BABAR ENGLISH
Core Differences between Formal and Informal Writing
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Informal writing is quite common in speaking whereas formal writing is common in writing.
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Formal writing is objective whereas informal writing is subjective
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Formal writing is for impersonal use whereas informal writing is personal use.
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Informal writing encourages the use of slangs while formal writing does not encourage at all.
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The voice of formal writing is passive while that of informal writing is active
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The personal pronoun of formal writing is the third person whereas informal writing is the first and second person.
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The language used in formal writing is formulaic whereas in informal writing is direct.
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The tone used in formal writing is official and professional whereas in informal writing is personal and friendly.
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Informal writing encourages used of interjections while formal writing does not encourage interjections.
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The sentences used in formal writing are long and complex whereas in informal writing are short and simple.
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Formal writing is often more common in writing whereas; informal writing is more common in speaking than the writing.
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Formal writing is objective on the other hand; informal writing is subjective.
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Formal writing is for impersonal use. Conversely, informal writing is for personal use only.
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Formal writing uses vocabulary which is specific to the discipline, on the flip side, informal writing uses unspecific vocabulary about the subject.
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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.).
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Formal vs. Informal Words/Phrases
Informal -----------------------Formal
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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
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
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