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Writer's pictureFakhruddin Babar

Formal and Informal Language

Formal and informal language are two different styles of communication used in various contexts. Here's an overview of what they are, their uses, and the key differences between them:

Formal Language:

What: Formal language refers to the use of standard language conventions, proper grammar, and vocabulary typically associated with professional or academic settings.

Uses:

  1. Academic Writing: Formal language is commonly used in academic papers, essays, and research reports.

  2. Professional Settings: It is employed in business correspondence, official letters, reports, and presentations.

  3. Legal Documents: Formal language is essential in legal documents, contracts, and agreements to ensure precision and clarity.

  4. Public Speaking: It's often used in speeches, presentations, and formal addresses.


Features:

  1. Vocabulary: Formal language tends to use more complex and specialized vocabulary.

  2. Grammar: Formal language adheres strictly to grammatical rules and avoids contractions and slang.

  3. Tone: The tone in formal language is serious, respectful, and authoritative.

  4. Audience: It is typically used when addressing a professional or academic audience.

  5. Structure: Formal language often follows a structured format and employs specific conventions such as headings, subheadings, and citations.

Informal Language:

What: Informal language refers to relaxed language conventions, colloquialisms, and everyday speech patterns.

Uses:

  1. Casual Conversations: Informal language is used in everyday conversations with friends, family, and acquaintances.

  2. Texting and Social Media: It's prevalent in text messages, social media posts, and online chats.

  3. Informal Writing: Informal language can be used in personal emails, blogs, and informal letters.

  4. Entertainment: It's often used in informal settings such as comedy shows, podcasts, and entertainment media.


Features:

  1. Vocabulary: Informal language may include slang, colloquialisms, and abbreviated forms.

  2. Grammar: Informal language may be less strict in adhering to grammatical rules and may include contractions and sentence fragments.

  3. Tone: The tone in informal language is casual, friendly, and familiar.

  4. Audience: It is typically used when communicating with friends, family, or in relaxed social settings.

  5. Structure: Informal language may lack strict structure and formatting seen in formal communication.

In summary, formal language is used in professional, academic, and official contexts, characterized by proper grammar, vocabulary, and a serious tone. Informal language, on the other hand, is used in casual conversations and everyday communication, featuring relaxed language conventions, colloquialisms, and a casual tone. Understanding the appropriate use of formal and informal language is essential for effective communication in various contexts.



Formal and Informal Vocabulary

Formal Vocabulary

Informal Vocabulary

Assistance

Help

Beverage

Drink

Conclusion

End

Departure

Leave

Examination

Test

Explanation

Explanation

Facility

Place

Interruption

Interruption

Investigation

Investigation

Modification

Change

Notification

Notification

Opportunity

Chance

Presentation

Show

Registration

Sign up

Request

Request

Requirement

Need

Reservation

Booking

Transmission

Transmission

Abundant

A lot of

Adequate

Enough

Apparent

Clear

Appropriate

Right

Beneficial

Good

Comparable

Similar

Comprehensive

Thorough

Considerable

A lot of

Continuous

Nonstop

Effective

Good

Efficient

Good

Eligible

Good

Essential

Necessary

Excessive

Too much

Extensive

A lot of

Flexible

Flexible

Frequent

Often

Immediate

Right now

Impressive

Good

Inadequate

Not enough

Inappropriate

Wrong

Inclusive

Including

Indispensable

Necessary

Inevitable

Sure

Invaluable

Precious

Irrelevant

Not related

Lucrative

Profitable

Memorable

Rememberable

Numerous

Many

Obvious

Clear

Optimal

Best

Peculiar

Strange

Prevalent

Common

Proficient

Good

Prominent

Famous

Reciprocal

Mutual

Reliable

Trustworthy

Respective

Own

Substantial

A lot of

Superfluous

Too much

Temporary

Not permanent

Unanimous

All agreeing

Unnecessary

Not needed

Ably

Well

Accordingly

So

Actually

Really

Adequately

Enough

Afterward

After

Almost

Almost

Altogether

All

Always

Always

Anyhow

Anyway

Anywhere

Anywhere

Approximately

About

Asleep

Sleeping

Awkwardly

Awkwardly

Basically

Basically

Beautifully

Beautifully

Beforehand

Before

Beyond

Beyond

Briefly

Briefly

Certainly

Certainly

Clearly

Clearly

Consequently

So

Constantly

Always

Currently

Now

Daily

Every day

Definitely

Definitely

Eventually

Eventually

Exactly

Exactly

Frequently

Often

Generally

Usually

Gradually

Gradually

Hence

So

Hopefully

Hopefully

However

However

Immediately

Immediately

Indeed

Indeed

Instead

Instead

Instantly

Right away

Later

Later

Meanwhile

Meanwhile

Naturally

Naturally

Nearly

Nearly

Nevertheless

However

Normally

Normally

Obviously

Obviously

Occasionally

Sometimes

Often

Often

Overall

Overall

Particularly

Especially

Precisely

Precisely

Previously

Previously

Probably

Probably

Promptly

Promptly

Quickly

Quickly

Rarely

Rarely

Rather

Rather

Recently

Recently

Regularly

Regularly

Similarly

Similarly

Simply

Simply

Slightly

Slightly

Specifically

Specifically

Still

Still

Suddenly

Suddenly

Surely

Surely

Therefore

So

Thus

So

Typically

Typically

Ultimately

Ultimately

Usually

Usually

Virtually

Virtually

Weekly

Weekly

Whenever

Whenever

Wherever

Wherever

Yesterday

Yesterday

Basically

Basically

Totally

Totally

Absolutely

Absolutely

Entirely

Entirely

Exactly

Exactly

Completely

Completely

Perfectly

Perfectly

Utterly

Utterly

Positively

Positively

Incredibly

Incredibly

Entirely

Entirely

Truly

Truly

Purely

Purely

Terribly

Terribly

Awfully

Awfully

Exceptionally

Exceptionally

Precisely

Precisely

Excellently

Excellently

Extraordinarily

Extraordinarily

Wonderfully

Wonderfully

Fantastic

Fantastic

Amazingly

Amazingly

Incredibly

Incredibly

Greatly

Greatly

Tremendously

Tremendously

Remarkably

Remarkably

Exceptionally

Exceptionally

Incredibly

Incredibly

Superbly

Superbly

Exceptionally

Exceptionally

Fabulously

Fabulously


More:

Formal Vocabulary

Informal Vocabulary

Begin

Start

Proceed

Go ahead

Terminate

End

Acquire

Get

Ascertain

Find out

Approximately

About

Consequently

So

Demonstrate

Show

Disseminate

Spread

Evidently

Clearly

Exceed

Go over

Hence

Therefore

Inquire

Ask

Implement

Carry out

In addition

Also

Nonetheless

Nevertheless

Nevertheless

However

Nonetheless

Still

Previously

Before

Consequently

As a result

Regarding

About

Subsequently

Later

Therefore

So

Validate

Confirm

Acknowledge

Recognize

Ascertain

Make sure

Consequently

Thus

Exemplify

Show

In the event that

If

In light of

Because of

In spite of

Despite

Subsequently

After

Accordingly

Therefore

Nevertheless

Nonetheless

Furthermore

Also

In the meantime

Meanwhile

Inasmuch as

Because

Insofar as

As far as

Likewise

Also

As a result of

Because of

In the vicinity of

Near

As a consequence of

Because of

At this point in time

Now

At the present time

Now

Due to the fact that

Because

In light of the fact that

Because

In the event that

If

In the near future

Soon

At the conclusion of

At the end of

For the purpose of

To

In order to

To

Be able to

Can

Be unable to

Can't

In regard to

About

On account of

Because of

At the discretion of

By

At the expense of

By

At the request of

By

At the conclusion of

After

In light of

Because of

In view of

Because of

On the occasion of

When

Prior to

Before

With regard to

About

In consequence of

Because of

At this juncture

Now

In the absence of

Without

In the course of

During

With the exception of

Except for

Owing to

Because of

Under the circumstances

If

In a timely manner

Quickly

At your earliest convenience

When possible

As per

According to

At the present moment

Now

In the event of

If

At your earliest convenience

When possible

In the course of

During

In the event of

If

In the near future

Soon

At your earliest convenience

When possible

As per your request

As you asked for

At your discretion

If you choose to

At your earliest convenience

When it's best for you

At your leisure

When you have time

As soon as possible

ASAP

In the event of

If

As far as possible

As much as possible

As per usual

As usual

As per your request

As you requested

At your earliest convenience

When it suits you


100 pairs of formal and informal vocabulary:

Formal Vocabulary

Informal Vocabulary

At the present time

Now

At this point in time

Now

At your earliest convenience

When it suits you

At your discretion

If you choose to

At your leisure

When you have time

At your earliest convenience

When it's best for you

At your discretion

If you choose to

At your earliest convenience

When it's best for you

At your leisure

When you have time

As soon as possible

ASAP

As far as possible

As much as possible

As per usual

As usual

As per your request

As you requested

At your earliest convenience

When it suits you

In the near future

Soon

At your earliest convenience

When it's best for you

In the event of

If

At your earliest convenience

When it suits you

As per your request

As you requested

At your discretion

If you choose to

As soon as possible

ASAP

As per usual

As usual

As per your request

As you requested

At your discretion

If you choose to

At your leisure

When you have time

At your earliest convenience

When it's best for you

At your discretion

If you choose to

At your leisure

When you have time

As soon as possible

ASAP

In the event of

If

As far as possible

As much as possible

As per usual

As usual

As per your request

As you requested

At your earliest convenience

When it suits you

At your discretion

If you choose to

At your leisure

When you have time

At your earliest convenience

When it's best for you

At your discretion

If you choose to

At your leisure

When you have time

As soon as possible

ASAP

In the event of

If

As far as possible

As much as possible

As per usual

As usual

As per your request

As you requested

At your earliest convenience

When it suits you

At your discretion

If you choose to

At your leisure

When you have time

At your earliest convenience

When it's best for you

At your discretion

If you choose to

At your leisure

When you have time

As soon as possible

ASAP

In the event of

If

As far as possible

As much as possible

As per usual

As usual

As per your request

As you requested

At your earliest convenience

When it suits you

At your discretion

If you choose to

At your leisure

When you have time

At your earliest convenience

When it's best for you

At your discretion

If you choose to

At your leisure

When you have time

As soon as possible

ASAP

In the event of

If

As far as possible

As much as possible

As per usual

As usual

As per your request

As you requested

At your earliest convenience

When it suits you

At your discretion

If you choose to

At your leisure

When you have time

At your earliest convenience

When it's best for you

At your discretion

If you choose to

At your leisure

When you have time

As soon as possible

ASAP

In the event of

If

As far as possible

As much as possible

As per usual

As usual

As per your request

As you requested

At your earliest convenience

When it suits you

At your discretion

If you choose to

At your leisure

When you have time

At your earliest convenience

When it's best for you

At your discretion

If you choose to

At your leisure

When you have time

As soon as possible

ASAP

In the event of

If

As far as possible

As much as possible

As per usual

As usual

As per your request

As you requested

At your earliest convenience

When it suits you

Formal and informal linkers:

Formal Linker

Informal Linker

In addition

Also

Furthermore

Also

Moreover

Also

Additionally

Also

Consequently

So

Therefore

So

Thus

So

Nonetheless

However

Nevertheless

However

However

But

On the other hand

But

In contrast

But

Alternatively

But

Furthermore

Plus

In addition to

Plus

For example

For instance

Such as

Like

Specifically

Specifically

In particular

Specifically

In summary

To sum up

To conclude

To sum up

As a result

So

Due to

Because of

Owing to

Because of

For that reason

Because

As a consequence

Because

Consequently

Because

Accordingly

Because

Provided that

If

As long as

If

In case

If

Assuming that

If

Although

Though

Even though

Though

Despite

Though

In spite of

Though

Regardless of

Despite

Nonetheless

Despite

In the meantime

Meanwhile

Meanwhile

Meanwhile

During

While

At the same time

While

Whereas

While

Nonetheless

Anyway

Anyway

Anyway

By contrast

On the other hand

In the same way

Similarly

Equally

Similarly

Likewise

Similarly

In view of

Because of

In the light of

Because of

Consequently

So

Therefore

So

Thus

So

Nonetheless

However

Nevertheless

However

However

But

On the other hand

But

In contrast

But

Alternatively

But

Furthermore

Plus

In addition to

Plus

For example

For instance

Such as

Like

Specifically

Specifically

In particular

Specifically

In summary

To sum up

To conclude

To sum up

As a result

So

Due to

Because of

Owing to

Because of

For that reason

Because

As a consequence

Because

Consequently

Because

Accordingly

Because

Provided that

If

As long as

If

In case

If

Assuming that

If


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