Style and Register

Formal and Informal

Focus on
Informal language
is all right for friends, co-workers, host family, or service staff (at a restaurant for example). has less strict grammar rules and often has shortened sentences. For example, I can't speak English. (NOT I can not speak English) I dunno (NOT I don't know)

Vocabulary is often different as well. For example: That sucks. (informal) That's too bad. (formal) That's legit/sweet/awesome. (informal) That's great. (formal)

Informal language is usually spoken more than written. Simply saying, in an informal language, you talk in the way you would talk to your friends.

Focus on
Formal language
is often used in official public notices, business situations, and polite conversations with strangers. has stricter grammar rules and often uses more difficult vocabulary. For example:-

He is going to the dance tonight. NOT He's going to the dance tonight. (no contractions) George has received the letter. NOT George received the letter. (use the present perfect more often) She wore the hat that I gave her. NOT She wore the hat I gave her. (keep the relative pronoun 'that') Do you want to go to the park? NOT You want to go to the park? (do not delete words)

Vocabulary is often a little different as well. Please refrain from smoking. (formal) Please don't smoke. (informal) You must adhere to these guidelines. (formal) You must follow these guidelines. (informal)

Simply saying, formal language is use when you are talking in complete sentences It is often used to show respect. If you are writing a history paper, for example, you would use a formal register. It is using the language without slang or abbreviations such as "You've, he's, they're, goin', yeah"

Another meaning
Formal /informal style is the term given to variation in formality of speech and writing. There is a continuum from the most formal to the most informal.

Father was fatigued. (very formal style)

Dad was shattered. (informal) The old man was stuffed. (informal)

The three sentences above have similar meaning; they differ in the degree of formality of style. All three examples above are written in standard English. Slang is not the same as vernacular English. It is language in a very informal style of English.

I seen the old man was stuffed.

This sentence is written in a very informal style (slang), and it is in the vernacular.

The difference between formal and informal language:

Just as you get formal and informal clothes, you also get formal and informal language. In some situations it is appropriate to use more formal language, whereas in others, informal language is more suitable.

Informal language: is the kind of language that you use when you speak to your friends. It is relaxed and casual. Formal language: is the kind of language that is used in more serious situations or in the workplace. It is correct standard English that does not use slang.

Formal, Informal and Inbetween

Sometimes you may use a form of language that does not fall neatly into either of these categories. For example, when you speak to your parents, you are probably not as informal as when you speak to your friends, however, you are probably not as formal as if you were speaking to your school principal.

Conclusion
The most formal style will be the most foreign to many students and will require modeling. The most formal style is also the language of academic writing; as students progress through the school, they will need to understand and use this style.