Tips for Formal Writing
First and foremost, what is formal writing?
Formal (adj.)—being in accord with established forms and conventions and requirements (as e.g. of
formal dress); following specific rules
Formal writing follows specific rules in order to keep a professional tone. In formal writing, you do not
just write the way you would speak. Just like formal dress, formal writing is a little fancier than regular
or informal writing!
Common Examples:
Academic (for school) writing
Business writing
Formal social occasions
When doing any formal writing, keep the following in mind.
Abbreviations, Symbols, and Numbers
As a rule, when doing formal writing, DO NOT use abbreviations or symbols; SPELL WORDS OUT! Taking
the time to spell words out show that you care about the writing you’re doing. It is unprofessional to use
abbreviations and symbols, so they have no place in formal writing!
The following symbols and abbreviations are NEVER acceptable in formal writing:
Abbreviation/Symbol
&
w/
u
r
2
@
+
4
B4
#
Correct Word
and
with
you
Are, our
To, too, two
at
and
For, four
before
number
Additionally, any sort of texting language (btw, idk, and many others) should NEVER be used in formal
writing!
Numbers
If you take it upon yourself to study correct procedure when it comes to writing numbers, you will find
that rules vary widely depending on the source and the context. For the purposes of this class, the
following are the rules I would like you to follow.
1. Spell out numbers from one to one hundred
Examples:
I own all thirteen Beatles albums.
The band was amazingly prolific for having been together only eight years.
Their first album, Please, Please Me, was recorded in just one day.
2. Use a hyphen in compound numbers (twenty-one though ninety-nine)
Examples:
Even though Shelley is twenty-three, many people think she is sixteen.
I have told you fifty-six times to be quiet, so please do so!
3. If a number begins a sentence, spell it out even if it is greater than one-hundred
Examples:
Forty-five percent of American’s don’t know that the sun is a star.
Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes are in a year.
Apostrophes
Apostrophes must be used to denote contractions and in possessive nouns.
Contractions are abbreviations made when two words are merged together. AN APOSTROPHE
MUST GO IN THE PLACE OF THE DELETED LETTERS.
I cannot play sports very well because I am not coordinated.
I can’t play sports very well because I’m not coordinated.
**ANY time you are merging two words, make sure you have an apostrophe.
Another way to make sure you follow this rule is to refrain from using contractions
altogether. In fact, using contractions is frowned upon in formal writing.
Possessive nouns are nouns that show ownership, and they must follow the apostrophe “s”
format. Simply putting an “s” at the end of a noun makes it plural (more than one), not
possessive. If you want to show that the noun owns something, you must have an apostrophe.
My grandma’s cat is evil.
The cat’s behavior is most disturbing.
Many grandmas like to garden for a hobby.
Some people love cats, but I do not
Likewise, if you simply want to make a noun plural (show that there’s more than one), DO NOT include
an apostrophe. Ninety-nine percent of the time, if you have an apostrophe “s,” you are showing
possession.
Its and It’s Confusion
There is one exception to the apostrophe “s” possessive rule—its. Because “it is” and “it has” can be
made into contractions, they need apostrophes. In order to differentiate between the contractions and
the possessive pronoun, the possessive pronoun does not use an apostrophe.
Its = a possessive pronoun (showing ownership)
It’s = a contraction for “it is” or “it has”
It is raining outside.
It’s raining outside.
It has been hot for the past four months.
It’s been hot for the past four months.
The happy dog is chasing its tail.
The demonic cat is baring its claws.
Capitalization
You MUST capitalize all proper nouns and the first letter of each sentence. THERE ARE NO EXCEPTIONS
TO THIS RULE; IF YOU START A NEW SENTENCE, YOU USE A CAPITAL LETTER!
I don’t like cats because every cat I have ever met has been mean. I suppose nice cats could
exist, though.
Rome, Italy is one of my favorite cities because there are so many beautiful old churches there.
Many of them have art by famous artists like Michelangelo and Bernini.
Interjections
Interjections are words that have no real grammatical function and are typically used to show some sort
of emotion. Because they contribute to a casual tone, interjections should not be used in formal writing.
Incorrect: Well, the United States got involved in the war because of the Pearl Harbor attack.
Correct: The United States got involved in the war because of the attack on Pearl Harbor.
Coordinating Conjunctions
It is improper to begin a sentence with a coordinating conjunction in formal writing. In fact, this should
be done sparingly in informal wring as well.
Coordinating Conjunctions:
For
And
Nor
But
Or
Yet
So
Correct: For that reason, the United States declared war on Japan.
Incorrect: So the United States declared war on Japan.
Correct: The United States went to war with Germany as well.
Incorrect: And the United States went to war with Germany.