1. FORMAL AND INFORMAL WRITING Modified from: Ms. Jessica Steinbauer Academic Reading and Writing

2. Writing Styles Why do we have different types of writing? What are the differences? How would you write to your: Best friend? Grandma? Professor Zee?

3. Is the following paragraph formal or informal? How do you know? My hometown is Brisbane, in south Queensland. It’s built along a river. I sometimes take a ‘river bus’, actually called a City Cat, to get to work or the shops. I really like living in Brisbane because it’s really pretty. There are lots of parks in the city centre, where you can see lots of plants, trees and animals that you can only find in Australia. The biggest one is called the Roma Street Parklands. We like to go there and have BBQs during summer. There is also a man-made beach in the city centre, at a place called Southbank. So, if we go shopping in the city and get hot, we just go to Southbank for a swim. On the weekends my friends and I like to go to the beach. There are 2 really great beaches about an hour from Brisbane City, where we go swimming, surfing and jet skiing.

4. Informal Writing Write an informal paragraph about your hometown (6-8 sentences). Remember, to write informally is how you would write to your family or friends. You have 10 minutes!

5. General & “Academic” Writing: What are the differences between General and Academic Writing?  In General English you will learn how to communicate in everyday English:  You can give your thoughts and opinions;  The writing style is very informal.  Academic English is used by students, scholars, professors, and scientists;  You must support your writing with facts;  The writing style is formal.

6. Formal and Informal Writing  Work in pairs of 2 people. Each group will get 13 sentences. DO NOT WRITE ON THE SENTENCES!  You must sort these sentences into 2 groups: formal and informal.  How do you know if the sentence is formal or informal? You have 10 minutes!

7. 1.Tomorrow we’ll check out the shopping. 2.It is one of a network of cities that make up the Pearl River Delta (PRD,) one of the world’s most prominent centres of commerce, manufacturing and shopping. 3.Well, here I am in Zhuhai. 4.Being adjacent to Macau made Zhuhai an ideal hub for shipping goods into and out of China. 5.I think I’m going to like living here. 6.Zhuhai was granted SEZ status in 1980, one of the first cities in China to be opened to significant international trade. 7.I got here yesterday, by ferry from Hong Kong. 8.The city has seen a flood of investment since that time as manufacturing enterprises have moved in to take advantage of the reduced tariffs and minimal costs of moving products to port. 9.Emma and I made some new friends in Bar Street last night. 10.Zhuhai is a beautiful city on the central coast of Guangdong province in southern China. 11.Zhuhai is pretty cool. 12.It remains one of the fastest growing cities in China. 13.While its economy and culture have greatly benefited from its close proximity to the international cosmopolitan centres of Hong Kong and Macau (with which it shares a border) Zhuhai stands apart in the PRD as a key logistical hub with its own charm and refreshingly relaxed atmosphere. Formal or Informal? Why?

8. Informal VS. Formal Writing: What are the differences between Informal and Formal Writing?  The English Language uses different degrees of formality depending on whether you are speaking or writing and who your audience is;  For example, when chatting with friends we use very informal language full of contractions and many regional dialects grammar rules are broken.  However, if we are giving a speech or having a job interview, we will speak more formally.

9. Let’s watch a video about the differences between formal and informal writing styles… While you watch, fill in some of the differences in your book on page 6.

10. Audience  Formal:  Specialists  Professionals  Elderly people  As respect  To impress others  To sound educated  Informal:  Friends  Family  People you already know well  No need to impress

11. Sentence Length  Formal:  Long and complex/compound sentences  Concise = to the point  Informal:  Short  Carry-on sentences that allow for creativity

12. Vocabulary  Formal:  Academic vocabulary  Specific jargon is used  Informal:  Everyday vocabulary  Vocabulary that is non- specific  Slang

13. Short forms  Formal:  Never use contractions or abbreviations  Can use acronyms but they must be identified  Informal:  Can use short form

14. Verb Forms  Formal:  Passive verb forms sometimes used  Reporting verbs are present tense  Informal:  Any verb form  Passives are rarely used in everyday speech

15. Personal Pronouns  Formal:  NEVER USED!  Informal:  Used a lot

16. Personal Opinion  Formal:  Avoided  Informal:  Used a lot

17. Facts:  Formal:  Evidence based  Informal:  Not necessary

18. Does your table look like this?

19. Check Your Understanding Which of the following are characteristics of formal writing? Check all that apply: a. Use third person b. Write in a formal or professional tone c. Use a variety of short, simple sentences combined with long and complex sentences d. Base your content and ideas on researched facts supported with solid evidence Answer: All of these are characteristics of formal writing.

20. Clichés denigrate your writing:  “As we all know…”  “More and more…”  “…and so on.”  “Nowadays…”  “In a word…”  “every coin has two sides…”  NEVER USE THESE!!  These are too informal and meaningless;  They are NOT ACCEPTABLE in academic writing!!

21. Recognising Academic Writing

22. Formal or Informal

23. Formal or Informal 2

24. Formal or Informal 2 cont.  1 is informal  2 is formal

25. Topic Sentence

26. Let’s Review...  What is the difference between formal and informal writing? List at least 3 characteristics.  What kind of words are never used in formal writing?  Why shouldn’t we use clichés?

27. Formal Paragraph  Write another paragraph about yourself (6-8 sentences), but this time it should be written formally.  Remember to follow the rules of formal writing we discussed in class!  You should write your name, class name, and student ID on the top right corner.  Turn in both paragraphs to your instructor.

28. Is the following paragraph formal or informal? How do you know? My hometown is Brisbane, in south Queensland. It’s built along a river. I sometimes take a ‘river bus’, actually called a City Cat, to get to work or the shops. I really like living in Brisbane because it’s really pretty. There are lots of parks in the city centre, where you can see lots of plants, trees and animals that you can only find in Australia. The biggest one is called the Roma Street Parklands. We like to go there and have BBQs during summer. There is also a man-made beach in the city centre, at a place called Southbank. So, if we go shopping in the city and get hot, we just go to Southbank for a swim. On the weekends my friends and I like to go to the beach. There are 2 really great beaches about an hour from Brisbane City, where we go swimming, surfing and jet skiing.

29. Example: The beautiful city of Brisbane is located in the southern part of Queensland. Brisbane is built along a river, and it is possible to get around using City Cats, boats that take passengers up and down the river. Visitors to Brisbane should try and experience its parklands, especially the Roma Street Parklands, which is home to many endemic plants and animals; many local residents go there during summer for barbeques. Another interesting area in Brisbane is Southbank. It is home to an artificial beach, a great place to cool down after a long day shopping or working. Brisbane is also a great starting off point for people who want to visit the beach. Just one hour from the city centre are two wonderful beaches, where people like to swim, surf and jet ski.

30. Good and Bad Writing Habits of Formal Writing Good Habits:  Start your assignment early.  Write an outline for your assignment.  Write more than one draft and revise your writing.  Make your writing clear and concise.  Read more. Bad Habits:  Do not use personal pronouns or your own opinions without supporting them with evidence.  Do not use contractions or informal language.  Do not use clichés.