Using Formal English: The When, The Why and The How.

I love formal English, and whenever I get that rare opportunity to flex my knowledge and skills either in, or out of the classroom, I embrace it with gusto.

Generally speaking, formal English is principally used in writing. This form is academic in nature and is commonly used in textbooks, essays for tertiary education, business correspondance ect. Formal written English can be complex, it can be confusing, it can cover a myriad of subjects from mind numbingly boring right through to mind blowingly interesting, and everthing in between.

On the other hand, in relation to speaking, formal English is commonly used solely for official or sober occassions or purposes where serious subjects, or topic require attention, or explanation.

Due to it’s very nature, and purpose, formal English uses more complex vocabulary than that that is used in everyday speech. For example, it uses a larger proportion of complex vocabulary that aren’t generally used in conversation. Examples include multi-syllable words and general verbs rather than using phrasal verbs, slang or colloquial vocabulary.

When formal English is used in writing, sentences tend to be longer, more complex in nature, with strict adherement to the rules of gramatical structure. Generally speaking, formal writing tends to be either emotionally detached, indifferent or businesslike, often using impersonal pronouns like it, one or someone and passive verbs. Contractions and abbreviations are usually abstained from use.

Rules for Formal Writing

There are certain things that are acceptable for spoken or written English, especially in newspapers, magazines, novels or on the internet which are not appropriate for formal writing. Formal English rigidly follows the rules of grammar with sentences that tend to be, in most cases, longer and more complex. The vocabulary tends to be far more advanced, even academic, avoiding colloquial expressions, idioms or slang. It also avoids split infinitives and the placement of prepositions at the end of sentences.

Vocabulary tips for use in Formal Writing

Only Use Formal Vocabulary

Certain words which we frequently encounter in everyday communication may not be suitable for use in formal writing. These include words which are casual (informal) and commonly used only in spoken English. This does not mean that informal language is inferior to formal language. It simply means that there are words which are more appropriate than others for use in each context.

Use Strong Verbs

In general, formal writers prefer strong verbs to phrasal verbs which are very common in spoken or more casual uses of English, e.g. establish instead of set up, produce instead of churn out, tolerate instead of put up with and assemble instead of put together.

Choose Specific Verbs

When writing about information that you have gathered whilst researching, you will need to use a variety of verbs that suit your specific purpose. Rather than using the words ´say, show or report´ all the time, you can use more specific verbs such as ´outlines, demonstrates, maintains or supports´.

Use Appropriate Transitional Words and Phrases.

Transitions play an important role in formal writing. They help to create a sense of coherence and provide identifiable tags for the reader to follow in order for them to follow  the writer’s train of thought. Choosing the appropriate transition that makes the logical connection will ensure that the reader understands the text in the way that the author had intended.

Get Straight To The Point, Avoid Redundancy

Being concise and straight to the point are signs of good formal writing. To write effectively, you should learn to write precisely and concisely, using both the number and selection of words that are necessary to express what you want to say. Do not add additional words just for the purpose of lengthening your writing or to create complex, unnecessary expressions. It is far more important to get your message across effectively. To weed out redundancy, ask yourself whether what you have written is essential to the meaning you intend to communicate.

When writing formal English you have to be aware of the following rules:

• Never start a sentence with ‘And’, ‘Also’, ‘But’, ‘So’, ‘Or’, ‘Even so’.  Instead use ‘In addition’, ‘However’, ‘Hence’, ‘Consequently’, ‘Alternatively’, ‘Nevertheless’.
  
  
• Never start a sentence with ‘Therefore’. Instead write, for example, ‘We therefore…’.
  
  
• Never start a sentence with ‘Then’ or ‘Now’ unless it is a command.
  
  
• Never use ‘don‘t’, or any other shortened negative such as ‘isn’t’, ‘hasn’t’, ‘wasn’t’, etc. Use ‘does not’, ‘is not’, etc. instead.
  
  
• Never use ‘!’ or ‘&’ or ‘/’. It is also very unusual to see ‘?’ in a paper. Don’t put questions in a paper unless you really know what you are doing.
  
  
• Never use e.g. or i.e. or etc.
  
  
• When referring to the number of countable objects, use words rather than figures when the amount is less than twenty. E.g. Don’t write “we used 3 methods” – instead write “we used three methods”.
• Don’t use ‘OK‘. Use ‘acceptably’, ‘permissible’, ‘satisfactory’, etc instead.
  
  
• Never use ‘got‘. Instead use ‘obtained’.
  
  
• If you can, try to use the passive voice for some of the time when describing your results. Using ‘we’ in every sentence is a bit boring.
  
  
• List things properly using ‘and‘ between the last two items. E.g. Don’t do ‘we used three methods A, B, C.‘ Instead you should write either ‘we used three methods: A, B, and C.’ or ‘we used three methods, namely, A, B, and C.’
  
  
• Never have a paragraph that is just one sentence.

• Avoid using a personal or conversational style. Therefore, try not to use words like I, me, my, you, we, us and our. Though these words are widely used in informal writing and in spoken English, they’re generally thought to be too personal and too casual for formal, academic writing.
  
  
• Always avoid words or phrases used mainly in normal conversation as they’re usually not suitable for use in formal or academic writing.

Avoid “kids”, use “children”,

Avoid “a lot of”, use “much, many”

• Never use colloquial English or slang. Colloquial English is a type of informal English, and it includes words such as gonna or wanna, and phrases such as ain’t nothin’ and dead as a doornail.
  
  
• Although it’s usual to contract words in spoken and informal written English (e.g., can’t, won’t, shouldn’tand hasn’t), it’s better to avoid using any contractions in your academic essay.
  
  
• Avoid abbreviating words in academic writing. Don’t say yrs, e.g. or i.e. Instead, write the words in full using their English equivalents (years, for example and that is).

Normally, for those who love to write, or who have an appropriate command of the English language, it’s usually easy to decide, based upon previous knowledge and experience, if a word is informal or formal.

In conclusión, for those who either love to, or have a necessity to write using formal English, be it for an article, or a tesis, good luck. Writing formally is like exercising your mind with vocabulary aerobics, and will always challenge you to be, and perform at your best.

David White
Managing Director English For You Language Institute Trujillo Peru.
Headmaster American School (Bilingual ib school) Trujillo Peru
International conference presenter
International academic consultant.
dwenglishforyou@outlook.com

List Of Strong Verbs

• Absorb
• Advance
• Advise
• Alter
• Amend
• Amplify
• Attack
• Balloon
• Bash
• Batter
• Beam
• Beef
• Blab
• Blast
• Bolt
• Boost
• Brief
• Broadcast
• Brood
• Burst
• Bus
• Bust
• Capture
• Catch
• Charge
• Chap
• Chip
• Clasp
• Climb
• Clutch
• Collide
• Command
• Commune
• Cower
• Crackle
• Crash
• Crave
• Crush
• Dangle
• Dash
• Demolish
• Depart
• Deposit
• Detect
• Deviate
• Devour
• Direct
• Discern
• Discover
• Dismantle
• Download
• Drag
• Drain
• Drip
• Drop
• Eavesdrop
• Engage
• Engulf
• Enlarge
• Ensnare
• Envelop
• Erase
• Escort
• Expand
• Explode
• Explore
• Expose
• Extend
• Extract
• Eyeball
• Fight
• Fish
• Fling
• Fly
• Frown
• Fuse
• Garble
• Gaze
• Glare
• Gleam
• Glisten
• Glitter
• Gobble

• Govern
• Grasp
• Gravitate
• Grip
• Groan
• Grope
• Growl
• Guide
• Gush
• Hack
• Hail
• Heighten
• Hobble
• Hover
• Hurry
• Ignite
• Illuminate
• Inspect
• Instruct
• Intensify
• Intertwine
• Impart
• Jostle
• Journey
• Lash
• Launch
• Lead
• Leap
• Locate
• Lurch
• Lurk
• Magnify
• Mimic
• Mint
• Moan
• Modify
• Multiply
• Muse
• Mushroom
• Mystify
• Notice
• Notify
• Obtain
• Oppress
• Order
• Paint
• Park
• Peck
• Peek
• Peer
• Perceive
• Picture
• Pilot
• Pinpoint
• Place
• Plant
• Plop
• Pluck
• Plunge
• Poison
• Pop
• Position
• Power
• Prickle
• Probe
• Prune
• Realize
• Recite
• Recoil
• Refashion
• Refine
• Remove
• Report
• Retreat
• Reveal
• Reverberate
• Revitalize
• Revolutionize
• Revolve
• Rip
• Rise
• Ruin
• Rush

• Rust
• Saunter
• Scamper
• Scan
• Scorch
• Scrape
• Scratch
• Scrawl
• Seize
• Serve
• Shatter
• Shepherd
• Shimmer
• Shine
• Shock
• Shrivel
• Sizzle
• Skip
• Skulk
• Slash
• Slide
• Slink
• Slip
• Slump
• Slurp
• Smash
• Smite
• Snag
• Snarl
• Sneak
• Snowball
• Soar
• Spam
• Sparkle
• Sport
• Sprinkle
• Stare
• Starve
• Steal
• Steer
• Storm
• Strain
• Stretch
• Strip
• Stroll
• Struggle
• Stumble
• Supercharge
• Supersize
• Surge
• Survey
• Swell
• Swipe
• Swoon
• Tail
• Tattle
• Toddle
• Transfigure
• Transform
• Travel
• Treat
• Trim
• Trip
• Trudge
• Tussle
• Uncover
• Unearth
• Untangle
• Unveil
• Usher
• Veil
• Wail
• Weave
• Wind
• Withdraw
• Wreck
• Wrench
• Wrest
• Wrestle
• Wring
• Yank
• Zing
• Zap