Skip to main content

Formality

Formal and informal language​

Most people speak and write in different ways on different occasions. In some languages, for example, there are very complicated rules about how to speak to older or more important people. English does not have a system of this kind. However, there are some words and structures which are mostly used in formal situations, when people are careful about how they express themselves: for example in official notices, business letters or reports, meetings or conferences, or polite conversations with strangers. And some words and structures are mostly used in informal situations: for example in conversations with friends, or emails to one’s family. Writing is more often formal, and speech is more often informal, but informal writing and formal speech are used when the situation makes them preferable.

  • Customer toilets are at the rear of the building. (printed notice in an Oxfordshire petrol station)
  • The toilets are outside round the back. (handwritten notice in the same petrol station, put up perhaps because the manager felt this would be easier for some of his customers to understand)

Most words and expressions are neither formal nor informal, but neutral – English speakers do not have to know two ways of saying everything.

Grammar​

Some grammatical structures have different formal and informal versions. For example, contracted auxiliary verbs and negatives (see here) are common in informal speech and writing. Compare:

  • FORMAL: It has gone. It is not possible.
  • INFORMAL: It’s gone. It isn’t possible.

Prepositions come at the end of certain structures in informal language (see here). Compare:

  • FORMAL: In which century did he live?
  • INFORMAL: Which century did he live in?

Some relative structures are different (see here). Compare:

  • FORMAL: The man whom she married …
  • INFORMAL: The man she married …

Some determiners are followed more often by singular verb forms in formal language, and by plural forms in informal language ( (see here), (see here). Compare:

  • FORMAL: Neither of us likes him.
  • INFORMAL: Neither of us like him.

Subject and object forms of pronouns (e.g. I and me) are used differently in formal and informal language (see here). Compare:

  • FORMAL: It was she who first saw what to do.
    INFORMAL: It was her that first saw what to do.
  • FORMAL: Whom did they elect?
    INFORMAL: Who did they elect?

Ellipsis (leaving out words, (see here) is more common in informal language. Compare:

  • FORMAL: Have you seen Mr Andrews?
    INFORMAL: Seen Jack?
  • FORMAL: We think that it is possible.
    INFORMAL: We think it’s possible.
note

For a note on formal and informal vocabulary, (see here)

For structures used in polite requests and questions, (see here).

For formal and informal ways of using people’s names and titles, (see here).

For the language used in particular social situations, (see here).

For discriminatory and offensive language, (see here).

For slang, (see here).

For the use of out-of-date grammar and vocabulary in ceremonies and other situations, (see here).