Writing style is how a writer expresses themselves. It includes spelling, grammar and punctuation, as well as aspects like sentence length and word choice. Style may vary with the type or purpose of writing. For example, you may come across academic writing, journalistic writing and business writing, all of which have different purposes and characteristics. Style may also vary with period (age) and nationality. Show
However, all styles of writing can be described as either formal or informal. This page covers the key aspects of formal and informal writing styles, to enable you to distinguish between the two, and use them appropriately. Understanding Formal and Informal StylesWhat do we mean by ‘formal’ and ‘informal’? Some definitions formal, adj. stiffly polite rather than relaxed and friendly; said of language: strictly correct with regard to grammar, style and choice of words, as distinct from conversational informal, adj. without ceremony or formality; relaxed and friendly; said of language, clothes, etc: suitable for and used in relaxed, everyday situations. Source: Chambers 21st Century Dictionary, online edition. Informal language and writing, then, is suitable for use every day. It is, effectively, how we speak and write to our friends and families. It will include slang and colloquialisms (defined as phrases that are used in informal but not formal language). The recipient may tolerate some spelling and grammar mistakes. We are therefore likely to use an informal writing style when composing emails and letters to friends and family. Blogs and other online copy are also often written in a more informal, conversational style. Formal writing needs much more care. It is the style of writing used for business and other official purposes. It needs to be correct in terms of grammar, spelling, punctuation and usage. A more formal style may also be appropriate for some letters, for example, if you are making a complaint to an organisation. You may find our page on Writing Styles helpful. This is part of our study skills section, and summarises the main styles of writing that a student may encounter during their studies. Characteristics of Formal and Informal WritingWhen you look at a piece of writing, it is possible to distinguish whether it is written in a formal or informal style from several different aspects. The main characteristics of an informal writing style are:
The main characteristics of a formal writing style are:
When to Use Formal and Informal WritingA formal writing style is not necessarily “better” or “worse” than an informal approach. There is a time and a place for both. They have very different purposes. You should therefore take care to choose the most appropriate style to use. There are several factors that may affect your choice. Two of the key factors dictating the choice of a formal or informal writing style are your audience and your medium. You may therefore find it helpful to read our pages Know your Audience and Know Your Medium. In general, writing for professional or work purposes is likely to require a formal style. However, you may be able to use a more informal style if you are writing to someone you know in person. Emails also tend to use a less formal style than paper-based communications. However, this is changing slightly as more organisations use emails for all communications. You should therefore avoid the use of “text talk” or too much informality. There is more about this in our page on Good Email Etiquette. Remember…If in doubt as to how formal your writing should be, it is usually better to err on the side of caution. Almost nobody is offended by too much formality. However, it is certainly possible to offend by being too informal in your approach. Is informal language typically spoken by a particular group of people?Definition of SLANG: a type of language that consists of words and phrases that are regarded as very informal, are more common in speech than writing, and are typically restricted to a particular context or group of people.
Which of the following is an example of visual language?A diagram, a map, and a painting are all examples of uses of visual language. Its structural units include line, shape, color, form, motion, texture, pattern, direction, orientation, scale, angle, space, and proportion.
Which of the following is an example of inclusive language?Examples of inclusive language include using gender-neutral phrases when talking to groups, acknowledging first-nations people in a speech, and using modern medical descriptors rather than outdated ones with negative connotations.
Is technical language associated with a profession or subject?Terms in this set (41) Slang is technical language associated with a specific profession or subject. The meaning of words does not change over time. If you are concerned that you may offend you audience with certain words, you can use idioms in place of the disagreeable words.
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