Informal vs formal language

Instead of using basic adjectives that you might use when you are speaking with someone you are very comfortable withlike a friendinstead use words that are academic and enhance the formal tone of your paper. The following slides are a few examples of Informal writing transformed into Formal writing. In the ‘Informal’ Slides, you will see words highlighted in red to show exactly what you need to avoid. –On the “Formal” slides, you will find these same problem areas shaded green to show how you could change these areas. Also, in the ‘Informal’ slides you will see wordsphrases underlined. These are wordsphrases that need to be enhanced with better adjectives that sound more formal—You will find these same wordsphrases italicized in the ‘Formal’ slides to show the difference in how the example can sound.

 Casual Speaking

 1 st /2 nd Person

Pronouns:

◦ I, me, my, you, your, our,

we

 Words that are a combination of

two words.

 Examples:

 can't, doesn't, that's, they're, it’s , etc.

 ALL contractions need to be

separated

 Examples:

 Cannot, does not, that is, they are,

it is, etc.

 Write in the 3rd Person

 Avoid using words like “You” or “Your” or “I”

 Instead, use the following words as substitutes

 Examples:

 "An individual "

 or "A person "

 or "People,"

 and "One."

 Instead of using basic adjectives that you might use when you are speaking with someone you are very comfortable with like a

friend instead use words that are academic and enhance the

formal tone of your paper.

**The following slides are a few examples of

Informal writing transformed into Formal

writing.

-In the ‘Informal’ Slides, you will see words highlighted

in red to show exactly what you need to avoid –On the

“Formal” slides, you will find these same problem areas shaded green to show how you could change these

areas

-Also, in the ‘Informal’ slides you will see words/phrases underlined These are words/phrases that need to be enhanced with better adjectives that sound more formal

—You will find these same words/phrases italicized in the ‘Formal’ slides to show the difference in how the

example can sound

Informal:

 I think that it's really bad that students

have to do so much

homework all the

time.

Formal: 

 Many people,

specifically students,

feel that it is unfair that they receive a surplus

of homework each day.

Informal:

 When you look at bacteria through a microscope, it might seem like

nothing, but its effects are really bad

if you're exposed to it directly.

 If an individual observes bacteria

through a microscope, one might find that it appears harmless.  However,

individuals exposed to bacteria have

a higher likelihood of contracting the harmful effects, such as an illness.

Informal:

 When you're thinking about how to solve a geometry problem, that's your cerebrum in action.  It doesn't

help you remember things, it also contains your

memory, both long-term and short-term.

For instance, when a person attempts to

solve a challenging question, the cerebrum

is processing, and retrieving, the

information necessary to solve the

question.  The cerebrum does not only

store prior knowledge or information, it

also contains a person's memory, both

long and short-term.