Vocabulary

Core Differences between Formal and Informal Writing

Informal writing is quite common in speaking whereas formal writing is common in writing.
Formal writing is objective whereas informal writing is subjective
Formal writing is for impersonal use whereas informal writing is personal use.
Informal writing encourages the use of slangs while formal writing does not encourage at all.
The voice of formal writing is passive while that of informal writing is active
The personal pronoun of formal writing is the third person whereas informal writing is the first and second person.
The language used in formal writing is formulaic whereas in informal writing is direct.
The tone used in formal writing is official and professional whereas in informal writing is personal and friendly.
Informal writing encourages used of interjections while formal writing does not encourage interjections.
The sentences used in formal writing are long and complex whereas in informal writing are short and simple.
Formal writing is often more common in writing whereas; informal writing is more common in speaking than the writing.
Formal writing is objective on the other hand; informal writing is subjective.
Formal writing is for impersonal use. Conversely, informal writing is for personal use only.
Formal writing uses vocabulary which is specific to the discipline, on the flip side, informal writing uses unspecific vocabulary about the subject.
Formal writing avoids slang language, colloquialisms (common language in spoken English), but the informal writing is full of these two characteristics. Informal: May use colloquial words/expressions (kids, guy, awesome, a lot, etc.).

Formal vs. Informal Words/Phrases

Informal -----------------------Formal

A bit ----------------A little

A lot of ----------------Numerous

Afraid ----------------Fearful

Again & again ----------------Repeatedly

Also ----------------In addition, additionally

Anyway ----------------Nevertheless

Ask ----------------Enquire

Ask for ----------------Request

Ask out ----------------Invite

At first ----------------Initially

At once ----------------Immediately

Avoid ----------------Evade

Away ----------------Absent

Bad ----------------Negative

Beat up ----------------Assault

Better ----------------Improved

Big/Large ----------------Enormous

Block ----------------Undermine

Blow up ----------------Explode

Book ----------------Reserve

Boss ----------------Employer

Brave ----------------Courageous

Break down ----------------Fail/Collapse

Break off ----------------Suspend/adjourn

Break out ----------------Erupt

Bright/smart ----------------Intelligent

Bring in ----------------Introduce

Build ----------------Construct

But ----------------However

Buy ----------------Purchase

By ----------------By means of

Call off ----------------Cancel

Call on ----------------Visit

Can ----------------Is capable of

Catch up ----------------Understand

Chance ----------------Opportunity

Cheap ----------------Inexpensive

Check ----------------Verify

Childish ----------------Immature

Childish ----------------Infantile

Choose ----------------Select

Clear ----------------Transparent

Climb ----------------Ascend

Clothes ----------------Garment

Come after ----------------Follow

Come in ----------------Enter

Come up to ----------------Reach/attain

Complex ----------------Convoluted

Dad ----------------Father

Danger ----------------Peril

Dare ----------------Challenge

Deal with ----------------Handle

Deal with ----------------Manage

Death ----------------Demise

Describe ----------------Depict

Dim ----------------Indistinct

Dirty/ polluted ----------------Contaminated

Drop out of ----------------Withdraw (from)

Eager ----------------Avid

Ease ----------------Facilitate

Empty ----------------Vacant

End ----------------Terminate

End ----------------Terminate/ Finish

Enjoyment ----------------Gratification

Enough ----------------Sufficient

Expect ----------------Anticipate

Explain ----------------Disclose

Fall out ----------------Quarrel

Fight ----------------Combat

Find out ----------------Learn/Discover

Fork out ----------------Pay (money)

Free ----------------Liberate

Free ----------------Release

Friendly ----------------Amiable

Funny ----------------Humorous, amusing

Get ----------------Obtain

Get ----------------Receive

Get away ----------------Elude

Get by ----------------Survive

Get out ----------------Escape

Give ----------------Donate

Give ----------------Provide

Give out ----------------Distribute

Give up ----------------Quit

Go ----------------Depart

Go after ----------------Pursue

Go against ----------------Oppose

Go ahead ----------------Proceed

Go away ----------------Leave/ depart

Go before ----------------Precede

Go down ----------------Decrease

Go on ----------------Continue

Go out of ----------------Exit

Go through ----------------Examine

Go up ----------------Increase

Good ----------------Positive

Good for ----------------Beneficial

Good looking ----------------Attractive

Happy ----------------Pleased

Help ----------------Aid/ Assist

Help ----------------Assist

Informal -----------------------Formal

Here ----------------Present

Hit out at ----------------Criticise

Hopeless ----------------Futile

Hungry ----------------Famished

Hurry ----------------Haste, hasten

Hurt ----------------Damage, harm

Idea ----------------Notion

Imagine ----------------Envisage

In charge of ----------------Responsible

In the end ----------------Finally

Iron out ----------------Solve/overcome (a problem/difficulty)

Job ----------------Occupation

Keep ----------------Preserve

Kidding ----------------Jesting

Kids ----------------Children

Lack ----------------Deficiency

Laid back ----------------Relaxed

Lead to ----------------Cause

Leave out ----------------Omit

Let ----------------Allow

Let ----------------Permit

Link up ----------------Connect

Live ----------------Reside

Lively ----------------Energetic

Look at ----------------Regard

Look for ----------------Seek

Look into ----------------Investigate

Look like ----------------Resemble

Look up to ----------------Respect

Lucky ----------------Fortunate

Mad ----------------Insane

Mainly ----------------Principally

Make out ----------------Discern

Make up ----------------Fabricate

Make up ----------------Invent

Marvelous ----------------Exceptional

Maybe ----------------Perhaps

Mend ----------------Repair

Naked ----------------Nude

Need ----------------Request

Need ----------------Require

Next/later ----------------Subsequently

Okay, ok ----------------Acceptable

Old ----------------Elderly

Older ----------------Senior

Over ----------------At an end

Pay back ----------------Repay

Pick up ----------------Collect

Pin down ----------------Determine

Point out ----------------Indicate

Put in ----------------Insert

Put off ----------------Postpone

Put up with ----------------Tolerate

Put/ set down ----------------Deposit

Rack up ----------------Accumulate

Really big ----------------Considerable

Refer to ----------------Consult

Remove ----------------Eliminate

Rich ----------------Wealthy

Right ----------------Correct

Round ----------------Circular

Say ----------------Express

Say no ----------------Reject

Say sorry ----------------Apologise

See ----------------Observe

See ----------------Perceive

Seem ----------------Appear

Set out ----------------Display

Settle for ----------------Choose

Show ----------------Demonstrate

Sick ----------------Ill

Sight ----------------Vision

Small ----------------Diminutive

So ----------------Therefore

Speed up ----------------Accelerate

Start/ Begin ----------------Commence

Stop ----------------Cease

Stubborn ----------------Obstinate

Sweat ----------------Perspiration

Take out ----------------Remove

Talk about ----------------Discuss/consider

Talk into ----------------Persuade

Tell ----------------Inform

Test ----------------Experiment

Thanks ----------------Gratitude

Think about ----------------Consider

Think of ----------------Conceive

Throw away ----------------Discard

Throw out ----------------Eject

Tired ----------------Exhausted/ Fatigued

Tough ----------------Difficult

Try ----------------Endeavour

Try out ----------------Test

Use ----------------Utilize

Use/Eat ----------------Consume

Wait for ----------------Await

Want/ hope ----------------Desire

Whole ----------------Entire/Complete

Wood ----------------Timber

Worse ----------------Inferior

Wrong ----------------Incorrect

Young ----------------Youthful

BABAR ENGLISH

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