Formal and informal language serve different purposes. The tone, the choice of words and the
way the words are put together vary between the two styles. Formal language is less personal
than informal language. It is used when writing for professional or academic purposes like
university assignments. Formal language does not use colloquialisms, contractions or first person
pronouns such as ‘I’ or ‘We’.
Informal language is more casual and spontaneous. It is used when communicating with friends or
family either in writing or in conversation. It is used when writing personal emails, text messages
and in some business correspondence. The tone of informal language is more personal than
