English, as an international language, is applicable in almost any situation, field and industry. Whatever your goals, visiting a foreign country or communicating with representatives of a different culture, you will somehow have to conduct a conversation in English in an informal setting.

In this article you will find a long list of terms and phrases from American slang and the web. Learn how cool it is to say hello or say goodbye in an informal way, as well as learn a lot of cool abbreviations and phrases from the everyday life of American youth and beyond. The language of streets and neighborhoods is waiting for you!

Informal greeting and farewell

How to start a conversation in English? As in any other language, the dialogue begins with greetings. It would be somewhat funny and even ridiculous if the dialogue in English between friends starts with a phrase like "Good afternoon" or "Good day", it sounds quite formal, so it makes sense to remember a few phrases to start a conversation in English, applicable specifically in informal setting.

By the way! We advise you to read our article on spoken English, which will help you understand how to learn to speak English.

When meeting, they usually say:

• How is it going?- How are things going?
• How's life?- What's up?
• How are things?- How is it?
• What are you up to?- What are you doing?
• Greets!- Greetings!
• Yello! / Yo! / A-yo!- Hey!
• What's up? / "Sup! /wassup! / Wusup!- How are you?
• How does it go? / Howzit?- How is it?
• How's it hanging?- How are you?
• How's everything? / How are things?- How is everything in general?
• What's happening? / What"s happenin"?- What's going on?
• What's crackin'? / What's crack-a-lackin'?- How is life?
• What's poppin' /clicking /cooking /the rumpus /shaking /dilly /the dizzle?-How are you?
• What's in the bag?=What's up?

Almost like in that Seven movie with Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman: “Awwww! What's in the boooooox?!!!"

As a farewell, you can arm yourself with the following popular and stylish phrases:

• See you soon.-See you later.
• see you later.- See you later.
• Till next time.- Until next time.
• good luck.- Good luck.
• take care. / Take it easy.- Take care.
• Talk to you later. / Talk to you soon!- We'll talk to you later/soon.
• until we meet again.- See you.
• have a nice day. - Have a nice day.
• Have a good weekend.- Good weekend.
• Gotta go!- Time to go!
• Catch ya later! / See ya later! / Later! / Later on!- See you!
• Have a good one! / Have a nice one! / Have a nice day!- Have a nice day!
• I "m taking off! / I'm off!- I'm off!
• I'm splitting.- I'm cleaning.
• I "m outta here! / I" m out!- That's it - I'm not there.
• Peace out!- Be there. See you.
• I "ll holler (holler = scream) at ya later!- See you later!
• Catch you on the flipside.- See you!
• Till next time/tomorrow!- Until next time!
• I need to shoot the gap!- It's time to run away.
• I'm hitting the bricks!- I'm going out into the street!
• I'm heading out!- I'm out!
• I need to jet! / gotta jet!- Gotta run away!
• I'm gonna hit the road!- I'm turning!
• I gotta run!- It's time to run!
• I'm bouncing outta here!- I'm getting out of here (bounce - jump)!
• I'm gonna make like a tree and leaf!- I'm off!
• Stay in touch!- In touch!
• Sleep on it!- Sleep with this thought! / Think about it! / The morning is wiser than the evening.

Introductory words and answers in informal communication

In order for your speech to be logically connected and colorful, you will need some introductory words that are quite often used, as a rule, at the beginning of a sentence. Introductory words and expressions help show your attitude to what you are saying. For example, if you don't want to drag out the conversation, you can say:

• In short... / In brief...- briefly.
• Long story short... / bottom line is...- shorter.
• In a word... / Simply put... / In short...- in a nutshell.
• To cut a long story short... / To cut it short...- shortly speaking.

Usually, when they want to present some information or list some facts, they say:

• As for... / As to...- Concerning...
• Not to mention...- Not speaking about...
• First of all... / Above all...- Primarily...
• What's more...- Besides, ...
• By the way...- By the way, ...
• After all... In the end, though...
• And so on and so forth...- Etc...
• If I'm not mistaken...- If I'm not mistaken...
• In other words...- In other words...
• On the contrary...- Quite the contrary... / In fact...
• The thing is...- The fact is that...
• On one hand...- One side...
• On the other hand...- On the other side...

Use these expressions, and your speech will not only be more coherent, but also much richer, richer and more expressive. Here's how to answer questions like "How are you?" or other, more general ones:

Not much.- Slowly. Nothing special.
Can't complain!- Not complaining!
chillin'. - I give up; hang out.
Staying out of trouble. - Keep away from sin (problems).
Sure! Sounds great!- Certainly! Sounds great!

I hear ya!= I empathize with your point of view. - I heard you (but there may not be an agreement).
I got (get) it. - I understand.
No kidding!= I know that. - Come on! Can not be! Are you kidding (sarcasm possible)?!
It slipped my mind. - I got out of my head.
I owe you one. - I owe you.
It's up to you. - You decide; Everything depends on you.
I feel you.= I understand / empathize with you. - I understand you; I feel for you.
It is what it is.= It's a fact that cannot be changed. - It is what it is.
Wanna come over for dinner tonight? - Would you like to drop by for dinner tonight?

The ABC of politeness in informal communication

If you consider yourself a polite person, then you will definitely need “magic” words that are especially often used in English speech (in American - not very often). The British themselves are very polite people and, no matter what they think of you, they will always remain correct and behave well-mannered with you and, of course, expect the same from you. Do not deceive their expectations and stock up on the appropriate phrases in English.

If you want to thank someone, you can use phrases like:

• It's very kind of you.- It is very kind of you.
• Thanks anyway.- Thanks anyway.
• Thank you in advance.- Thanks in advance.
• Thanks a bunch / a ton / a lot / a million / many thanks.- Thanks a lot.
• Much reliable.- Much obliged.
• You're too kind.- You're too kind.
• You shouldn't have.- Not worth it.
• Please accept my best thanks.- Please accept my thanks.
• I "m most grateful.- I'm very grateful.

If someone expresses gratitude to you, you can say in response:

• Don't mention it.- Do not mention it.
• No problem/worries. That's ok.- Everything is good.
• Don't worry about it.- Don't worry about it.
• It's a pleasure.-Do not mention it. / Glad to!
• No worries/problem.- No problem.
• You're welcome.- You are welcome.
• sure thing.- Certainly. / Of course.

Phrases for informal communication

If you want to express your emotions in a conversation, there are also many ways to do this that are acceptable in an informal setting. The most popular phrases, as a rule, can be considered the following:

• Don't take it to heart.- Don't take it to heart.
• Let's hope for the best.- Let's hope for the best.
• It doesn't matter.- It does not matter.
• Just let it go.- Just kill it.
• Lucky you!- Lucky!
• things happen. / It happens.- Anything can happen.
• good for you.- So much the better for you.
• I'm so happy for you. - I'm so happy for you (But this is said absolutely sincerely).
• You must be very proud of yourself.- You must be proud of yourself.
• Whatever. - I do not care.

Americans often use like” in sentences between words to fill in the gaps while thinking about what to say next. Or just when comparing or approximate data. For example: "We have like 5 minutes until the exam."

• You can say that again!= I agree with you completely. - Totally agree with you!
• You're telling me!= I know exactly what you mean. - Do not speak. / You are still speaking (expression of full understanding).
• My bad= my fault or my mistake. - My fault! / It's my fault! / I screwed up!
• That hit the spot.- It was very tasty (about food, drinks); this is what you need;
• That's what she said!- If you know what I mean! / That's what she said (a phrase to give a sexual connotation to a basically innocent statement)!
• It's not rocket science.= It "s easy to understand. - This is not rocket science (it's easy to understand).
• Don't cry over spilt milk. = Don't be upset over something you can't fix. - Do not grieve about the irreparable. / They don't wave their fists after a fight.
• To jump on the bandwagon= to join a popular activity or support a popular cause. - join the popular process.
• If something " has fallen through the cracks', it went unnoticed.
• If they say " it's all downhill from here”, then the most difficult part is already behind (now - how to roll down the mountain).
• If somebody " throws you under the bus", then you are betrayed.

Abbreviations in informal communication

Everything is simple here. Why drag out when it's more convenient to keep everything short and look talented?

going to = gonna. I "m gonna break you! - I will destroy you!
let me = lemme. Lemme put it this way... - Let's just say...
kind of = kinda. I feel kinda tired. - I'm kind of tired.
don't know = dunno. I dunno where this is going. - I don't know what you're getting at.
don't you = dontcha. Why d oncha join us? - Why don't you join us?
didn't you = didntcha. Didntcha like that girl? - Don't you like that girl?
won't you = wontcha. Wontcha gimme the chance? - Won't you give me a chance?
what are you = whatcha or watcha. Whatcha doing? - What are you doing?
got you = Gotcha. I Gotcha! - I'm with you!
bet you = betcha. Betcha don "t know the answer! - I bet you don't know the answer?
got to = gotta. You gotta see it to believe it.- You have to see it to believe it.
need to = needa. I needa go shopping soon. - I'll have to go shopping soon.
want to = wanna. I wanna blue hat. - I want a blue hat.
have to = hafta. I hafta save some money. - I have to save some money.
has to = hasta. Tim hasta work today. Tim has to work today.
ought to = oughta. She oughta work two jobs. She must be working two jobs.
supposed to = supposeta. I "m supposeta start the job Monday. I'm supposed to start working on Monday.
used to = useta. She useta work there too. She also worked here.
tell them = tell "em. Tell "em I "ll be there soon. - Tell them that I will be there soon.
am not / are not / is not = ain't. I ain't gonna be there. - I won't be there.
come on = c "mon. C "mon! We don "t want to be late. - Come on! We don't want to be late.
some more = s"more. Can I have s"more water? - Can I have some more water?

Dictionary of slang expressions for informal communication

all-ears- to be in attention, completely and completely. I'm all ears.
a crapella- singing (usually terrible) while listening to music in headphones;
ask-hole- a person who constantly asks stupid, ridiculous, inappropriate or obnoxious questions;
awesome sauce- something more than just awesome (awesome + sauce on top);
bail- dump, merge, suddenly (sharply) leave;
badassery- coolness, coolness, drop dead. Incredibly cool deeds or behavior; being "badass" is cool. And the priest has nothing to do with it;
baby bump- belly, belly, protruding (protruding) rounded belly (as in pregnant women);
beer me- please pass (buy) me a beer (foam); can be used figuratively, as a request to transfer something or return it back;
be about it- can be a verb (to be about it) or a command (be about it); means that a person is not afraid and is ready to start some business;
behind the eight ball- in a losing position; without money; out on a limb;
bent out of shape- offended; angry; angry; inflated;
binging- an obsessive desire to absorb food, drink or drugs in large quantities; eating disorder, bulimia;
bitchy resting face- Lenten mine, constantly dissatisfied face, bitchy face syndrome, in which a person (usually a girl) looks rather hostile (hostile) and judgmental (judgmental);
blamestorming- Debriefing; group search for the guilty person; public search for the culprit instead of finding a solution to the problem (usually at business meetings);
blow or bomb- do something very unfortunate; to fail or be unsuccessful in something; a clear failure (especially creative);
boomerang child- "boomerang child" - an adult child who returns to live with his parents because of the inability to live independently;
bruh- "are you serious?"; expression of surprise; another way to say "really? or "seriously?;
buy the farm- play in the box; give oak; die (when pilots crashed in the middle of the 20th century, often their planes crashed on someone's farm - and the state had to pay compensation to the owners of the farm. He bought the farm last Monday;
bropocalypse- a large gathering of adult men with the sole purpose of getting drunk as a thief. In other words, to arrange a "fraternity party" - a drinking bout, booze, "bukhich" or a party in a student hostel (student fraternity party);
bumper/bummed- bad luck, failure, unpleasant situation; worthless young man; a very bad situation or situation; “fur coat” (a painful state of a drug addict under the influence of hallucinogens, which, as a rule, cannot be foreseen; poses a danger to himself and others. Bummed = depressed;
by the skin of your teeth- almost got stuck; almost got it wrong; avoid danger miraculously. Seems you "ve passed the exam by the skin of your teeth?;
cheeky- cheap, tasteless, dubious, boring, funny, lowbrow, unfashionable (tacky) "A cheesy pick-up line" - cheap pickup line like "There are 8 planets in the universe, but only 7 after I destroy Uranus." "A cheesy song" is a stupid song;
catch on- enter; enter; You catch on pretty quick!
cold Turkish- in one fell swoop, tie abruptly and completely, right off the bat; sudden decision; I "m fed up with smoking! So, I quit cold turkey;
crackberry- a mobile phone (of the BlackBerry company), which is addictive to its owner;
sram- "cramming" before the exam; "scribbler", "bookworm";
dead- empty, quiet (for example, a bar, club or restaurant). "It"s really dead in here tonight (It"s empty in here tonight / there are very few people here tonight)";
creep- an unpleasant or strange person, a disgusting person, a vile type;
crunk- cheerful, excited; replacement of matyukov (in the show Conan "a O" brien "a); a combination of the words "crazy" and "drunk"; sub-style of hip-hop music; having a good time; something awesome;
drive up the wall- irritate, annoy. "He is driving me up the wall.";
go dutch- everyone pays for himself; when the amount from the check is divided equally among all - “split the bill”;
earmuffs- headphones, but the word is also used as a command to cover someone's ears before something is said, be it a secret or profanity, for example;
ego-surfing(vanity search, ego searching) - egosurfing; search for any information about yourself on the Internet through a search engine;
extra- excessive (excessive) attention-grabbing behavior, bust with emotions; His behavior was extra at that party yesterday;
faux-pology- insincere apology;
finesses- sophistication in manners, elegance, the ability to speak beautifully, to convince or manipulate people for their own good;
frankenfood- gmo products;
freak flag- a particular characteristic, manner or way of dressing, looking and thinking. Self-expression in an open, often eccentric manner. Let your freak flag fly! - Let your eccentricity out!;
froyo- frozen yogurt;
gaydar- gay radar - the ability to quickly distinguish a gay from a person of heterosexual orientation, or the ability of homosexuals to identify "their own" among other people;
hangry= hungry + angry;
hang tight- wait a minute!; Calm!; Hang tight, I "ll be with ya in a minute!;
helicopter parent- "helicopter parent" - a parent who is excessively "shaking" over the well-being of his child, "hanging" over him in the form of round-the-clock monitoring using means of communication (mobile phone, e-mail, etc.);
for the birds- chickens to laugh; "This is not for me"; “It didn’t suit me”; something trivial, unnecessary, empty or worthless;
for real- "iron"; "actually"; really; seriously; Indeed; really. You can also say with an interrogative intonation - "exactly?" or "really?" or “yes huh?!”;
get under one's skin- disturb someone, "get";
give the cold shoulder- ignore; to not pay attention; defiantly ignore; cold to meet; show no interest;
give props to someone- pay tribute to; express your respect for someone with words; express respect (short for "proper respect"); Props to my homies!;
gross- something disgusting, vile; muck; ugh!;
hit the books- study;
hit the road- go on a journey; go on a hike; put off; move; dump; get out of somewhere; go out;
hold your horses= wait a minute - wait a minute; wait a minute!;
hyped= excited - in anticipation, excited. We "re all so hyped about the concert next weekend !;
jacked- very strong, muscular, pumped up. He's jacked;
jack up- price increase; raise the price;
jailbait- seductive girl; pure temptation; a teenage girl whose relationship is punishable by law; youngster;
jonesing- a strong need for something, wanting something unbearably; breaking. I'm jonesing for a coffee;
kicks- shoes (sneakers, sneakers, boots);
knosh- there is; food consumed;
lemon- an unsuccessful purchase, something base, worthless;
light up- relax, do not take seriously. You gotta learn to lighten up a bit!;
lit= awesome, excellent - awesome; in a more outdated sense - drunk;
make it rain- pathetically throwing paper money into the air (holding a pack of banknotes in one hand and brushing a banknote with the other hand), showing off their capital;
man cave- "lair" - a room or any other living space, protected by a man from any female influence and presence, which he decorates and furnishes at will. TV, set-top box, posters, minibar, slot machines, pool table, sofa, etc. - this kind of thing is usually found in the "lair";
meat sweats- the process of sweating due to the use of copious amounts of meat. I get the meat sweats;
MILF- ("Mother I" d Like to F * ck ") - "milfa" - a mother with children who makes her want to have sex with her; an aged woman who makes a youngster (and not only) desire;
monday-morning quarterback- an improvident person, strong in hindsight, a person who catches himself late.
nasty woman- an educated woman, an expert at pointing ill-mannered men in their place; bitch;
Netflix and chill- code words for a proposal to have sex;
once in a blue moon- rarely;
one-upper- a person who is never enough of what he has; striving to always be ahead of others; always striving to surpass others;
off the hook / off the chain / off the hinge- very cheerful, exciting, unrestrained (in a good way);
fat= Pretty Hot And Tempting (usually about a girl) = awesome; cool - cool, cool (now the word has lost its relevance);
plastered / sloshed / smashed / wasted- very drunk;
pregret- realize that you should not do something otherwise you will regret it, but do it anyway;
pwned= to own - defeat and humiliate an opponent (usually in video games);
pass the buck- shift responsibility to someone;
pig out- to overeat;
put up a front- to show off and try to look strong, dangerous and cool; show off;
Put up your dukes!= Get ready for a fight! - Get ready to fight!; Well, now let's "dance"!;
ratchet- a diva, usually from the slums, of low socio-economic status, who mistakenly considers herself the dream of every man;
recap- sum up, summarize;
rip off- exaggerate, overcharge, cheat;
said no one ever- an expression to emphasize the absurdity of a statement, usually with a pause before "ever". For example, when talking about a T-shirt that the speaker thinks is terrible, it says: “What an awesome shirt! Said no one...ever.";
salmon (trout) - a man who likes to meet girls younger than himself;
Savage- tough, daring just a beast. You can speak as a compliment when a person, for example, performs dangerous but cool deeds.
salty- upset; hostile, evil;
score- get what you want
screw up- to make a mistake, to do something badly. I really screwed up my audition;
shoot the breeze- chatter, talk about nothing;
skrill- money, capital;
snag/nab- take someone else's without asking; steal, steal;
spill the beans- tell a secret, blather, divulge;
sure-fire- confident in success, faithful, win-win;
swag- a term for expressing approval of someone's style of dress, behavior. Praise for someone's self-expression. Cool; unreal steepness;
take a rain-check / table an item- do something another time; postpound on later;
the bomb= awesome;
tight- cool, cool, being in a love relationship; getting along well;
turnt= drunk or excited/hyped;
typeactive- a person who becomes sociable only online, by e-mail or chat, for example;
uptight- clamped; antonym of the word "relaxed";
wicked= amazing = really - cool, excellent; serious; great; brilliantly!;
wrap up- turn around. OK, let's wrap things up for today;
W00t!- exclamation when winning a large amount of money or when defeating another team;
word- right, I agree, it is;
zonked- tired, exhausted.

Conclusion

That "s it! Informal speech is beautiful in that you can use a huge number of words and expressions in it, while feeling not constrained by the rigid etiquette of a business language. Here you can use both slang and slang expressions + various kinds of abbreviations.

But remember that there must be a norm and balance in everything! Even when communicating in an informal setting, try to always show courtesy and a sense of tact. That's what the expressions in this article are for.

Big and friendly family EnglishDom

Speech styles exist in all languages, and English is no exception. Mastering the style is necessary for everyone who seeks to master the language and speak it as naturally as its native speakers.

Formal communication style

Formal business style ( formal) is used when writing business letters, contracts, agreements, lectures, in general, for documents.

Minimum number of cuts ( don't, he's, etc.) and the use of full forms of verbs - first line formal style.

Common and complex sentences such as "Toyota's sales bounced back in March as substantial discounts helped to win back customers who had been shaken by the film's mass safety recalls", – second characteristic official business style.

Third feature– longer words than in informal dialogues: for example, instead of start would be more appropriate to say "commence", end replaced by "terminate", but instead try» use endeavor. In principle, this also applies to modal verbs to a certain extent: if "can" generally has a fairly neutral stylistic connotation (for example, the phrase "Can I suggest you try this new model?" sounds very neutral) "might" will give the sentence in which it appears more formality ( "Might I suggest you try this new model?").

The fourth interesting feature the formal style is the decoding of abbreviations at their first mention in the text. The exceptions are abbreviations that are already widely known and definitely will not raise questions: for example, the Air Force, NATO and others.

Fifth feature the formal style of speech is emotional neutrality or even dryness and rigor of presentation of thought. For example, the signs "?!", "!!!" inapplicable in business correspondence, as well as bright emotionally colored comparisons, metaphors and images.

And finally, the official business style implies an impersonal presentation. Phrases are inappropriate in documents "I consider...", "we say...", the replacements adequate to the formal style are "it is considered to be...", "it is said to be...".

Informal communication style

informal style (informal) as close as possible to oral speech: slang and syntax violations, personal pronouns (for example, "I think...", "We want...") and shortened forms of verbs ( "doesn't" instead of "does not", "it's" instead of "it is", "couldn't" instead of "could not" etc.) are its characteristic features.

Also, in informal correspondence and communication, often shorten sentences(e.g. subject or relative pronoun): so, instead of “I went to Barcelona last weekend. I have lots to tell you" you can say Went to Barcelona last weekend. Have lots to tell you" or in a phrase "The boy whom I met was beautiful» omit relative pronoun whom, so that the informal version will sound like "The boy I met was beautiful".

An equally important and characteristic feature of the informal style is active use of phrasal verbs: For example, "He gave up trying", "We must work out the solution".

Below you can find a selection of relevant, useful constructions and verbs that are typical for formal and informal speech styles, the so-called link words:

• Go up (informal) - increase (formal);
• Find out (informal) - discover (formal);
• Set up (informal) - establish (formal);
• Free (informal) - release (formal);
• Show (informal) - demonstrate (formal);
• Seem (informal) - appear (formal);
• Keep (informal) - retain (formal);
• But (informal) - however (formal);
• So (informal) - therefore (formal);
• To sum up (informal) - to conclude (formal);
• Just wanted to let you know… (informal) – I am writing to inform you… (formal);
• Hope to hear from you soon (informal) – I am looking forward to hearing from you (formal);
• Call me if you need anything (informal) – Please do not hesitate to contact me (formal)

The most important thing is to clearly understand the appropriateness of using a particular style of speech in a given situation. This knowledge can be useful in daily practice, when passing exams, from the Unified State Examination to international ones, where you need to write a letter (formal or informal) in the written part, as well as when preparing a resume and in a conversation with a potential employer. The choice of an appropriate style of speech is the key to success in any communication.

Learn English with

If you have to write a letter in English, the first thing you should think about is the style or case of writing your letter (register). How to determine register? Think about three things:

The less you know the recipient, the more formal your style should be. There are such styles of writing letters in English: formal (formal) and informal (informal). There is also a semi-formal or neutral (semi-formal or neutral) style, but by its nature it is closer to the formal. Some authors distinguish the following styles depending on the type of communication, addressee and language means:

The formal style is inherent in documents (for example, legal), high-level business letters, in the formal style all the rules of punctuation and grammar are observed. Semi-formal style is used for business correspondence, professional communication. Since the author and recipient of the letter are usually busy business people, letters of this style are specific, fact-centered, and include standard, formulaic language. And, finally, the informal style is typical for the correspondence of friends, communication in social networks. It involves the use of colloquial expressions, abbreviations, grammar rules and punctuation are not always followed.

However, these are just general differences between the styles. In this article, we will look at more fundamental distinguishing features that will help you write quality letters in English.

1. Vocabulary

If we compare two letters of the same content, but written in different styles, then the informal letter will be shorter. Do you know why? Because the formal style involves the use of longer words, words of Latin origin. Unlike the informal style, phrasal verbs are hardly ever used in the formal style, except for those that cannot be replaced by a longer equivalent. The same goes for nouns: if you have a choice between a short word and a long one when writing a formal letter, choose whichever is longer.

Let's look at some differences between formal and informal vocabulary:

Verbs (verbs)
Informal		Translation
		ask, request
		be the cause of
		check
		deal with something
		find out
		repair
		receive
get in touch with		to contact
		give, provide
		decrease
		increase
		leave, miss
		allow
		to need
		apologize
		seem
		install
		show
		inform

Nouns
Informal		Translation
		Chief
		possibility
		facilities
		elderly people

2. Use of the passive voice

In the informal style of writing letters, the use of the active voice predominates over the use of . Informal letters are more personalized, while formal letters and documents are more factual. Let's look at this with examples:

I invite you to come to my party Friday evening. - I invite you to come to my party on Friday evening.
You are invited to attend the annual conference. - You are invited to attend the annual conference.

The teacher told us to complete the test papers. - The teacher told us to finish the tests.
The students were told to complete the test papers. The students were told to finish the test tasks.

The camera you delivered to me yesterday is broken. - The camera you delivered to me yesterday is broken.
The camera which was delivered to me yesterday is flawed. - The camera that was delivered yesterday is defective.

In each pair of sentences, the first refers to the informal case. As you can see, every second sentence in formal style is factual and sounds more neutral and formal.

3. Appeals and stereotypes

A characteristic feature of the informal style is first-person appeals, the use of I: I am sorry..., I think... etc. While official letters are built on the basis of clichés, standard phrases of business communication. The informal style allows for improvisation, while the formal style is more stereotyped.

I am sorry for my being late. - I'm sorry I'm late.
We apologize for the delay. - We apologize for the delay.

I am glad to tell you that I am coming soon. - I'm glad to tell you that I'm coming soon.
We take pleasure in informing you about our forthcoming visit. - We are pleased to inform you about our upcoming visit.

Typical of formal style is the use of the pronoun we. When a representative of one company writes a letter to another company, the letter is written not in the first person singular (I), but in the first person plural (we).

4. Slang expressions

Slang expressions are absent in the official style, they simply do not exist there. The same goes for most idiomatic expressions. Formal style is the language of specifics and business vocabulary, so the use of slang is unacceptable, this is a sign of unprofessionalism and disrespect for the recipient:

He wrote us about stuff. - He wrote us about a lot of nonsense.

He sent us information on the question. - He sent us information on this matter.

5. Abbreviations

Informal style, along with slang expressions, allows the use of abbreviated forms of verbs to be, have, has, would, will and others: I "m, we" ve, he "s etc. Never used in official style, all forms must be written in full: I am, we have, he is, they will, she would etc.

6. Concrete appeals and impersonal constructions

In informal letters, to a friend, for example, we address a specific person, calling him by name in our letter. Official letters are impersonal, they are not addressed to anyone, the name of the addressee is not used in the main part of the letter, only at the beginning. Imperative constructions in official letters and documents are replaced by passive ones, that is, you do not give instructions, but formulate a rule:

If you have questions, feel free to ask me. - If you have any questions, feel free to contact me.

You will be contacted for further information. - You will be contacted for further information.

7. Coordination of ideas

Even unions of formal and informal style have their own differences. In informal communication, we use a familiar set of phrases and expressions to bring our ideas together. Most of them are short: and, but, also, because. Conjunctions that are used in the formal register are usually long words or phrases. Let's look at the table and compare some of them:

Informal		Translation
	due to (the fact that)	as a result because of
		in addition
		thus
		otherwise
		provided that
		Furthermore

The word also as a conjunction should be avoided in formal style, but it is perfectly acceptable to use it if it refers to a verb (in constructions or inverse sentences):

Also see the agenda attached. - See also the attached action plan.

Also covered accommodation expenses. - Accommodation expenses are also reimbursed.

As you can see, formal and informal styles in English are fundamentally different from each other. The main distinguishing features are:

• vocabulary
• grammar, use of active and passive voice
• use of phrasal verbs, slang expressions
• use of speech patterns, clichés
• use of abbreviated forms
• harmonization of ideas

Thus, when starting to write a letter in English, remember the differences in registers, follow the vocabulary, grammar, and other language means so that your letter is in the same style.

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Formal and informal letters
types of letters by purpose
writing them: support
communication, inquiries
for getting a job,
complaints, news broadcast,
support of business
transactions and others.
All these types of letters
divided into personal
informal (letters
friends, for example) and
official - formal.
Allocate also
semi-formal or
neutral (semi-formal or
neutral) style, but in its own way
character is closer to
formal.

formal style

formal style
used in official
setting: in this style
conferences and
presentations, business
communication, writing documents,
scientific articles and books.
Proposals in formal
language is usually more
long and complex.

Some authors distinguish the following styles depending on the type of communication, addressee, and language means:

1. Do not shorten words.
For example:
I'm, I'd, I don't.
I am, I would, I do not.
Exception: It is allowed to use expressions
indicating ownership, such as the company's
manager, it is not necessary to say the manager of the
company.
2. Avoid slang and colloquial sentences.
For example: What's up? How are you doing?
Yourself? Thank you very well

Rules for a formal style of correspondence

3.
Build complex extended sentences.
An example of a complex sentence in a formal style:
The period of the five months has been very rich in new events, with significant developments
taking place both in the securities markets and in the financial system as a whole. -
The five-month period was rich in events and significant transformations,
that took place both in the securities market and in the financial system as a whole.
4. Use special terminology.
For example: “We audit financial report”, not “We check financial report”.
5. Avoid the pronoun "I".
For example:
I think, in my opinion
Should you need any further information, do not hesitate to contact us. - If you need
any further information, do not hesitate to contact us.

Rules for a formal style of correspondence

6. Use complex grammar in a sentence.
For example:
You are invited to the conference. - You are invited to
conference.
We invite you to the conference. - We invite you to
conference.

informal style

On an informal
English is spoken in
everyday situations and
friendly correspondence.

How to make your speech sound informal:

1. Be brief.
For example:
- Hi! What's up?
- She told me, I'm joke.
- Really? Oh, come on, you're cool!
- Thanks!
2. Abbreviate words and use them in shortened forms.
For example:
wanna (instead of want to), I'd (instead of I would), yep (instead of yes), etc.
Let's give an example, here the abbreviation ain't is used in the meaning
do not: I ain't like this book. - I don't like this book.

10. Neutral style is the golden mean

Neutral English -
it's something in between the two
extremes. This language is almost
all books and magazines, he
used when communicating with
colleagues, acquaintances and
relatives. Should
keep in mind that the neutral style
different from informal
in a more polite tone.

11. How to learn to speak neutral English:

1. Use abbreviated forms.
For example:
I'd, I've, you're
2. Be careful with slang.
3. Be polite.
For example, instead of "Send me that letter" you should say
“Could you please send me that letter.”

12. Comparison of sentences spoken in different styles

Situation
Formal
Neutral
Informal
A friend has a new BMW.
He has acquired a top of the
range German-manufactured
automobile.
He's bought a BMW.
He's got a beemer.
You are very tired. You want
to go to sleep.
I require some rest and
repose.
I need to get some sleep.
I'm gonna catch some
zees.
A friend of yours, Mary
wants to apply for a job but is
afraid she will be rejected.
You tell her not to be so
frightened.
Do not allow your cowardice
to hold you back.
Don't be such a coward.
Don't be such a chicken.

Most people speak and write differently, depending on the circumstances. For example, in some languages ​​there are quite strict rules on how to address elders in age or status. There are no such strict rules in English. However, there are certain words and constructions that are most often used in formal speech.

This article, written for our site by a professional teacher of these English courses, describes some of the key aspects that speak to the degree of formality of speech.

Formal situations can be described in simple terms as situations where people are careful about how they express themselves (for example, in business dealings or just being polite to strangers). At the same time, the English language is replete with informal words and expressions that are used most often in the communication of friends and people who know each other well. In writing, they usually adhere to a formal style, and in speech, an informal one. However, it is also not uncommon for circumstances to force or predispose to an informal style of writing (eg, a forum or Internet chat) or a formal style of speech (the president's address to the nation).

Of course, most words and expressions in English have a "neutral" character. However, knowing how to use formal and informal speech can be of great help if you want to sound natural in casual conversations with colleagues and don't want to sound "simple" in an important presentation.

Differences in grammar

Some grammatical aspects have different formal and informal "versions". For example, abbreviation of auxiliary verbs and negative forms is typical for informal style:

• We have done it. It is possible. We did it. It's possible.
• We've done it. It's possible.

In informal speech constructions, it is not uncommon to see a preposition at the end of a sentence, while in a formal style they are more often used at the beginning:

• At what sport are you good? What sport are you good at?
• What sport are you good at?

Some relative constructs may also differ. For example:

• The boy whom she asked (formally). The boy she asked.
• The boy she asked (informally).

In addition, after some attributive words (such as “neither”, for example) in the formal style, there are verbs in the singular:

• Neither of the girls wants to participate. None of the girls want to take part.

and in the plural after informal definitives:

• Neither of the girls want to take part.

Some pronouns also change their form depending on the situation (rather not even on the situation, but on the style of presentation of the speaker himself).

Such a common phenomenon in English as the omission of words is more characteristic of informal speech:

Differences in vocabulary

In English, many words also have their formal or informal synonyms. The following are examples of similar words (which can be different parts of speech, but most often verbs):

More formally:	Less formal:	Translation:
repair	fix	to fix
start	start/begin	start off
somewhat	a bit	Little
sufficient	enough	enough
occur	happen	happen
postpone	put off	save
challenging	hard	complicated
handle	deal with	deal with, deal with (someone, something)
wealthier	richer	richer
use	utilize	use

Polite requests and questions

One of the most common reasons for formality in communication is the politeness and respect with which one addresses strangers or elders. To do this, the appeal is formulated in a less “straightforward” way. The easiest way to do this is to use questions that can be answered with yes or no. This implies that the person to whom the request is addressed can choose whether to agree to him/her or not.