What makes an article informal

Formal writing is serious. Informal writing consists of short sentences and is used in more personal settings, such as writing a letter to a friend or writing a diary entry. It is much more relaxed than formal writing.

Knowing the difference between formal and informal writing is only half the battle. The other important aspect is knowing which to use. Here are some examples of when you would use formal vs informal writing. Then, when you make the connection and you see how the other side responds, you can ease up on the formality. That way, it should become more obvious how to recognize and structure each.

There are a few more things to take into account when starting out on any writing endeavor. These include the following 3 questions:. Along with this list of references , here is a meta example on how this article would be written both formally and informally:. There are many differences between formal vs. That being said, they both serve their respective purposes. When writing professionally or academically, opt for formal writing. Remember to leave out contractions and remain unbiased.

On the other hand, informal writing comes from within. That way, you can use contractions, shorter sentences, colloquialism, and the like. Regardless of why you are writing, always be sure to reread your work to check for typos and mistakes. Apply Now. Request Info. Ask a student. UoPeople Arabic. Business Administration. Master's Degree MBA. Bachelor's Degree. Associate's Degree.

Computer Science. We use passive voice in a formal piece of writing. In contrast, in an informal piece of writing, we use active voice.

In formal writing, linking words are used, instead of conjunctions which are used in case of informal writing. In formal writing, interjections are usually avoided, and so exclamation marks are not used. Conversely, in informal writing, interjections are commonly used. In a formal piece of writing, when we refer to audience 1st person plural or third person singular is used. On the contrary, informal piece of writing, we use 1st person singular form to refer to the audience. Leave a Reply Cancel reply Your email address will not be published.

A formal writing style is one which is used for business, legal or professional purposes. However, there are some exceptions to this see box. In academic writing, it was traditional to use the third person and the passive voice. For example:. However, this type of language is quite hard to read. Many academic journals therefore now encourage the use of the active voice, and the first person, but within a style that is considered formal.

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. 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. 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.

Search SkillsYouNeed:. We'll never share your email address and you can unsubscribe at any time. Some definitions formal , adj. Rule to Remember Use more formal vocabulary and avoid the use of contractions in formal writing. Sometimes the whole sentence needs to be rephrased: Informal This experiment worked out just fine. Formal This experiment was successful. Informal The outcomes of the study haven't been documented yet. Formal The outcomes of the study have not been documented yet.

The Use of Pronouns Formal language tends to be impersonal and precise. In formal writing, when addressing the audience, you may use the passive voice or an adverbial clause in place of the personal pronoun: Less formal As you examine the health effects of More formal When examining the health effects of Rule to Remember Restrict the use of personal pronouns in formal writing. Less formal I believe the health effects of More formal It is believed that the health effects of The second sentence is more formal and can be perceived by the audience to be more credible.