpose for
writing will help you decide whether or not you need to
use formal language.
The slang expressions, Kids and creeped out, should not be
used when addressing the local newspaper audience.
ORIGINAL
Kids at Springfield High get creeped out over the rats and
other stuff in the woods around the school.
REVISED
Students at Springfield High are concerned about the
numbers of rodents in the woods near our school.
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Formal & Informal Language
Informal Language
Use informal language for communications with friends,
for humorous essays, for dialogue, and for other
situations when your purpose is casual.
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Formal & Informal Language
Informal Language
Use informal language for communications with friends,
for humorous essays, for dialogue, and for other
situations when your purpose is casual.
Informal language contains
•
•
•
•
Everyday words and expressions
Contractions
Fragments and simple sentences
Slang
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Formal & Informal Language
Informal Language
What elements of informal language do you see in this model?
everyday words and expressions
contractions
fragments and simple sentences
slang
You gotta see Survivors—a major fright flick. Awesome
special effects!! The vampires are straight out of your worst
nightmare, and you won’t believe the ending! The vampires
melt into pools of slime. So cool!
Click to see the everyday words and expressions
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Formal & Informal Language
Informal Language
What elements of informal language do you see in this model?
everyday words and expressions
contractions
fragments and simple sentences
slang
You gotta see Survivors—a major fright flick. Awesome
special effects!! The vampires are straight out of your worst
nightmare, and you won’t believe the ending! The vampires
melt into pools of slime. So cool!
Click to see the contractions
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Formal & Informal Language
Informal Language
What elements of informal language do you see in this model?
everyday words and expressions
contractions
fragments and simple sentences
slang
You gotta see Survivors—a major fright flick. Awesome
special effects!! The vampires are straight out of your worst
nightmare, and you won’t believe the ending! The vampires
melt into pools of slime. So cool!
Click to see the fragments and simple sentences
PREVIOUS
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Formal & Informal Language
Informal Language
What elements of informal language do you see in this model?
everyday words and expressions
contractions
fragments and simple sentences
slang
You gotta see Survivors—a major fright flick. Awesome
special effects!! The vampires are straight out of your worst
nightmare, and you won’t believe the ending! The vampires
melt into pools of slime. So cool!
Click to see the slang
PREVIOUS
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Formal & Informal Language
Informal Language
What elements of informal language do you see in this model?
everyday words and expressions
contractions
fragments and simple sentences
slang
You gotta see Survivors—a major fright flick. Awesome
special effects!! The vampires are straight out of your worst
nightmare, and you won’t believe the ending! The vampires
melt into pools of slime. So cool!
Next
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Formal & Informal Language
Informal Language
Identifying whom you are writing for and your purpose for
writing will help you choose whether or not to use
informal language.
Continue…
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Formal & Informal Language
Informal Language
Identifying whom you are writing for and your purpose for
writing will help you choose whether or not to use
informal language.
If your purpose is humorous, and you are writing to a
friend, how would you revise the following?
You won’t believe what happened! I was running for the train
when I slipped and fell. I nearly expired from embarrassment.
Click to see a revision
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Formal & Informal Language
Informal Language
Identifying whom you are writing for and your purpose for
writing will help you choose whether or not to use
informal language.
The word “expired” is too formal.
You won’t believe what happened! I was running for the train
when I slipped and fell. I nearly expired from embarrassment.
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Formal & Informal Language
Informal Language
Identifying whom you are writing for and your purpose for
writing will help you choose whether or not to use
informal language.
The word “expired” is too formal.
You won’t believe what happened! I was running for the train
when I slipped and fell. I nearly expired from embarrassment.
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Formal & Informal Language
Informal Language
Identifying whom you are writing for and your purpose for
writing will help you choose whether or not to use
informal language.
The word “expired” is too formal.
You won’t believe what happened! I was running for the train
when I slipped and fell. I nearly expired from embarrassment.
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Formal & Informal Language
Informal Language
Identifying whom you are writing for and your purpose for
writing will help you choose whether or not to use
informal language.
The word “expired” is too formal.
You won’t believe what happened! I was running for the train
when I slipped and fell. I nearly expired from embarrassment.
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Formal & Informal Language
Informal Language
Identifying whom you are writing for and your purpose for
writing will help you choose whether or not to use
informal language.
The word “expired” is too formal.
You won’t believe what happened! I was running for the train
when I slipped and fell. I nearly expired
died from embarrassment.
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PREVIOUS
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Formal & Informal Language
Informal Language
Identifying whom you are writing for and your purpose for
writing will help you choose whether or not to use
informal language.
The word “expired” is too formal.
You won’t believe what happened! I was running for the train
when I slipped and fell. I nearly died from embarrassment.
EXIT
PREVIOUS
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Formal & Informal Language
Informal Language
Identifying whom you are writing for and your purpose for
writing will help you choose whether or not to use
informal language.
The word “expired” is too formal.
You won’t believe what happened! I was running for the train
when I slipped and fell. I nearly died from embarrassment.
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