Standard II-2: Use Formal and Informal Language
Formal Language is language that is typically found in the following:
Textbooks
Research Papers
Reports
Formal Speeches
School course catalogs—books published by colleges and some secondary schools
that list and describe the courses offered.
When using formal language avoid the following language.
Contractions
Formal
Informal
I must go to the meeting.
I’ve got to go to the meeting.
You, your, you’ve
Formal
Informal
One can find the book in the public library.
You can find the book in the public library.
Abbreviated words
Formal
Informal
The information is located in the appendix.
The info is located in the appendix.
Formal
Informal
Please send the reservation as soon as possible
Please send the reservation asap.
Formal
Informal
That new movie was enjoyable.
That new movie was really hot.
Slang
Formal
Informal
A quality diamond has many facets.
A quality diamond has bunches of facets.
Informal Language is language that is typically found in the following:
Friendly letters
Journal writing
Regular conversation
Practice 1. Read the following sentences. Place an I in front of those that are informal
and an F in front of those that are formal.
_______1, Students in this class will conduct original research and present findings in a
paper.
_______2. Jessica studies 24-7 and that’s a drag.
_______3. You’ll have to document all your research.
_______4. The only way one can qualify for the academy is to earn excellent grades.
_______5. Certain elements on the periodic chart diffuse easily when released into the
air.
Practice 2. Answer the following. Refer to the lesson above to determine which
sentences contain formal and informal language. When reading test items, notice how
the question is worded. For example, if the question states “Choose the sentence that is
inappropriate in a formal paper,” look for something that would not be all right in a
formal paper. Remember that appropriate means “all right” and inappropriate means “not
all right.”
1.
Choose the sentence that would be appropriate in a letter to a friend but NOT
appropriate in a formal report.
A. Elizabeth Barrett Browning, a sickly child, was treated as an invalid by her
parents.
B. It's so romantic the way she married poet Robert Browning and they took off to
Portugal.
C. While living with her husband in Portugal, she wrote a collection of sonnets.
D. Robert Browning became famous for his skill at writing the dramatic monologue.
2. Read the following paragraph from a formal report. Choose the sentence in which
the language is inappropriate.
(1) The availability of generic pills has affected pharmaceutical stock prices.
(2) You might know lots of those companies hit rock bottom after the buzz about
generic drugs.
(3) Some pharmaceutical companies have attempted to use legislation to extend
patents and
prevent competition from generic products.
(4) The companies that have remained stable are those that are diversified into other
health care products
A. Sentence 1
B Sentence 2
C. Sentence 3
D. Sentence 4
Standard II-2
Formal and Informal Language Quiz
1.
Choose the sentence that would be appropriate in a letter to a friend
but NOT appropriate in a formal report.
A. Internet banking enables one to access bank accounts from
a personal computer.
B. With online banking, one can monitor accounts and pay bills
using the internet.
C. Ninety percent of America's major banks offer some form of
online banking.
D. Dad says I'll get my own checking account next year.
2.
Read the following paragraph from a formal report. Choose the sentence in
which the language is inappropriate.
(1) The Stanford Achievement Test is used to measure student
achievement.
(2) Achievement tests are a big pain--especially the reading tests.
(3) Student test scores are often reported to parents as percentile ranks.
(4) Norm referenced tests compare students with a cross-section of peers.
A.
B.
C.
D.
3.
Sentence 1
Sentence 2
Sentence 3
Sentence 4
Choose the sentence that would be most appropriate in a formal paper.
A. Just about any day, you can switch on the radio and hear a recording
of Louie Armstrong's "It's a Wonderful World."
B. Armstrong, a.k.a. "Sachmo" got into big trouble as a kid and was sent
to reform school.
C. While there, Armstrong studied music and improved his skill
as a trumpet player.
D. He basically started as a nobody and ended up a world-renowned
performer.
4. Choose the sentence that is appropriate in a research paper.
A. Everybody needs to drink lots of water each day because
it’s really good for you.
B. Our town's water has nasty-tasting chemicals in it, and
that's bad news.
C. Most folks think bottled water tastes lots better than
tap water.
D. Cities are required to send each citizen an annual report
regarding local water quality.
5. Choose the sentence that would be inappropriate for a formal course
catalog.
A. Students survey music movements as diverse as the Jazz Age and
Beatlemania.
B. The American short story is presented and five important writers are
studied in depth.
C. Principles of soil preparation, plant selection and planting are
presented.
D. You'll have a chance to conduct internet research on some
super Renaissance artists.
Standard II-2 Formal and Informal Language (Correct answers are in bold print and
focus words are underlined)
1. Choose the sentence that would be appropriate in a
letter to a friend but NOT appropriate in a formal report.
A. Internet banking enables one to access bank accounts
from a personal computer.
B. With online banking, one can monitor accounts or pay
bills online.
C. Ninety percent of America's major banks offer some
form of online banking.
D. Dad says I'll get my own checking account next year.
2. Read the following paragraph from a formal report. Choose the
sentence in which the language is inappropriate.
(1) The Stanford Achievement Test is used to measure student
achievement.
(2) Achievement tests are a big pain--especially the reading tests.
(3) Student test scores are often reported to parents as
percentile ranks.
(4) Norm referenced tests compare students with a
cross-section of peers.
A.
B.
C.
D.
Sentence 1
Sentence 2
Sentence 3
Sentence 4
3. Choose the sentence that would be most appropriate in
a formal paper.
A. Just about any day, you can switch on the radio and
hear a recording of Louie Armstrong's "It's a Wonderful World."
B. Armstrong, a.k.a. "Sachmo" got into big trouble as a kid and
was sent to reform school.
C. While there, Armstrong studied music and improved
his skill as a trumpet player.
D. He basically started as a nobody and ended up a world-renowned
performer.
4. Choose the sentence that is appropriate in a research paper.
A. Everybody needs to drink lots of water each day because
it’s really good for you.
B. Our town's water contains nasty-tasing chemicals and
that's bad news.
C. Most folks think bottled water tastes lots better than
tap water.
D. Cities are required to send each citizen an
annual report regarding local water quality.
5. Choose the sentence that would be inappropriate for a formal
course catalog.
A. Students survey music movements as diverse as the Jazz Age
and Beatlemania.
B. The American short story is presented and five important
writers are studied in depth.
C. Principles of soil preparation, plant selection and planting are
presented.
D. You'll have a chance to conduct internet research on
some super Renaissance artists.
Choice D would not be appropriate in a formal report because it contains the contraction
I’ll.
Choice B (Sentence 2) contains inappropriate language for a formal report because it
uses the slang phrase “a big pain.”
Choice C contains language that would be appropriate in a formal paper. Choice A uses
the informal “you.” Choice B uses the abbreviation “a.k.a.” and the informal expression
“big trouble.” Choice D uses the informal phrase “basically started out as a nobody” and
the informal phrase “ended up.”
Choice D contains language that would be appropriate in a research paper. Choice A
uses the slang words “lots and “really good.” It also contains the informal “you” and the
contraction “it’s.” Choice B contains the contraction “that's" and the informal
expressions “nasty-tasting” and "bad news." Choice C contains the informal “folks” and
“lots.”
Choice D would be inappropriate for a formal course catalog because it contains the
informal contraction “you’ll” and the slang word “super.”