the difference between formal and informal writing

When it comes to writing in English, there are two main styles of writing – formal and informal. Consider these two examples: 
Example 1: This is to inform you that your book has been rejected by our publishing company as it was not up to the required standard. In case you would like us to reconsider it, we would suggest that you go over it and make some necessary changes.Example 2: You know that book I wrote? Well, the publishing company rejected it. They thought it was awful. But hey, I did the best I could, and I think it was great. I’m not gonna redo it the way they said I should.

The difference between the two is obvious. The first one is formal, and the second is informal. But what is it that makes them formal and informal?

It is the style of writing, or the way we use words to say what we want to say. Different situations call for different ways of putting words together. The way we write in academic and scientific settings differs greatly from the way we write to a friend or close one. The tone, vocabulary, and syntax, all change as the occasion changes. This difference in the styles of writing is the difference between formality and informality, or the difference between formal and informal writing. 

Here's a list of some of the main differences between informal and formal writing:

 Informal: May use colloquial words/expressions (kids, guy, awesome, a lot, etc.). 
Formal: Avoid using colloquial words/expressions (substitute with children, man/boy, wonderful, many, etc.)
 Informal: May use contractions (can’t, won’t, shouldn’t, etc.). 
Formal: Avoid contractions (write out full words – cannot, will not, should not, etc.). 
Informal: May use first, second, or third person.

 Formal: Write in third person (except in business letters where first person may be used). 
Informal: May use clichés (loads of, conspicuous by absence, etc.) Formal: Avoid clichés (use many, was absent, etc.) 
Informal: May address readers using second person pronouns (you, your, etc)
 Formal: Avoid addressing readers using second person pronouns (use one, one’s, the reader, the reader’s, etc.)
 Informal: May use abbreviated words (photo, TV, etc) 
Formal: Avoid using abbreviated words (use full versions – like photograph, television, etc.) 
Informal: May use imperative voice (e.g. Remember….) 
Formal: Avoid imperative voice (use Please refer to.….)
 Informal: May use active voice (e.g. We have noticed that…..) 
Formal: Use passive voice (e.g. It has been noticed that….) 
Informal: May use short and simple sentences.
 Formal: Longer and more complex sentences are preferred (short simple sentences reflects poorly on the writer) 
Informal: Difficulty of subject may be acknowledged and empathy shown to the reader.
 Formal: State your points confidently and offer your argument firm support.


These are just some of the differences between formal and informal writing. The main thing to remember is that both are correct, it is just a matter of tone and setting. Formal English is used mainly in academic writing and business communications, whereas Informal English is casual and is appropriate when communicating with friends and other close ones. Choose the style of writing keeping in mind what you are writing and to whom. But whichever style you write in – formal or informal – be sure to keep it consistent, do not mix the two.

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Formal and Informal Style Tips and Examples

• Formal writing favors longer, more detailed sentences to thoroughly convey a thought.
   
The honey badger is a species native to Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Indian Subcontinent; however, it is most dissimilar from other badger species due to its resemblance to the weasel.

• Informal writing favors short, simple sentences.
   
The honey badger can be found in Africa. It looks like a weasel-bear hybrid.

• Formal writing tends to be direct by using jargon to be definitive.
   
The dorsal side and head of the Emperor Penguin is black and sharply delineated from the white belly, pale-yellow breast, and bright-yellow ear patches.

• Informal tends to be more conversational, as well as uses contractions, abbreviations, figures of speech, slang, and other colloquialisms.
   
The Emperor Penguin has been hot in the news and even the box office. If you’re not sure what this lordly penguin looks like, it has a black head, bright-yellow spots around the ears, and a big ol’ white belly.

• Formal writing uses conservative punctuation (e.g., periods, commas, etc.).
   
The tiger (the largest of the cat species) is the third largest land carnivore.

• Informal writing is generous with abrupt and dramatic punctuation (e.g., exclamation marks, the ellipses, the dash, etc.).
   
The tiger – the biggest cat of them all – is third in line to be the largest meat-eating animal in the world!

• Formal writing uses an impersonal tone and discusses topics with more gravity.
   
As scavengers, lobsters are omnivores; however, lobsters have been known to resort to cannibalism in captivity.

• Informal writing uses an emotional tone, first or second person point-of-view, and often discusses topics with humor.
   
Would you consider cannibalism if you and others of your kind were held prisoner for days or weeks without food? The poor lobster – who usually feeds on fish, worms, and other plant life – often does.

informal writing figuratively loosens the author’s constricting tie to offer readers familiarity and character. Formal writing, on the other hand, is used to deliver information succinctly and factually.

When determining which style is appropriate, consider how you approach your audience in a face-to-face conversation. For instance, how do you speak with your peers vs. your clients? How do you speak with your boss vs. your spouse? Based on the audience, match up the tone you use verbally with the tone you use in your writing.
In addition to your audience, consider your brand. What style do you want to be the voice of your articles? Do you want to be memorable with a loose, informal approach? Or do you want to create a solid foundation of credibility based on objectivity in a formal approach? What style best represents your brand?

 

 

TIP: Formal and informal writing styles are not to be confused with passive language. Always use active language!
Article writing is dynamic – meaning two authors of the same niche, writing about the same topics may find success by writing in either style (formal or informal). Discover which style suits your audience and your brand by testing a few of these informal or formal writing styles in your articles. Often the best approach is a balance: formal to maintain authority and informal to maintain interest. So why not give it a try?