📝 Created by: El Arby Ameur | 📅 August 2026 | 🌐 lesson.tn
📖 Estimated reading time: 12 minutes | Word count: ~1900 words
📖 Formal vs Informal Writing Rules: When to Use Each Style
Rule 1: Audience determines register
Unknown audience → formal. Friends/family → informal.
Rule 2: Contractions are informal
Formal: "I do not agree." Informal: "I don't agree."
Rule 3: Passive voice is more formal
Informal: "Someone made a mistake." Formal: "A mistake was made."
Rule 4: Single-word verbs are formal, phrasal verbs informal
Formal: "The company established new rules." Informal: "The company set up new rules."
Rule 5: No slang or clichés in formal writing
Avoid: "a lot of", "tons of", "kind of", "sort of", "in a nutshell", "at the end of the day".
Rule 6: Formal writing avoids emotional language
Instead of "The results are amazing", use "The results are noteworthy / significant."
💡 When in doubt, use formal style – it's better to be too formal than too informal in professional contexts.