The Difference Between Informal and Formal Language

April 13, 2019

Formal and informal language serve different purposes. The tone and choice of words vary between the 2 styles.

Formal language is less personal than informal language. Formal language is more thought out. Formal language is used for writing academic and professional documents. Formal language doesn’t use colloquialisms, contradictions or first pronouns, such as “I” or “we”.

Informal language is more casual and spontaneous. It’s used when communicating with friends and family, either in writing or conversation. It’s used when texting, writing personal emails and in some business correspondence. The tone of informal language is more personal than formal language.

The use of informal language can be used to display how characters in a text speak; it helps build and portray the character’s identity and personality. Informal language can also be used to quote things.

The style or tone chosen should fit the topic and the intended audience. You should use an informal tone when your intent is to be laid back, but you wouldn’t want to use an informal tone when writing a formal document.

Often, someone’s writing will have a mixture of formal and informal elements. Most writers who are writing for a general audience use a balance between a tone of formality and informality to keep their audience engaged and connect with them.