Words are the basis of how a reader or listener judges you, the writer and speaker. When you write an academic paper or speak in a business interview, you want to be sure to choose your words carefully. In our casual, everyday talk, we often use a lot of “ums,” “likes,” “yeahs,” and so on. This everyday language is not appropriate for formal contexts, such as academic papers and business interviews. You should switch between different ways of speaking and writing depending on whether the context is formal or informal.

Each of us adapts in some way depending on who we’re speaking to.  You would probably talk very different to your mother versus your best friend versus your boss.  In the same manner, think of the written language as something that also should adapt according to its purposes and who its speaking to.  Academic English, though not the most formal out there, tends to be more formal than say, a magazine article, and most definitely more so than an email or text.  So here are some ways to think about these different levels of formality:

Informal Style

Use this when writing to a very limited audience—yourself, a close friend, a classmate—in short notes or personal letters.  Informal writing is colloquial and may contain slang or fragments.

Example: Most dudes in my college fraternity seem to be pretty brainy, and they hit the books real hard.  But they aren’t that stuck up, not like the Geek Patrol we knew at Jefferson High.  In fat, they’re all right.  They even tutor kids whose grades are tanking.

Familiar/Popular Style

Use in short business memos, letters to the editor, friends, or relatives.  Familiar writing resembles everyday conversation but does not use colloquialisms, slang, or fragments.

Example: You would like the students in my fraternity.  They are fairly smart, but they often burn the midnight oil when they want to ace a big exam.  However, they’re not snobby eggheads.  In fact they often tutor other kids who are having trouble with school work.

Formal Style

Use when writing academic papers, essay questions, business letters or business reports.  It is usually highly stylized and uses no colloquialisms, slang, or clichés.  There is no addressing of the reader by using “you.”  Also, more formal vocabulary is used as well as more complex sentence structure.

Example: Students in my fraternity are quite likable.  They are intelligent, but they are also diligent, studying hard especially when it comes to major examinations.  However, they are not snobs.  In fact they often tutor other students who are having difficult with their studies.

For most academic papers, you should aim to write in the formal style.  Most of us tend to write more in the familiar style and consider that formal, but academic writing should not have the colloquial, everyday speech feel of familiar style.