Cool. Sweet. Excellent.

Informal slang—talking with friends, texting “Cool” “Sweet”

Formal language—most academic writing “Excellent”

Formal language—most academic writing You wouldn’t write in a college essay that Part-Time Indian was “an awesome book.”

How do we tell when it’s appropriate to use what language?

AUDIENCEPURPOSE It depends on your AUDIENCE and PURPOSE.

FORMAL Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. —Abraham Lincoln, Gettysburg Address

INFORMAL Our family, like most, had its ups and downs. —Judy Davis, “Ours Was a Dad”

INFORMAL Our family, like most, had its ups and downs. —Judy Davis, “Ours Was a Dad”

Colloquial language (What’s up? No clue) Slang (A-list, Sup?) Not appropriate for formal speech or most academic and professional writing.

ALSO AVOID: Pretentious language Jargon Clichés

PRETENTIOUS LANGUAGE Subsequent to adopting the new system, managers averred that their staff worked synergistically in a way that exceeded parameters.

JARGON HDMI is the easiest and most convenient way to go about high-def. why? Because you get [video] and sound in a single, USB-like cable, instead of a nest of component cables or the soundless garden hose of DVI.

CLICHÉS White as snow The grass is always greener Thinking outside the box Slept like logs Nita is a team player