You wouldn’t use street slang in a financial report, nor would you use work jargon while you’re out with friends. That’s what formal vs. informal writing is all about: adapting your language for different situations. Below, we talk about adapting writing styles to fit the setting and audience for more effective email communication and stronger writing for any occasion.
Formal vs. informal writing: What is the difference?
Formal and informal writing are two different types of tone for either serious or casual language. Generally, formal writing is used for serious topics and readers that you don’t know very well, which is why it’s common in business and journalism. By contrast, informal writing is more relaxed and used for writing with friends or light-hearted conversations with anyone you’re familiar with.
Similar to tone as a whole, formal and informal writing are determined by the language you use. Things like:
Word choice
- Formal: Please eliminate that slide from the presentation.
- Informal: Let’s lose slide #23.
Punctuation
- Formal: I appreciate your help.
- Informal: I appreciate your help!
Sentence structure
- Formal: Have you completed the monthly report?
- Informal: Monthly report ready?
Use of slang or emoji
- Formal: I’m running late for our meeting. I’ll be there soon.
- Informal: Sorry I’m late to the meeting. OMW (on my way)
Although context is important in deciding whether to use formal or informal writing, the message itself can be written in any style based on your writing choices. That’s why it’s crucial to learn the difference so you don’t write too formally or too informally in the wrong situation.
What is formal writing?
Formal writing is direct, thorough, and respectful. It is used for matters of importance, such as in business, journalism, legal affairs, medical diagnoses, and academic writing. Formal writing is used to show respect for a topic or a reader, which is why it’s often used when addressing a stranger. For example, formal emails are common when applying for jobs or completing business deals online.
You can identify formal writing because it sounds “official,” using the proper names of things and avoiding slang. Formal writing is also purposefully thorough and doesn’t use shortcuts, such as contractions or sometimes even pronouns.
Formal writing is often criticized for being bland and stilted, with long words and longer sentences. This isn’t a requirement, though; formal writing focuses on clarity and accuracy. If you can write formally and keep your message short, your readers will be happy.
Formal writing techniques
- proper names (including technical and industry-specific work jargon)
- no slang, idioms, or colloquialisms
- no exclamation points
- no contractions
- minimal pronouns
- longer, more complicated sentences
- the reader is addressed with respect
- elaboration and full descriptions; no ambiguity
- emphasis on correct spelling and grammar
- personal feelings and opinions kept to a minimum—just the facts!
When to use formal writing
- business communication (including job applications)
- academic writing (including school applications)
- journalism
- legal affairs
- writing to someone you don’t know (such as cold emails)
What is informal writing?
Informal writing is casual, relaxed, and conversational. It’s used to communicate with friends or people you’re familiar with, but it can also be used to affect that relationship, as with persuasive writing or advertising.
Informal writing mimics how friends talk in person, drawing on speech communication tools like slang, contractions, and abbreviations, as well as idioms and colloquialisms (e.g., barking up the wrong tree).
Topics can also include personal opinions or emotions, both of which can be inappropriate in formal writing.
Unlike formal writing, informal writing is free to be more creative and expressive. Unique personal styles are welcome, and there are fewer restrictions about straying off-topic. Emoji and internet slang are common in informal writing but discouraged in formal writing as they detract from the solemn tone.
Informal writing techniques
- slang, idioms, and colloquialisms
- exclamation points, even multiple ones (!!!)
- contractions are used freely
- pronouns are used freely
- emoji are used freely
- flow can meander or go off on tangents
- topics can be described as thoroughly or as vaguely as the writer chooses
- spelling and grammar are not a priority
When to use informal writing
- emails and texts with friends
- communication with friendly coworkers that isn’t about work; see an example of an acceptable case for using emoji in work emails
- copywriting meant to seem friendly
- personal essays with a conversational voice
Examples of formal vs. informal writing
Formal writing example
To Whom It May Concern,
I hope this email finds you well. I am writing to apply for the position of sales associate listed on your website. My experience includes working at a local store for 10 years, first as a cashier and later as a floor sales representative. There, my sales record surpassed that of all my colleagues.
Although I don’t have experience selling smartphones, I am confident my sales skills can transition to your products because I am overly familiar with my own smartphone, which I bought at your store. Enclosed is my résumé and thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
– Ormal
Informal writing example
Hey Dummy,
It’s your brother from my new email. Do me a favor and ask your boss to hire me. Beg him if you have to!🙏 I’d be so good at this job. You know I used to sell more than you at Mom and Dad’s store when we were kids. I’m made for this, I’m always on my phone! I can sell these smartphones in my sleep! C’mon, do me a solid.
– I. F.
Tips for choosing the best business writing tone
1 Understand the context
Formal writing is best when it comes to serious matters, namely as a matter of ceremony for official events. Informal writing is usually reserved for friendly conversations and lighthearted topics. Using formal writing to describe an online video would seem out of place, just like it would be inappropriate to use informal writing to describe a medical procedure.
2 Understand the audience
The audience should determine whether to use formal or informal writing: The better you know someone, the more acceptable it is to use informal writing. So, while most work documents should be formally written, you can still use slang and emoji in business communication if you’re friends with that coworker.
3 Use tools if you need help
Choosing the right tone for the right situation isn’t always easy, especially if you’re not a skilled writer. Monitoring your word choice and sentence structure and your usage of contractions and slang is a lot to keep track of, not to mention paying attention to correct spelling and grammar. To help, Grammarly’s tone suggestions feature can assess the level of formality and suggest words or phrases to improve it. The writing is still your own but it’s supported with advice from an expert AI writing partner.
Formal vs. informal writing FAQ
What’s the difference between formal and informal writing styles?
Formal writing avoids the casual form of communication found in informal writing: slang, contractions, emoji, exclamation points, and even pronouns at times. Formal writing is also more specific and detailed and features longer sentences, while informal writing has fewer restrictions and can be more creative.
When do you use formal or informal writing?
Formal writing is appropriate in most professional and academic situations, as well as when writing to someone you don’t know well. In other words, formal writing is best when some degree of respect is needed. Informal writing is used for more casual conversations, like text messages or emails with friends.
How do you know if your writing is too formal or informal?
Longer, technical sentences full of details come across as formal. Writing that includes slang and a conversational tone could be considered informal. If you’d like a more precise way to gauge formality to ensure you hit the target, you can use Grammarly tone suggestions for an expert assessment.
