1. Formal and informal language
Unit 1
Study skills
Formal and informal language

2. Dialogue
Make up a dialogue about your prediction of next month. You can add your own ideas.
A: You look unhappy today.
What’s wrong with you?
B: My bike has been stolen.
A: Never mind. The Chinese horoscope says that around middle of the month things will be better.
B: Really? …

3. slang words or expressions
informal language
informal greetings
informal endings
slang words or expressions
jokes or try to be funny
abbreviations
contractions

4. What? Slang words ( 俚语） are very informal phrases commonly
used in speech, Especially between
people from the same particular （独特
的）social group, for example, teenagers,
criminals and soldiers, or between people
who work together. They are not considered
suitable for formal contexts （文章）.

5. Abbreviations ( 缩写词） Contractions ( 缩约形式）
Abbreviations use only the first letters of a name or phrase, or leave out letters to shorten a word, e.g. UK, Dr.
Contractions ( 缩约形式）
Contractions are short forms of words when apostrophe (省略符号) replace letters, e.g. we’ll, she’s, can’t.

6. How to express formally?
We should use formal greetings.
We should use formal endings.
We should not use slang words or expressions.
We should not use jokes or try to be funny.
We should not use abbreviations.
We should not use contractions.

7. Who? informal language unfamiliar people teachers boss friends parents

8. Can you help them?
Greetings? Endings? Slang? Jokes ? Abbreviations ? Contractions ?
have a big mouth Mon Hello!
Lots of love BC Good morning.
all wet we’ll Dec
he’d Yours truly How are you?
catch some Zs can’t Cheers
Simon has much more hare than his uncle.

9. Greetings: Endings: Slang: Jokes: Abbreviations: Contractions:
Hello! Good morning. How are you?
Lots of love Yours truly Cheers
have a big mouth all wet
catch some Zs
Simon has much more hair than his uncle.
Mon BC Dec
we’ll he’d can’t

10. I’d like to recommend David as the new
You shouldn’t use
informal greetings.
Hi Mr. Wu
I’d like to recommend David as the new
chairperson of the Students’ Union.
He’s a Gemini. This means he is
probably lively and clever. He is also
very outgoing. I think he is really cool.
You shouldn’t use
contractions.
You shouldn’t use
contractions.
You shouldn’t use slang
words or expressions.

11. You shouldn’t use abbreviations.
My uncle is a Gemini too. He is a Dr and
he is very smart. I think David should be
the new chairperson because he’s just as
smart as my uncle. The only thing is that
David has much more hair than my uncle.
I think David would be a great
chairperson.
Cheers
Kitty
You shouldn’t use
contractions.
You shouldn’t use jokes
or try to be funny.
More mistakes
There is no date.
There should be a printed name under the signature at the bottom.
You shouldn’t use informal endings.

12. Another letter to a teacher
Hi Mr. Zhou
I hope that you are having a happy New Year. My mother has left for a business trip today and it’s raining cats and dogs. I’m now preparing for my new school year. It starts tomorrow, on 10th Feb. I have learnt that I will be in Class A. I will learn nine subjects including Physics, Chemistry, biology, and Geography.

13. I haven’t got my textbooks yet
I haven’t got my textbooks yet. When I get them, I want to take a quick look at them, and I hope you would not mind answering my questions if I have any. You must be busy like a bee this term. I hope you will be successful and healthy in the coming year and stay cool forever.
Come on
Vivian

14. Homework
Try to find out more formal and informal languages in your homework.