1. Formal & Informal Language
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Formal & Informal Language
The language you use in a piece of writing will affect how your readers respond. Formal language is serious and dignified. Informal language is more like everyday speech.
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2. Formal & Informal Language
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Formal & Informal Language
The language you use in a piece of writing will affect how your readers respond. Formal language is serious and dignified. Informal language is more like everyday speech.
Which of these sentences would you expect to find in a persuasive essay addressed to the school administrator?
The parking setup at school is so stupid because kids get crazy trying to get into the few spaces we have.
Because the student parking lot at our school is too small, drivers create a dangerous situation when they jostle to get a space.
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3. Formal & Informal Language
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Formal & Informal Language
The language you use in a piece of writing will affect how your readers respond. Formal language is serious and dignified. Informal language is more like everyday speech.
Which of these sentences would you expect to find in a persuasive essay addressed to the school administrator?
The parking setup at school is so stupid because kids get crazy trying to get into the few spaces we have.
Because the student parking lot at our school is too small, drivers create a dangerous situation when they jostle to get a space. i i
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Formal & Informal Language
Understanding formal and informal language will help you become a more effective writer. Click on the type of language you want to explore.

5. Formal & Informal Language
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Formal & Informal Language
Understanding formal and informal language will help you become a more effective writer. Click on the type of language you want to explore.
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Formal Language
Informal Language

6. Formal Language MENU EXIT Formal & Informal Language
Use formal language for research papers, essays, school assignments, business letters, applications, and any situation where you have a serious purpose.
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7. Formal Language PREVIOUS MENU EXIT Formal & Informal Language
Use formal language for research papers, essays, school assignments, business letters, applications, and any situation where you have a serious purpose.
Formal language contains
Complex sentence structures
Sophisticated vocabulary
Standard punctuation
No contractions
No slang
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8. Click to see the complex sentence structures
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Formal & Informal Language
Formal Language
What elements of formal language do you see in this model?
complex sentence structures
sophisticated vocabulary
standard punctuation
Survivors is a movie for serious horror fans only. The special effects team, using plasticine and robotics, created some of the most frightening vampires on film. These vampires are so extraordinarily realistic that the images will linger in viewers’ imaginations. The fiery ending will shock even hardened horror aficionados.
Click to see the complex sentence structures

9. Click to see the sophisticated vocabulary
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Formal & Informal Language
Formal Language
What elements of formal language do you see in this model?
complex sentence structures
sophisticated vocabulary
standard punctuation
Survivors is a movie for serious horror fans only. The special effects team, using plasticine and robotics, created some of the most frightening vampires on film. These vampires are so extraordinarily realistic that the images will linger in viewers’ imaginations. The fiery ending will shock even hardened horror aficionados. i
Click to see the sophisticated vocabulary

10. Formal Language PREVIOUS MENU EXIT Formal & Informal Language
What elements of formal language do you see in this model?
complex sentence structures
sophisticated vocabulary
standard punctuation
Survivors is a movie for serious horror fans only. The special effects team, using plasticine and robotics, created some of the most frightening vampires on film. These vampires are so extraordinarily realistic that the images will linger in viewers’ imaginations. The fiery ending will shock even hardened horror aficionados.
Click to see the standard punctuation

11. Formal Language PREVIOUS MENU EXIT Formal & Informal Language
What elements of formal language do you see in this model?
complex sentence structures
sophisticated vocabulary
standard punctuation
Survivors is a movie for serious horror fans only. The special effects team, using plasticine and robotics, created some of the most frightening vampires on film. These vampires are so extraordinarily realistic that the images will linger in viewers’ imaginations. The fiery ending will shock even hardened horror aficionados.
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12. Formal Language PREVIOUS MENU EXIT Formal & Informal Language
Identifying whom you are writing for and your purpose for writing will help you decide whether or not you need to use formal language.
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13. Formal Language PREVIOUS MENU EXIT Formal & Informal Language
Identifying whom you are writing for and your purpose for writing will help you decide whether or not you need to use formal language.
If your purpose is to persuade, and you are writing to the local newspaper, how would you revise this sentence?
Kids at Springfield High get creeped out over the rats and other stuff in the woods around the school.
Click to see a revision

14. Formal Language PREVIOUS MENU EXIT Formal & Informal Language
Identifying whom you are writing for and your purpose for writing will help you decide whether or not you need to use formal language.
The slang expressions, Kids and creeped out, should not be used when addressing the local newspaper audience.
Kids at Springfield High get creeped out over the rats and other stuff in the woods around the school.
ORIGINAL
Students at Springfield High are concerned about the numbers of rodents in the woods near our school.
REVISED
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15. Informal Language PREVIOUS MENU EXIT Formal & Informal Language
Use informal language for communications with friends, for humorous essays, for dialogue, and for other situations when your purpose is casual.
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16. Informal Language PREVIOUS MENU EXIT Formal & Informal Language
Use informal language for communications with friends, for humorous essays, for dialogue, and for other situations when your purpose is casual.
Informal language contains
Everyday words and expressions
Contractions
Fragments and simple sentences
Slang
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17. Informal Language PREVIOUS MENU EXIT Formal & Informal Language
What elements of informal language do you see in this model?
everyday words and expressions
contractions
fragments and simple sentences
slang
You gotta see Survivors—a major fright flick. Awesome special effects!! The vampires are straight out of your worst nightmare, and you won’t believe the ending! The vampires melt into pools of slime. So cool!
Click to see the everyday words and expressions

18. Informal Language PREVIOUS MENU EXIT Formal & Informal Language
What elements of informal language do you see in this model?
everyday words and expressions
contractions
fragments and simple sentences
slang
You gotta see Survivors—a major fright flick. Awesome special effects!! The vampires are straight out of your worst nightmare, and you won’t believe the ending! The vampires melt into pools of slime. So cool!
Click to see the contractions

19. Informal Language PREVIOUS MENU EXIT Formal & Informal Language
What elements of informal language do you see in this model?
everyday words and expressions
contractions
fragments and simple sentences
slang
You gotta see Survivors—a major fright flick. Awesome special effects!! The vampires are straight out of your worst nightmare, and you won’t believe the ending! The vampires melt into pools of slime. So cool!
Click to see the fragments and simple sentences

20. Informal Language PREVIOUS MENU EXIT Formal & Informal Language
What elements of informal language do you see in this model?
everyday words and expressions
contractions
fragments and simple sentences
slang
You gotta see Survivors—a major fright flick. Awesome special effects!! The vampires are straight out of your worst nightmare, and you won’t believe the ending! The vampires melt into pools of slime. So cool!
Click to see the slang

21. Informal Language PREVIOUS MENU EXIT Formal & Informal Language
What elements of informal language do you see in this model?
everyday words and expressions
contractions
fragments and simple sentences
slang
You gotta see Survivors—a major fright flick. Awesome special effects!! The vampires are straight out of your worst nightmare, and you won’t believe the ending! The vampires melt into pools of slime. So cool!
Next

22. Informal Language PREVIOUS MENU EXIT Formal & Informal Language
Identifying whom you are writing for and your purpose for writing will help you choose whether or not to use informal language.
Continue…

23. Informal Language PREVIOUS MENU EXIT Formal & Informal Language
Identifying whom you are writing for and your purpose for writing will help you choose whether or not to use informal language.
If your purpose is humorous, and you are writing to a friend, how would you revise the following?
You won’t believe what happened! I was running for the train when I slipped and fell. I nearly expired from embarrassment.
Click to see a revision

24. Informal Language PREVIOUS MENU EXIT Formal & Informal Language
Identifying whom you are writing for and your purpose for writing will help you choose whether or not to use informal language.
The word “expired” is too formal.
You won’t believe what happened! I was running for the train when I slipped and fell. I nearly expired from embarrassment.

25. Informal Language PREVIOUS MENU EXIT Formal & Informal Language
Identifying whom you are writing for and your purpose for writing will help you choose whether or not to use informal language.
The word “expired” is too formal.
You won’t believe what happened! I was running for the train when I slipped and fell. I nearly expired from embarrassment.

26. Informal Language PREVIOUS MENU EXIT Formal & Informal Language
Identifying whom you are writing for and your purpose for writing will help you choose whether or not to use informal language.
The word “expired” is too formal.
You won’t believe what happened! I was running for the train when I slipped and fell. I nearly expired from embarrassment.
You won’t believe what happened! I was running for the train when I slipped and fell. I nearly expired from embarrassment.

27. Informal Language PREVIOUS MENU EXIT Formal & Informal Language
Identifying whom you are writing for and your purpose for writing will help you choose whether or not to use informal language.
The word “expired” is too formal.
You won’t believe what happened! I was running for the train when I slipped and fell. I nearly expired from embarrassment.

28. Informal Language PREVIOUS MENU EXIT Formal & Informal Language
Identifying whom you are writing for and your purpose for writing will help you choose whether or not to use informal language.
The word “expired” is too formal.
You won’t believe what happened! I was running for the train when I slipped and fell. I nearly expired from embarrassment.
died

29. Informal Language PREVIOUS MENU EXIT Formal & Informal Language
Identifying whom you are writing for and your purpose for writing will help you choose whether or not to use informal language.
The word “expired” is too formal.
You won’t believe what happened! I was running for the train when I slipped and fell. I nearly died from embarrassment.

30. Informal Language PREVIOUS MENU EXIT Formal & Informal Language
Identifying whom you are writing for and your purpose for writing will help you choose whether or not to use informal language.
The word “expired” is too formal.
You won’t believe what happened! I was running for the train when I slipped and fell. I nearly died from embarrassment.
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