📝 Formal vs Informal Writing Examples: 100+ Side-by-Side Comparisons

Informal: go up → Formal: increase
Informal: find out → Formal: discover
Informal: put off → Formal: postpone
Informal: need → Formal: require
Informal: help → Formal: assist
Informal: buy → Formal: purchase
Informal: start → Formal: commence
Informal: end → Formal: terminate
Informal: sorry → Formal: apologise
Informal: but → Formal: however
Informal: so → Formal: therefore

Informal: don't → Formal: do not
Informal: can't → Formal: cannot
Informal: won't → Formal: will not
Informal: it's → Formal: it is
Informal: I'm → Formal: I am
Informal: you're → Formal: you are

Informal: "Thanks for your email." → Formal: "Thank you for your email."
Informal: "Sorry for the delay." → Formal: "Please accept our apologies for the delay."
Informal: "Let me know if you need anything." → Formal: "Please do not hesitate to contact me should you require any further assistance."
Informal: "I'll get back to you soon." → Formal: "I will respond at my earliest convenience."

Informal: "What time is the meeting?" → Formal: "Could you please inform me of the meeting time?"
Informal: "Why did this happen?" → Formal: "It would be helpful to understand the reasons for this occurrence."

Informal: "I think the experiment failed." → Formal: "It appears that the experiment was unsuccessful."
Informal: "You can see the results." → Formal: "The results can be observed."