Various topics to be delivered before or read by an audience require different styles to effectively communicate the message that the speaker would like to convey to his listeners or readers. The use of Formal and Informal English is one of the elements that a speaker or a writer have to learn and consider in preparing a speech or an article. One have to determine the difference between these two ways of using the English language, so as to be able to learn when and how to use them. This short paper is an attempt to elucidate Formal and Informal English by drawing their difference in situation when they are used, the grammar they employ, and their vocabulary.
Formal English is often used during serious situations such as necrological service, writing a formal letter, delivering a speech, etc., before a group of people whom one does not know well. It is often use in writing. However, it is not limited in writing. Formal English can be used also in speaking, as the situation will demand. Informal English is often used in a relaxed atmosphere before persons whom one knows well. It is ordinarily used in speaking. However, it is limited in speaking, as Informal English is also used in writing emails, casual notes etc., that do not demand any formalities.
On grammar, Formal English is complex and thorough. It uses longer sentences with full words. It does not contract words and does not use abbreviations. This particular style would always use relative pronoun corresponding to a relative clause, and would use auxiliary verbs. Sentences constructed through this style would often have a passive structure, in as much as the doer of the action seem to be renegade to the sidelines so as not to inject any personal tone regarding the topic of the sentence. Informal English sounds more conversational and has a personal tone, manifested through the active structure it assumes. It communicates the message directly to the reader or the listener. Thus, it is uses contracted words and abbreviations. It would often omit relative pronouns and auxiliary verbs.
The vocabulary that is used in Formal and Informal English also differs from one another. Formal English would often use words with Hebrew, Greek, Latin, French, and Anglo-Saxon origin. Informal English employs colloquial terms; those which are more familiar to the people.
Each of the manner of using the English language has their own advantages. The usage of either Formal or Informal English depends on various consideration such as the audience, topic and the desire tone that the speaker or writer would like to achieve. Both Formal and Informal English can prove to be helpful and effective means in communicating a message. However, to realize and achieve such effectively of the style in the usage of language, rest on the ability of the speaker or writer to determine when to use Formal and Informal English.
References:
Formal and informal language rom English Grammar Today, retrieved from http://dictionary. cambridge.org/grammar/british-grammar/formal-and-informal-language on October 3, 2014.
Formal and Informal English, retrieved from http://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/ks3/english/ writing/formal_informal/revision/4/ on October 5, 2014.
Rachel Clarkson, Main Differences between Formal and Informal English, retrieved from http://www.english-test.net/forum/ftopic55311.html on October 6, 2014.
Formal English is often used during serious situations such as necrological service, writing a formal letter, delivering a speech, etc., before a group of people whom one does not know well. It is often use in writing. However, it is not limited in writing. Formal English can be used also in speaking, as the situation will demand. Informal English is often used in a relaxed atmosphere before persons whom one knows well. It is ordinarily used in speaking. However, it is limited in speaking, as Informal English is also used in writing emails, casual notes etc., that do not demand any formalities.
On grammar, Formal English is complex and thorough. It uses longer sentences with full words. It does not contract words and does not use abbreviations. This particular style would always use relative pronoun corresponding to a relative clause, and would use auxiliary verbs. Sentences constructed through this style would often have a passive structure, in as much as the doer of the action seem to be renegade to the sidelines so as not to inject any personal tone regarding the topic of the sentence. Informal English sounds more conversational and has a personal tone, manifested through the active structure it assumes. It communicates the message directly to the reader or the listener. Thus, it is uses contracted words and abbreviations. It would often omit relative pronouns and auxiliary verbs.
The vocabulary that is used in Formal and Informal English also differs from one another. Formal English would often use words with Hebrew, Greek, Latin, French, and Anglo-Saxon origin. Informal English employs colloquial terms; those which are more familiar to the people.
Each of the manner of using the English language has their own advantages. The usage of either Formal or Informal English depends on various consideration such as the audience, topic and the desire tone that the speaker or writer would like to achieve. Both Formal and Informal English can prove to be helpful and effective means in communicating a message. However, to realize and achieve such effectively of the style in the usage of language, rest on the ability of the speaker or writer to determine when to use Formal and Informal English.
References:
Formal and informal language rom English Grammar Today, retrieved from http://dictionary. cambridge.org/grammar/british-grammar/formal-and-informal-language on October 3, 2014.
Formal and Informal English, retrieved from http://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/ks3/english/ writing/formal_informal/revision/4/ on October 5, 2014.
Rachel Clarkson, Main Differences between Formal and Informal English, retrieved from http://www.english-test.net/forum/ftopic55311.html on October 6, 2014.
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