Which sentence is more formal?
key notes:
✈️ Formal writing is used for essays, business letters, and reports. The following types of informal language should be avoided in formal writing:
| Type | Examples |
| slang | cool, awesome |
| idioms | knock your socks off |
| conversational language | gonna, kinda, yeah |
| abbreviated language | ASAP, FYI |
| overly simple or imprecise language | he got some stuff at the shop |
| contractions | can’t, won’t |
✈️ Contractions are not as informal as the other types, but they should be used sparingly in formal writing.
✈️ Compare the following sentences. The first is informal. The second is formal.
Informal: Yeah, ostriches can’t fly, but they’re amazing runners.
Formal: Though ostriches are flightless, they are remarkably adept runners.
Learn with an example
🎯 Which sentence is more formal?
- The absolutely amazing movie Toy Story was the first full-length, computer-animated feature film.
- The groundbreaking movie Toy Story was the first full-length, computer-animated feature film.
- The first sentence is less formal. You can tell because it uses slang (absolutely amazing).
- The second sentence uses formal language in place of the slang, so it is more formal overall.
🎯 Which sentence is more formal?
- In music, the term mezzo forte means kinda loud.
- In music, the term mezzo forte means moderately loud.
- The first sentence is less formal. You can tell because it uses conversational language (kinda).
- The second sentence uses formal language in place of conversational language, so it is more formal overall.
🎯Which sentence is more formal?
- The president and prime minister discussed new trade regulations and announced that they were on the same page.
- The president and prime minister discussed new trade regulations and announced that they were in agreement.
- The first sentence is less formal. You can tell because it uses an idiom (on the same page).
- The second sentence uses formal language in place of the idiom, so it is more formal overall.
Let’s practice!
