Introduction
Informal spoken sentences are generally simpler than written sentences. They have fewer subordinate clauses, and mostly use a small number of common conjunctions (e.g. and, but, that, so, if, because, when). Noun phrases are usually short: a subject is often a single pronoun. More formal grammatical structures (see here) and vocabulary (see here) are unusual. While many spoken utterances are similar in structure to written sentences, word order is less fixed. Information may be ‘spaced out’ more by putting some of it before or after the main sentence (see here). Some speech does not fit into the ‘complete sentence’ pattern of writing at all.
- Lovely, the way she talks about her mother.
- That car, is it yours?
- How long you been waiting here, then?
- ‘Maybe call in on Emma on the way out? ’ ‘Not today I can’t.’
- ‘What time?’ ‘Half past eight.’ ‘At your place?’ ‘No, Andy’s.’
This Section cannot of course offer a complete analysis of spoken language. The following entries describe a few common features of informal speech.
Those people that we met them in Greece, shall we call them? (see here)
Where you are going? (see here)
‘What are you doing?’ ‘What I’m doing? Nothing.’ (see here)
Are you the new secretary, aren’t you? (see here)
You never say what you’re thinking, don’t you? (see here)
‘Are you ready?’ ‘Yes, I’m.’ (see here)
‘Louise can dance beautifully.’ ‘So can her sister dance.’ (see here)
‘I’m getting bored.’ ‘I also.’ (see here)
Joe didn’t phone, and neither didn’t Kate. (see here)
Couldn’t you babysit this evening. please? (see here)