difference between formal essay and informal essay

Extended Essay: Formal vs. Informal Writing

• Extended Essay- The Basics
• Step 1. Choose a Subject
• Step 2. Educate yourself!
• Using Brainstorming and Mind Maps
• Identify Keywords
• Do Background Reading
• Define Your Topic
• Conduct Research in a Specific Discipline
• Step 5. Draft a Research Question
• Step 6. Create a Timeline
• Find Articles
• Find Primary Sources
• Get Help from Experts
• Search Engines, Repositories, & Directories
• Databases and Websites by Subject Area
• Create an Annotated Bibliography
• Advice (and Warnings) from the IB
• Chicago Citation Syle
• MLA Works Cited & In-Text Citations
• Step 9. Set Deadlines for Yourself
• Step 10. Plan a structure for your essay
• Evaluate & Select: the CRAAP Test
• Conducting Secondary Research
• Conducting Primary Research
• Formal vs. Informal Writing
• Presentation Requirements
• Evaluating Your Work

Differences Between Informal and Formal Essays

When writing your extended essay you should use language that is formal and academic in tone.  The chart below gives you some idea of the differences between informal and formal essays. See the box below for examples of the differences in tone in informal and formal essays written on identical topics. A PDF of this chart, and the examples below, is in the box to the right , along with a list of tips for avoiding colloquial writing.

Examples of Informal and Formal Tone in Essay Writing

The following examples highlight the differences between formal and informal tone.

Language B - English

• Formal vs. Informal Writing A chart giving the differences between informal and formal essays in seven areas (author's viewpoint; subject/content (sources of evidence); tone; structure; location of the research question; vocabulary; and purpose. Also included are examples comparing informal and formal writing for essays in English, biology, and psychology.
• How to Avoid Colloquial (Informal) Writing While it may be acceptable in friendly e-mails and chat rooms, excessive colloquialism is a major pitfall that lowers the quality of formal written text. Here are some steps/tips that you can follow to help improve your overall writing.
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Is an essay formal or informal: characteristics of each

Is an essay formal or informal

Essays are common in the world today. They have easily become part of our life.

The need to differentiate all types of essays that can be written has led to a popular question of whether essays are formal or informal. Essays can be both formal and informal.

To start with, formal essays are written for academic and professional purposes. They must be factual, research-based, and written in the third person.

On the other hand, informal essays are written for personal or casual services. They are also known as personal essays. Also, they are subjective and involve the writer giving his or her problem. They must be written in first person voice

Features of a Formal Essay

The following are the features that a formal essay should have:

1. Specific Language

Specific terms are preferred in formal essays to general ones. These terms help in providing more information and impact to the reader.

Also, physically concrete language is better than abstract terms because it helps give the reader a clear understanding. For example, instead of saying that “the scene was lovely and beautiful,” you can say that “the bright green grass and the clear blue sky were perfect for a day out.”

When descriptions are needed it is advisable to be as specific as possible.

2. Third person voice

Formal essays and any academic writing should always be written in the third person voice unless stated otherwise by the instructors. He, she, they, and one should be used instead of me or us.

Essays should not be referencing you unless in instances you ask for your own opinion which mostly occurs in coursework questions and not essays.

3. Active Voice over Passive Voice

To make the essay clearer and livelier to the audience active voice should be used because it uses fewer words and lays an emphasis on the doer of an action.

On the contrary, passive voice puts the receiver of the action first and puts the doer of the action after the verb or completely excludes the doer something that should only happen if the doer is not important.

In essays, the subjects need to act which is guaranteed by the active voice, unlike the passive voice where the subject is acted upon.

4. Present Tense over Past Tense

The present tense is preferred in essays because it makes it them to read, draws the reader’s attention more than the past tense, and makes information more immediate.

However, some sciences require that essays be written in the past tense. Therefore, you must consult with professors about what tense to use.

5. No clichés

Clichés should not be used in essays because they are not original. Also, they are overused hence making your essay lose originality and creativity.

They are too common and often used and should be avoided. For example, saying “as blind as a bat” is a cliché. Instead, the writer should just say “severe vision problems.”

Informal Essay characteristics

1. first and second person.

When writing informal essays, the writer is free to use the first and second person . Therefore, pronouns such as I, us, we, you, and me can be used. They help show the ownership of thoughts and experiences.

When writing an informal essay, telling a story is important. The story has to be personal for it to connect with the audience.

If your informal essay does not connect to the target audience, then it means that it will not serve its purpose.

3. Simple Grammar

Informal essays should not be too complex. The writer should always use simple words that are easy to understand.

One does not need to be an expert to understand the content of your essay.

To add to that, the sentences need to be short. There is no concept in an informal essay that calls for a detailed explanation requiring you to use long sentences to deliver the point home.

Short sentences make your informal essay easy for readers to understand and follow through.

4. Use of Slang, Colloquialisms, and Humour

Slang should be used in informal writing to connect with the audience. However, it is important to ensure that the slang words are well known to avoid giving trouble to readers who may not know the slang.

Colloquialisms or the words and language used in the street should be used to make your informal essay connect with common people.

Also, humour should be used to make the reader of your informal essay laugh. Exaggeration, shock, and misdirection are techniques that you can use to deliver humor in the essay.

Differences between Formal and Informal Writing

Informal and formal essays can be differentiated using the following factors:

1. Vocabulary

In informal essays, the vocabulary is short, simple, and direct. There is no use of phrasal verbs.

On the other hand, long and hard vocabulary can be used in formal essays. Slangs and contractions are not used .

The tone used in formal essays should be objective. All emotions should be held back and if expressed they should be through the essay arguments.

However, the tone in informal essays is subjective and personal. What this means is that the tone can either be casual, conversational, amusing, or thoughtful.

3. Structure

There are no structure or format rules when it comes to writing informal essays. What you have to do mostly is just write. There is no logical standard or sequence put in place that dictates how the essay should be written.

Contrarily, formal essays have logical sequences and structures. Several formatting methods are required to be followed when writing these essays.

Also, arguments should be made in single paragraphs and points should never mix up. Remember the conclusion should also be a summary of the points discussed earlier.

Formal essays are mainly used for educational purposes to evaluate and detail analysis.

On the other hand, informal essays’ main purposes are interactions, entertainment, and reflections.

5. Subject/Content

The subject or content of formal essays mainly involves historical events, literature, and knowledge.

On the other hand, the content of informal essays mainly involves personal events and everyday events.

6. Characteristics

Formal essays are usually written using the third person pronouns while informal essays are written using first and second person pronouns.

Also, everyday language and slang can be used in informal essays while official and simple language is used in formal essays.

With over 10 years in academia and academic assistance, Alicia Smart is the epitome of excellence in the writing industry. She is our chief editor and in charge of the writing department at Grade Bees.

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• The four main types of essay | Quick guide with examples

The Four Main Types of Essay | Quick Guide with Examples

Published on September 4, 2020 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on July 23, 2023.

An essay is a focused piece of writing designed to inform or persuade. There are many different types of essay, but they are often defined in four categories: argumentative, expository, narrative, and descriptive essays.

Argumentative and expository essays are focused on conveying information and making clear points, while narrative and descriptive essays are about exercising creativity and writing in an interesting way. At university level, argumentative essays are the most common type. 

In high school and college, you will also often have to write textual analysis essays, which test your skills in close reading and interpretation.

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Table of contents

Argumentative essays, expository essays, narrative essays, descriptive essays, textual analysis essays, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about types of essays.

An argumentative essay presents an extended, evidence-based argument. It requires a strong thesis statement —a clearly defined stance on your topic. Your aim is to convince the reader of your thesis using evidence (such as quotations ) and analysis.

Argumentative essays test your ability to research and present your own position on a topic. This is the most common type of essay at college level—most papers you write will involve some kind of argumentation.

The essay is divided into an introduction, body, and conclusion:

• The introduction provides your topic and thesis statement
• The body presents your evidence and arguments
• The conclusion summarizes your argument and emphasizes its importance

The example below is a paragraph from the body of an argumentative essay about the effects of the internet on education. Mouse over it to learn more.

A common frustration for teachers is students’ use of Wikipedia as a source in their writing. Its prevalence among students is not exaggerated; a survey found that the vast majority of the students surveyed used Wikipedia (Head & Eisenberg, 2010). An article in The Guardian stresses a common objection to its use: “a reliance on Wikipedia can discourage students from engaging with genuine academic writing” (Coomer, 2013). Teachers are clearly not mistaken in viewing Wikipedia usage as ubiquitous among their students; but the claim that it discourages engagement with academic sources requires further investigation. This point is treated as self-evident by many teachers, but Wikipedia itself explicitly encourages students to look into other sources. Its articles often provide references to academic publications and include warning notes where citations are missing; the site’s own guidelines for research make clear that it should be used as a starting point, emphasizing that users should always “read the references and check whether they really do support what the article says” (“Wikipedia:Researching with Wikipedia,” 2020). Indeed, for many students, Wikipedia is their first encounter with the concepts of citation and referencing. The use of Wikipedia therefore has a positive side that merits deeper consideration than it often receives.

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An expository essay provides a clear, focused explanation of a topic. It doesn’t require an original argument, just a balanced and well-organized view of the topic.

Expository essays test your familiarity with a topic and your ability to organize and convey information. They are commonly assigned at high school or in exam questions at college level.

The introduction of an expository essay states your topic and provides some general background, the body presents the details, and the conclusion summarizes the information presented.

A typical body paragraph from an expository essay about the invention of the printing press is shown below. Mouse over it to learn more.

The invention of the printing press in 1440 changed this situation dramatically. Johannes Gutenberg, who had worked as a goldsmith, used his knowledge of metals in the design of the press. He made his type from an alloy of lead, tin, and antimony, whose durability allowed for the reliable production of high-quality books. This new technology allowed texts to be reproduced and disseminated on a much larger scale than was previously possible. The Gutenberg Bible appeared in the 1450s, and a large number of printing presses sprang up across the continent in the following decades. Gutenberg’s invention rapidly transformed cultural production in Europe; among other things, it would lead to the Protestant Reformation.

A narrative essay is one that tells a story. This is usually a story about a personal experience you had, but it may also be an imaginative exploration of something you have not experienced.

Narrative essays test your ability to build up a narrative in an engaging, well-structured way. They are much more personal and creative than other kinds of academic writing . Writing a personal statement for an application requires the same skills as a narrative essay.

A narrative essay isn’t strictly divided into introduction, body, and conclusion, but it should still begin by setting up the narrative and finish by expressing the point of the story—what you learned from your experience, or why it made an impression on you.

Mouse over the example below, a short narrative essay responding to the prompt “Write about an experience where you learned something about yourself,” to explore its structure.

Since elementary school, I have always favored subjects like science and math over the humanities. My instinct was always to think of these subjects as more solid and serious than classes like English. If there was no right answer, I thought, why bother? But recently I had an experience that taught me my academic interests are more flexible than I had thought: I took my first philosophy class.

Before I entered the classroom, I was skeptical. I waited outside with the other students and wondered what exactly philosophy would involve—I really had no idea. I imagined something pretty abstract: long, stilted conversations pondering the meaning of life. But what I got was something quite different.

A young man in jeans, Mr. Jones—“but you can call me Rob”—was far from the white-haired, buttoned-up old man I had half-expected. And rather than pulling us into pedantic arguments about obscure philosophical points, Rob engaged us on our level. To talk free will, we looked at our own choices. To talk ethics, we looked at dilemmas we had faced ourselves. By the end of class, I’d discovered that questions with no right answer can turn out to be the most interesting ones.

The experience has taught me to look at things a little more “philosophically”—and not just because it was a philosophy class! I learned that if I let go of my preconceptions, I can actually get a lot out of subjects I was previously dismissive of. The class taught me—in more ways than one—to look at things with an open mind.

A descriptive essay provides a detailed sensory description of something. Like narrative essays, they allow you to be more creative than most academic writing, but they are more tightly focused than narrative essays. You might describe a specific place or object, rather than telling a whole story.

Descriptive essays test your ability to use language creatively, making striking word choices to convey a memorable picture of what you’re describing.

A descriptive essay can be quite loosely structured, though it should usually begin by introducing the object of your description and end by drawing an overall picture of it. The important thing is to use careful word choices and figurative language to create an original description of your object.

Mouse over the example below, a response to the prompt “Describe a place you love to spend time in,” to learn more about descriptive essays.

On Sunday afternoons I like to spend my time in the garden behind my house. The garden is narrow but long, a corridor of green extending from the back of the house, and I sit on a lawn chair at the far end to read and relax. I am in my small peaceful paradise: the shade of the tree, the feel of the grass on my feet, the gentle activity of the fish in the pond beside me.

My cat crosses the garden nimbly and leaps onto the fence to survey it from above. From his perch he can watch over his little kingdom and keep an eye on the neighbours. He does this until the barking of next door’s dog scares him from his post and he bolts for the cat flap to govern from the safety of the kitchen.

With that, I am left alone with the fish, whose whole world is the pond by my feet. The fish explore the pond every day as if for the first time, prodding and inspecting every stone. I sometimes feel the same about sitting here in the garden; I know the place better than anyone, but whenever I return I still feel compelled to pay attention to all its details and novelties—a new bird perched in the tree, the growth of the grass, and the movement of the insects it shelters…

Sitting out in the garden, I feel serene. I feel at home. And yet I always feel there is more to discover. The bounds of my garden may be small, but there is a whole world contained within it, and it is one I will never get tired of inhabiting.

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Though every essay type tests your writing skills, some essays also test your ability to read carefully and critically. In a textual analysis essay, you don’t just present information on a topic, but closely analyze a text to explain how it achieves certain effects.

Rhetorical analysis

A rhetorical analysis looks at a persuasive text (e.g. a speech, an essay, a political cartoon) in terms of the rhetorical devices it uses, and evaluates their effectiveness.

The goal is not to state whether you agree with the author’s argument but to look at how they have constructed it.

The introduction of a rhetorical analysis presents the text, some background information, and your thesis statement; the body comprises the analysis itself; and the conclusion wraps up your analysis of the text, emphasizing its relevance to broader concerns.

The example below is from a rhetorical analysis of Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech . Mouse over it to learn more.

King’s speech is infused with prophetic language throughout. Even before the famous “dream” part of the speech, King’s language consistently strikes a prophetic tone. He refers to the Lincoln Memorial as a “hallowed spot” and speaks of rising “from the dark and desolate valley of segregation” to “make justice a reality for all of God’s children.” The assumption of this prophetic voice constitutes the text’s strongest ethical appeal; after linking himself with political figures like Lincoln and the Founding Fathers, King’s ethos adopts a distinctly religious tone, recalling Biblical prophets and preachers of change from across history. This adds significant force to his words; standing before an audience of hundreds of thousands, he states not just what the future should be, but what it will be: “The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges.” This warning is almost apocalyptic in tone, though it concludes with the positive image of the “bright day of justice.” The power of King’s rhetoric thus stems not only from the pathos of his vision of a brighter future, but from the ethos of the prophetic voice he adopts in expressing this vision.

Literary analysis

A literary analysis essay presents a close reading of a work of literature—e.g. a poem or novel—to explore the choices made by the author and how they help to convey the text’s theme. It is not simply a book report or a review, but an in-depth interpretation of the text.

Literary analysis looks at things like setting, characters, themes, and figurative language. The goal is to closely analyze what the author conveys and how.

The introduction of a literary analysis essay presents the text and background, and provides your thesis statement; the body consists of close readings of the text with quotations and analysis in support of your argument; and the conclusion emphasizes what your approach tells us about the text.

Mouse over the example below, the introduction to a literary analysis essay on Frankenstein , to learn more.

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is often read as a crude cautionary tale about the dangers of scientific advancement unrestrained by ethical considerations. In this reading, protagonist Victor Frankenstein is a stable representation of the callous ambition of modern science throughout the novel. This essay, however, argues that far from providing a stable image of the character, Shelley uses shifting narrative perspectives to portray Frankenstein in an increasingly negative light as the novel goes on. While he initially appears to be a naive but sympathetic idealist, after the creature’s narrative Frankenstein begins to resemble—even in his own telling—the thoughtlessly cruel figure the creature represents him as. This essay begins by exploring the positive portrayal of Frankenstein in the first volume, then moves on to the creature’s perception of him, and finally discusses the third volume’s narrative shift toward viewing Frankenstein as the creature views him.

If you want to know more about AI tools , college essays , or fallacies make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

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At high school and in composition classes at university, you’ll often be told to write a specific type of essay , but you might also just be given prompts.

Look for keywords in these prompts that suggest a certain approach: The word “explain” suggests you should write an expository essay , while the word “describe” implies a descriptive essay . An argumentative essay might be prompted with the word “assess” or “argue.”

The vast majority of essays written at university are some sort of argumentative essay . Almost all academic writing involves building up an argument, though other types of essay might be assigned in composition classes.

Essays can present arguments about all kinds of different topics. For example:

• In a literary analysis essay, you might make an argument for a specific interpretation of a text
• In a history essay, you might present an argument for the importance of a particular event
• In a politics essay, you might argue for the validity of a certain political theory

An argumentative essay tends to be a longer essay involving independent research, and aims to make an original argument about a topic. Its thesis statement makes a contentious claim that must be supported in an objective, evidence-based way.

An expository essay also aims to be objective, but it doesn’t have to make an original argument. Rather, it aims to explain something (e.g., a process or idea) in a clear, concise way. Expository essays are often shorter assignments and rely less on research.

The key difference is that a narrative essay is designed to tell a complete story, while a descriptive essay is meant to convey an intense description of a particular place, object, or concept.

Narrative and descriptive essays both allow you to write more personally and creatively than other kinds of essays , and similar writing skills can apply to both.

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• Academic Writing / APA 7th Ed

Formal vs. Informal Writing

by Purdue Global Academic Success Center and Writing Center · Published December 11, 2020 · Updated December 11, 2020

Writing to many is about dos and don’ts, especially don’ts–don’t use first person, don’t use second person, don’t use slang, don’t use contractions, don’t use hyperbole. Don’t, don’t, don’t. And of course these “don’ts” are usually couched within the context of formal vs. informal writing in that the don’ts apply to formal writing and what you don’t want to do when writing formally. These don’ts (and others) highlight what many see as the differences between formal and informal writing. Well, I suppose so, but exceptions to rules exist, and not all writing can be so neatly categorized as either formal or informal. Certainly some writing might be what I will term semi-formal. And just because a piece of writing is less formal than formal writing doesn’t mean that’s inherently bad, which I think is sometimes the impression given. For me, how language is used in a piece of writing is less about the level of formality of the writing context and more about audience and purpose. 

First, let’s consider formal vs. informal writing with respect to APA Style. APA Style does include some “don’ts” such as to avoid using contractions and slang, but APA Style also makes it clear that its guidelines are intended for scholarly writing, and the purpose of scholarly writing is to share research and discuss findings on a narrowly defined topic, so the audience would primarily be experts in a given field. When presenting research, one wants to be taken seriously, so using a more formal writing style seems a good approach as it would help to establish the proper tone for the work. After all, what would you take more seriously?

A. The upshot of the study will blow your minds.

B. The results of the study raise a number of questions worth pursuing.

The tone in the first example is too colloquial and casual. If the audience is made up of other experts in the field–researchers, scholars, academicians, educators–for the purpose of sharing and discussing serious research, then the writer would be wise to adopt a more formal usage of language in this writing context. To ignore what is surely a standard expectation of scholarly writing would risk alienating the audience. Not being aware of the writing context and dressing up your prose appropriately is akin to being invited to a big-deal gala, an invitation-only black-tie affair and showing up wearing shorts, t-shirt, and sneakers. You wouldn’t be taken seriously, would you? With this in mind, the audience and purpose in this example dictate that more formal writing be used. It just makes sense. 

Conversely, if you wrote a text to a good friend to invite him to a weekend barbeque, you wouldn’t write, Dear Friend, I would be honored by your presence at a barbeque Saturday, July 20, at 2 PM sharp. Food and beverages will be provided by the hosts. Casual attire required. RSVP no later than–you get the idea. The audience and purpose in this scenario would be alienated by the unnecessarily formal prose, not to mention utterly flabbergasted and perhaps even a little concerned. Clearly, a text to a good friend is an occasion for informal writing that might even include abbreviated words. Make sense?

I am often in the minority when people rail against the evils of texting and how it’s the downfall of an orderly and civilized world. “Texting is ruining people’s ability to write complete and grammatically correct sentences,” they will say. “Before we know it, sentences will be nothing but abbreviations.” Well, I’m not so sure. I get the idea that when textspeak creeps into some writing contexts, a problem exists. But doesn’t the issue all come down to audience and purpose? Perhaps the issue isn’t so much texting itself, but, rather, people’s failure to consider audience and purpose appropriately? 

Further, doesn’t language usage evolve over time to reflect a changing culture? After all, we have new words in the English language this year that we didn’t have last year. And how many of you have received an email from your boss with such abbreviations as FYI or SME? Think of the abbreviations that are already used regularly and in many different writing contexts–TBA, FAQ, AKA, NNTR, and everyone’s favorite, TGIF. Would I use an abbreviation like these in an academic paper? Unless the point of the paper were to discuss textspeak or a related topic, of course not! Have I received emails from higher ups that include such abbreviations as NNTR or COB? Yes, I have, and I see nothing wrong with it. Communication and the formality of the language used is all about audience and purpose, and for written communication to be effective, the writer must consider audience and purpose carefully. EOD.

You might be thinking, ok, I get the difference between formal and informal writing situations, but what about the middle-of-the-road, hard-to-tell, not-so-black-and-white writing occasions? What’s the best approach in these kinds of situations? 

Just like there are back-yard barbeques and black-tie affairs, there are also semi-formal and business-casual events. Appropriate language use still comes down to audience and purpose. 

Let’s say your’re writing a blog post for an educational audience made up of primarily educators, students, and administrators. Your purpose is to inform and engage and develop an ongoing readership and learning community. Perhaps even to stir up a little controversy from time to time. Does this sound like a black-tie affair or business casual? While the audience may be comprised of students and educators, a blog post that shares information is not at all the same as sharing and discussing research findings in a peer-reviewed academic journal that might be published quarterly and whose primary audience is other experts in a defined field of study. Readers of a blog usually are subscribers and thus a more informal writing style is indicative of a closer relationship between the blog and its audience, so a casual treatment of language seems appropriate even if the topic itself is a serious one. While an author of a scholarly article might not use first person, address readers directly, engage in word play, or use other rhetorical devices for effect, such an approach seems perfectly fine for a blog. 

What about college assignments such as informative or persuasive essays that include research? Without a doubt, some student papers are intended to be formal academic works in which case avoiding contractions and first person makes sense. Indeed, for many college-level assignments, a more formal approach to writing is preferred, and if one has such an assignment and has questions about just how formal the writing should be, I suggest sending an email to the professor who would be the final authority on such a matter. (And if you do email your professor, please keep your audience and purpose in mind.)

That said, without another doubt, lots of student writing is not intended to be of a scholarly nature even if it uses content from research. Some assignments ask students to conduct interviews of family members or write about an issue in the community in which they live or discuss their personal educational journey, so, for example, it seems that using first person would be essential as referring to oneself in the third person is tremendously awkward and, frankly, just plain wrong. 

Now, despite all that I’ve written, I would be remiss if I didn’t at least put on the table that regardless of writing expectations and style guide pronouncements, I have to wonder if formal academic writing wouldn’t benefit by loosening up the writing a bit so that it sounded more natural, perhaps even personable. After all, those of us who teach writing or are educators surely have told our students not to use highfalutin, polysyllabic words and unnecessarily complex sentence structures when writing just to sound more sophisticated and knowledgeable, yet (dare I say it!), isn’t that what much formal academic writing does? 

Until next week–

Kurtis Clements

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Definition and Examples of Formal Essays

Glossary of Grammatical and Rhetorical Terms

• An Introduction to Punctuation
• Ph.D., Rhetoric and English, University of Georgia
• M.A., Modern English and American Literature, University of Leicester
• B.A., English, State University of New York

In composition studies , a formal essay is a short, relatively impersonal composition in prose . Also known as an impersonal essay or a Baconian essay (after the writings of England's first major essayist , Francis Bacon ).

In contrast to the familiar or personal essay , the formal essay is typically used for the discussion of ideas. Its rhetorical purpose is generally to inform or persuade.

"The technique of the formal essay," says William Harmon, "is now practically identical with that of all factual or theoretical prose in which literary effect is secondary" ( A Handbook to Literature , 2011).

Examples and Observations

• "' Formal' essays were introduced in England by [Francis] Bacon , who adopted Montaigne's term. Here the style is objective, compressed, aphoristic , wholly serious. . . . In modern times, the formal essay has become more diversified in subject matter, style , and length until it is better known by such names as article , dissertation, or thesis, and factual presentation rather than style or literary effect has become the basic aim." (L. H. Hornstein, G. D. Percy, and C. S. Brown, The Reader's Companion to World Literature , 2nd ed. Signet, 2002)
• A Blurred Distinction Between Formal Essays and Informal Essays "Francis Bacon and his followers had a more impersonal, magisterial, law-giving, and didactic manner than the skeptical Montaigne. But they should not be viewed as opposites; the distinction between formal and informal essay can be overdone, and most great essayists have crossed the line frequently. The difference is one of degree. [William] Hazlitt was essentially a personal essayist , though he wrote theater and art criticism; Matthew Arnold and John Ruskin were essentially formal essayists , though they may have tried a personal essay once in a while. Personality creeps into the most impersonal of writers: it is difficult to read Bacon on friendship or having children , for instance, without suspecting he is talking about autobiographical matters. Dr. Johnson was probably more a moral essayist than a personal one, though his work has such an individual, idiosyncratic stamp that I have persuaded myself to place him in the personal camp. George Orwell seems split fifty-fifty, an essay hermaphrodite who always kept one eye on the subjective and one on the political. . . . "The Victorian era saw a turn toward the formal essay , the so-called essay of ideas written by [Thomas] Carlyle, Ruskin, [Matthew] Arnold, Macaulay, Pater. Between Lamb and Beerbohm there was scarcely an English personal essay, with the exception of those by Robert Louis Stevenson and Thomas De Quincey . . . ." (Phillip Lopate, Introduction to The Art of the Personal Essay . Anchor, 1994)
• Voice in the Impersonal Essay "[E]ven when 'I' plays no part in the language of an essay, a firm sense of personality can warm the voice of the impersonal essay narrator . When we read Dr. [Samuel] Johnson and Edmund Wilson and Lionel Trilling , for instance, we feel that we know them as fully developed characters in their own essays, regardless of their not referring personally to themselves." (Phillip Lopate, "Writing Personal Essays: On the Necessity of Turning Oneself Into a Character." Writing Creative Nonfiction , ed. by Carolyn Forché and Philip Gerard. Writer's Digest Books, 2001)
• Crafting the Impersonal "I" "Unlike the exploratory 'self' of Montaigne, Francis Bacon's impersonal 'I' appears already to have arrived. Even in the comparatively expansive third edition of the Essays , Bacon provides few explicit hints as to either the character of the textual voice or the role of the expected reader. . . . [T]he absence of a felt 'self' on the page is a deliberate rhetorical effect: the effort to efface voice in the 'impersonal' essay is a way of evoking a distant but authoritative persona . . . . In the formal essay , invisibility must be forged." (Richard Nordquist, "Voices of the Modern Essay." University of Georgia, 1991)
• What Are the Different Types and Characteristics of Essays?
• What Is a Personal Essay (Personal Statement)?
• What Is Tone In Writing?
• Plain Style in Prose
• style (rhetoric and composition)
• Figures of Speech: The Apostrophe as a Literary Device
• Genres in Literature
• 6 Steps to Writing the Perfect Personal Essay
• What Is Enlightenment Rhetoric?
• What Is Euphony in Prose?
• AP English Exam: 101 Key Terms
• Point of View in Grammar and Composition
• What is a Familiar Essay in Composition?
• What an Essay Is and How to Write One
• A Brief Overview of British Literary Periods
• How to Write a Response Paper

The Complete Guide to What Are the Major Differences Between a Formal and Informal Essay

Whether you are writing an essay for an upcoming assignment, in the process of writing a dissertation, or simply writing an email to a colleague, it’s important to keep one thing in mind in order to determine the direction your writing will go – to whom am I writing to?

After spending several years in the classroom as a secondary teacher and sifting through an endless supply of online educational forums, I’ve learned how to masterfully differentiate my writing depending on the given task at hand.

You can too.

If you’re a newbie when it comes to writing, trying to expand your knowledge, or just suffering from a really bad case of colygraphia (I bet you didn’t know that means writer’s block), reading this article will give you a better understanding of what are the major differences between a formal and informal essay and give you tips to become a better writer.

Without further ado, let’s jump right in!

What Are the Major Differences Between a Formal and Informal Essay?

The amount of times I’ve been asked the question, “ Are formal and informal writing the same ?” by my students is likely close to infinity at this point, so maybe putting it in writing will eliminate the question once and for all (probably not, but I can dream).

To start understanding the difference between formal and informal essay let’s focus on formal essays first.

What Is a Formal Essay?

A formal essay is a piece of writing that is used to inform or persuade your intended audience. Unlike a personal or narrative essay, formal essays tend to be more objective because they revolve around provable facts and examples.

Where Is It Typically Used?

Although most people think of secondary school when they hear the words ‘formal essay’, it has several purposes outside of academics; such as job applications, writing to a client, or reaching out to someone you don’t know.

Formal essays are often written in third person (e.g. he, his, him, himself, her, she, hers, it, its, itself, them, they, their, theirs, and themselves).

The tone should be objective, with little to no emotional input.

Ideas or perspectives are expressed with unbiased facts and powerful arguments rather than feelings or personal opinions.

Formal essays are outlined in a way that focuses on one clear argument or idea at a time which supports the thesis. A typical academic formal essay is set up in the following manner: introduction (2-4 sentences), body (2-3 paragraphs), and conclusion (2-4 sentences).

Use proper English with technical words related to the subject. Avoid the use of “I” and “you” (although these words can sometimes be used in an introduction or conclusion).

If you are struggling to wrap your head around the language used in formal writing, check out this short video by Smrt English that highlights the differences between formal and informal language and which style is most appropriate for formal writing.

Also, don’t forget to use proper punctuation and correct spacing between paragraphs.

Usually used to present facts and ideas from a critical point of view by analyzing the subject in detail or through argumentative dialogue.

The length is dependent on how long it takes to get your point across, but typically the body of a formal essay goes as follows: introduction, examples, explanation, conclusion tied to the thesis, and transition when necessary. However, if you are one of my middle/high school students, the answer is always FIVE PARAGRAPHS.

5 Tips to Writing a Strong Formal Essay

• Keep your feelings out of it. Formal essays are objective and professional, so talking about how much you love or hate something should be left out altogether.
• Organize your thoughts in advance by planning. Sure, it may take you more time to complete the essay if you spend time planning first, but being able to coherently express ideas requires careful attention to detail.
• Use a plagiarism checker to make sure you don’t accidentally cheat or incorrectly cite sources. If you need a reliable method to ensure your content is 100% original, click here to find out more.
• Read your paper out loud while editing/revising. You’d be surprised how differently sentences sound in your head compared to when you physically hear it.
• Get ideas from peers on how to better structure your writing or just read this article about how to write a formal essay .

In need of a hands-on video that goes over the do’s and don’ts of writing an informative essay? Check out this video by EssayPro once you’ve finished here.

Now that we have formal essays under control, it’s time to move on to informal essays.

What Is an Informal Essay?

An informal essay is not as strict as a formal essay when it comes to formatting and the language used; instead, it’s written in a more conversational style. Informal essays can still be informative or reflect a certain perspective effectively, it’s just more loosely written.

Whether it is used to express personal views, political opinions, or to organize ideas, informal essays are usually written for pleasure.

Informal essays are often written in first-person (e.g. I, my, me, mine and myself) and sometimes second person (e.g. you, your, yours).

The tone tends to be more laid back and personal.

It can be amusing, ironic, serious, thoughtful or casual.

Unlike formal essays that have traditional outlines, informal essays can be laid out however the author chooses. Although informal essays can still follow a formal format in terms of structure , they tend to not be so rigid.

Everyday words, contractions, and slang can be used in informal essays. Instead of saying, “To whom this may concern”, you can say, “Hey, this essay is for you, so you better pay attention.”

Still confused or not sure about what are the differences between a formal and informal essay in terms of language? Here’s a different video created by Learn Easy English which highlights the differences between the two and gives examples.

Although punctuation and grammar don’t technically have to be ‘perfect’, I recommend considering the audience before coming to a conclusion and how to move forward.

Informal essays are for entertainment, reflection, or for responding to your crazy aunt’s biased opinions in a way that a text message simply can’t. Be sure to look for inspiration from other essays if you start suffering from colygraphia.

FIVE PARAGRAPHS!…just kidding, informal essays can be as long or short as you want it to be. That’s almost the main difference between formal and informal essay.

5 Tips to Writing an Effective Informal Essay

• Show your personality in your writing. An effective way to write an informal essay is to approach it the same way you would a conversation.
• Use readable language. Don’t resort to a vernacular that is foreign to you, make it intelligible (see what I did there?).
• Write an outline to better organize your ideas before writing. An outline can be a bubble map, a list of concepts you want to express, or the order in which you want to present your ideas.
• Don’t be afraid to make grammatical mistakes! Remember, everyday language and slang are okay, so you won’t lose points for using ‘wadup’ or ‘that’s dope’ to express your ideas.
• Cater your medium to the intended audience. If your presenting to a group or pitching an idea, consider using PowerPoint instead of reading out an essay. Having a lover’s quarrel? A letter is likely more effective at expressing your feelings than through an essay or PowerPoint presentation (can you imagine?).

Speaking of PowerPoints, if you are a teacher grading classwork or a student trying to pass their work through Copyscape, click here to learn about the 4 best ways to check a PowerPoint presentation for plagiarism.

Let’s Wrap it Up

In order to understand what are the major differences between a formal and informal essay, you need to remember two words: friendly and official. If you aren’t able to figure out which word represents which type of essay immediately, please look at this graph to give yourself a visual.

Formal essays are official and informal essays are friendly.

Useful Resources

• The main types of essay
• Best way to write an essay in under 30 minutes
• Planning an essay
• Main 5 parts of an essay: easy guidelines for writers

Now that you have a clear understanding of the differences between the two, it’s time for the hard part: actually writing the essay. If you need free help rewriting sentences and verifying your essay is plagiarism-free, click here to learn more about Plagiarisma.

Tips for Online Students , Tips for Students

Formal vs. Informal: Best Writing Practices

Langston Hughes once said, “The prerequisite for writing is having something to say.” But you are probably aware that there are many different styles of writing — and it pays to know which to use situationally. When it comes to formal vs informal writing styles, there is a time and place for each. By understanding their nuances and respective best practices, you can continue to improve your writing.

We will break all of this down and more, with examples. This can serve as a useful guide on formal vs informal writing for you throughout your educational journey (and beyond).

Defining Formal vs Informal Writing Styles

Formal writing is written for an audience you do not know on a personal level. It is often the main style in academic writing (unless otherwise noted) and is more complex than informal writing. Formal writing is serious.

Informal writing consists of short sentences and is used in more personal settings, such as writing a letter to a friend or writing a diary entry. It is much more relaxed than formal writing.

Photo by  Annie Spratt  on  Unsplash

Which style is appropriate.

Knowing the difference between formal and informal writing is only half the battle. The other important aspect is knowing which to use. Here are some examples of when you would use formal vs informal writing.

Use Formal Writing When:

• Writing professionally (reaching out to a client or prospect)
• Academic writings (essays, research papers, etc.)
• Job applications ( resume writing , CVs, and cover letters)
• Reaching out to someone you do not know

Use Informal Writing When:

• Writing to a friend
• Sharing a story or writing a personal blog
• Writing creatively
• Instructed to do so (if in school)
• Writing dialogue and conversations
• Writing an outline

If you are unsure of whether to use informal or formal writing, it’s generally the rule of thumb to start out writing formally. Then, when you make the connection and you see how the other side responds, you can ease up on the formality.

Key Features of Formal vs. Informal Writing

While the above gives a simple overview of the differences and uses of each style, let’s take a deeper look into what each style entails. That way, it should become more obvious how to recognize and structure each.

Formal writing tends to include the following:

• Long and complex sentences: Sentences tend to be compound and contain commas to link two ideas or use transitions like “Furthermore” and “To exemplify,”
• Does not use contractions: Would use “cannot” instead of “can’t”
• Objective: Does not offer personal opinions
• Doesn’t use colloquial language: You won’t see any slang or common everyday vocabulary
• Diverse vocabulary words: Vocabulary is of a higher level
• Use of words that are subject-specific: For example, if you are writing about biology, you’d use words like “epithelial cells” instead of “skin cells”
• Use of third person: Does not use first person pronouns like “I” or “me”

Informal writing includes the following:

• Can use first person, second or third: You can use any type of pronouns, including “I”
• Can use slang: The use of everyday language and slang terms can be used, such as “It was cool that…”
• Active voice: Sentences tend to be written with a subject acting on the verb, such as “We chilled the drinks and went out to the sea” instead of “The drinks were chilled…”
• Personal emotional tone can be detected: Since the writing is personal, it can include feelings and the sharing of emotions
• Contraction and abbreviation: It’s okay to use “can’t” instead of “cannot” or “it’s” instead of “it is”
• Empathy: You can put yourself in the shoes of your audience and address their problems directly. This shows the author as coming from a place of understanding their situation.

Formal vs Informal Writing Comparison Guide

Additional Considerations

There are a few more things to take into account when starting out on any writing endeavor. These include the following 3 questions:

• “Who is my audience?” – This is the first question you should ask when writing anything. You want to write to your audience, so you have to define them.
• “How formal is the project I’m working on?” – This goes hand-in-hand with the audience and the project goals. However, knowing the level of formality will help you write accordingly.
• “What medium should I use?” – For both informal and formal writing, you can produce the piece digitally or by hand. If it is for academic purposes and on the job, you’ll want to type your work. But, if you choose to write a formal letter by hand (such as a thank-you letter after a job interview), then it is advised to write on thicker card stock paper to look more professional. Remember, presentation is everything when it comes to formal work!

Here’s an Example!

Along with this list of references , here is a (meta) example on how this article would be written both formally and informally:

• Formal: When writing academically or professionally, it is important to show respect to your audience by electing to write in a formal style, rather than informally. This means that sentences are longer than usual and tend to feel complex. Writing complex sentences with hyperfluent vocabulary shows your audience that you are well-informed on the subject matter. Furthermore, this writing style depicts unbiased information eluding emotions and first-person pronouns from the content.
• Informal: Formal writing feels harder than informal writing. I think it’s because I can’t use contractions or short sentences. The only reason I’d write informally is if I had to, like if it was professional or academic. But when I write like this about formal writing, it’s easier. My vocabulary doesn’t matter as much. As you can see, I still care about grammar. Writing like this feels like I am talking to a friend.

Photo by  Glenn Carstens-Peters  on  Unsplash

Tying it all together.

There are many differences between formal vs. informal writing. That being said, they both serve their respective purposes. That’s why it’s important to understand both styles, as well as when to use them.

When writing professionally or academically, opt for formal writing. Remember to leave out contractions and remain unbiased.

On the other hand, informal writing comes from within. It’s aimed towards a personal audience, so you can write as if you are speaking to them. That way, you can use contractions, shorter sentences, colloquialism, and the like.

Regardless of why you are writing, always be sure to reread your work to check for typos and mistakes. The most important thing for writing is having something to say, but it’s also making sure that what you say can be understood!

Related Articles

What is the key difference between Formal and Informal essays?

• Post author: Rajveer
• Post last modified: March 12, 2023
• Reading time: 7 mins read

If you are on this page then I think you must have heard about these terms formal essay and informal essay. Basically, these are the two categories to differentiate in the essay. Whenever you are writing an essay, it will probably fall into one of these categories.

Essay writing is not a difficult task but when we talk about the difference between formal and informal essays then some beginners get confused with these two different types of essays. This article is specially written for those people who want to understand the difference between formal and informal essays.

If you are also wondering about the difference between formal and informal essays then you must read this article.

Formal Essays

Informal essays, 1. purpose of writing, 2. writing tone, 3. writing language, 4. writing characteristics, 5. structure of writing, 6. evidence for facts and data, final words on the difference between formal and informal essay, what is the difference between formal and informal essays.

A formal essay is one of the writing styles and categories in essay writing. A formal essay is written using a well-organized structure, vocabulary and punctuation. A formal essay is conducted with a formal tone and writing style and is more focused on giving readers a valuable perspective or solution.

A formal essay follows an academic and professional writing style. A formal essay does not contain informational words and the personal experience of the writer.

Informal essays tend to be more personal messages and conversations. Informal essays do not follow an academic and professional writing style and may include humorous words and personal opinions.

Writing an informal essay doesn’t require much topic research and grammar knowledge because it is more about just writing personal opinions.

Formal vs Informal Essays: The Key Differences You Need to Know

Both formal and informal essays are different categories of essay writing and they have some major differences. Below I have tried to write down some of the key points for the difference between formal and informal essays.

The purpose of formal essay writing is to present solutions and information for a specific topic. A formal essay includes a well-organized structure to represent logical arguments and thoughts.

Whereas an informal essay is a matter of expressing personal views and opinions on a specific topic.

The writing style and tone of both formal and informal essays are different. A formal essay is written in a professional manner. It excludes informal words and personal thoughts and focuses more on academic and professional writing.

Whereas an informal essay is more like a conversational message and may include some humorous words, and personal opinions.

A formal essay is written in formal language. It does not include personal expression or personal tone. While an informal essay may include informal language and words and personal thoughts and expressions.

Formal essay writing always includes only third-person pronouns. Some of the third-person pronouns are he, him, himself, she, her, herself, etc. While an informal essay mostly uses first personal pronouns. Some of the first-person pronouns are I, Me, My, We, Our, etc.

A formal essay follows an organized structure and focuses on easy navigation for readers to understand and connect with each paragraph. It includes typical academic content writing sections such as the introduction, main body and conclusion.

Informal essays, on the other hand, do not follow any structure. It can be flexible and the structure can vary from writer to writer. It is only focused on representing the idea and experience.

Formal essays usually require evidence for the statements, research, or data shown in the essay. Evidence and proof are not required in informal essays but sometimes you may need some proof to support your statement or idea.

Also Read: Guide for writing an essay fast and quickly

I hope the above key points helped you understand the difference between formal and informal essays. These are some key checks that you can use to identify whether an essay is formal or informal. Let me know if you still have any confusion

FAQ: Difference between Formal and Informal essay

Formal essays are written in a professional manner using good grammar, research, and evidence while informal essays are more like a conversational message.

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Informal Vs. Formal Writing: What’s The Difference?

• What Is Formal Writing?
• What Is Informal Writing?
• Formal Vs. Informal Writing
• Formal Example
• Informal Example

As a writer, you’re faced with a lot of choices related to your writing: how long should your essay be ? Who should be addressed in a cover letter ? What is a thesis statement ? But there’s one question that also applies to every composition: how do you distinguish writing that’s informal vs. formal?  

That’s right. Whether a piece is informal or formal will influence everything down to the smallest comma and period. But what, exactly, is the difference between formal and informal writing? When do you use one over the other? Are they really that different? If you are wondering the answers to those questions, then read on as we explore the many different features between formal and informal writing. 

What is formal writing ?

First, you should know that it is the intended readers that will determine if a writer should use formal writing or informal writing . Generally, formal writing is defined as writing targeted toward an audience that a person doesn’t personally know. Typically, formal writing is used when a person wants their writing to be viewed as professional, polite, authoritative, or some combination thereof. For this reason, formal writing is often used in professional settings. For example, formal writing is often the form of writing used in research and academic papers, corporate memos and emails, press releases, and job applications. 

What is informal writing ?

Informal writing is the inverse of formal writing . In a manner of speaking, informal writing is the T-shirt-and-jeans counterpart to formal writing’s dress coat and pants. In general, informal writing is defined as writing targeted toward an audience that the writer knows personally or with whom the writer wants to establish a friendly tone. Informal writing may include inside jokes, slang, abbreviations, and local colloquialisms . 

As you might expect, informal writing is common in casual settings such as social media and in texting between friends. However, you will often see informal writing used in other situations, such as in literature or in lighthearted feature stories in newspapers and magazines. 

Formal vs. informal writing

There are many differences between formal and informal writing. We will cover a large number of them here, but this list won’t be exhaustive. Still, you should have a good idea how formal and informal writing differ after looking at these different features.

Grammar, spelling, and punctuation

In almost all cases, formal writing adheres to the proper rules of grammar, spelling, and punctuation . Informal writing, on the other hand, may not. A person may not intentionally break the rules of grammar in informal writing, but they know that a reader is unlikely to care about errors or nonstandard sentence structure. 

• Formal writing: The writing was clear but had several mistakes; you should revise and redraft the article.
• Informal writing: The writing was clear, but had alot of mistakes… u should revise and redraft the article.  

Formal writing doesn’t always have to follow stuffy, antiquated rules. Check out 5 formulaic writing rules you can explore breaking.

Sentence length

Generally speaking, formal writing often uses long, complex sentences that are connected using transitions. Informal writing often includes shorter sentences that may abruptly move from topic to topic. 

• Formal writing: Surprise inspections will be performed on a regular basis as determined by the acting supervisor, who has the authority to request them as needed. Furthermore, employees should be prepared to submit their work for review in a timely fashion. 
• Informal writing: I love my new sweater! Thank you!! Where do you want to meet for lunch?

Vocabulary and tone

Typically, formal writing has a serious tone and uses a sophisticated vocabulary that often includes large, complex words. Additionally, formal writing often uses technical terms that match the topic being discussed. For example, a medical text using formal writing will often use the term tibia rather than shinbone or a similar term. Informal writing will often instead have a lighter tone that uses simpler, commonly used words.

• Formal writing: The research team expeditiously and meticulously analyzed the findings in order to identify the origin of the Staphylococcus infection.  
• Informal writing: We were out back chopping down some trees when Mom called.

Third person vs. first person/second person

In general, formal writing is usually written from the third person . Formal writing typically avoids using first- or second-person pronouns such as I, me, we, us, and you . By contrast, informal writing often uses first-, second-, and third-person perspectives while making frequent use of personal pronouns. Because of this difference, formal writing is also more likely to use the passive voice in order to avoid using a first- or second-person perspective.

• Formal writing: The data were gathered by using sorting algorithms. 
• Informal writing: I used sorting algorithms to gather the data. 

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Word choice

In general, formal writing will most likely avoid using many of the words or phrases that our dictionary has tagged as being informal. This includes terms such as wanna , gotta , gonna , ‘nuff , kerfuffle, cept, ’Merica, thingamajig , and many other examples of informal language. Relatedly, phrasal verbs are also often typically not used in formal writing . Formal writing will also typically avoid using slang, euphemisms , colloquialisms, expletives, vulgarities, nonstandard abbreviations, jargon , and online acronyms.  

• Formal writing: Gregory wanted to remove the items from the box, but it was sealed tightly. Being unable to find scissors, he admitted defeat and ate a sandwich. 
• Informal writing: Greg was dying to get the stuff outta the box, but the box was like it ain’t happening bro lol. He couldn’t find the damn scissors, so he said the hell with it and bounced to go scarf a hoagie.

Interjections

Typically, interjections are not used in formal writing . Going further, exclamation points usually don’t appear very often in formal writing. Both interjections and exclamation points are used in informal writing. 

• Formal writing: The mixture violently erupted, catching bystanders unaware. 
• Informal writing: The stuff exploded! Wow! 

Contractions

Typically, contractions are avoided in formal writing , and the words are instead spelled out. In informal writing, contractions are commonly used. 

  Examples: 

• Formal writing: The team would have purchased extra materials, but the store was not open. 
• Informal writing: The team would’ve purchased extra materials, but the store wasn’t open. 

Objectivity

In general, formal writing is usually written objectively . In most cases, writers attempt to avoid stating subjective thoughts or presenting personal opinions in the main text of formal writing. When presenting arguments in formal writing, writers often calmly present their side backed by supporting evidence and trustworthy sources . Informal writing can include (strongly worded) personal opinions, emotional appeals, and inflammatory language presented without evidence or supporting facts. 

• Formal writing: As the evidence clearly shows, the director severely miscalculated production costs when initially presenting the film’s budget.
• Informal writing: The incompetent buffoon who claims to be a professional director blew the budget so badly that the studio should fire him as soon as possible. 

Formal writing often entails referencing or researching what others have written. Check out these tips to avoid plagiarism.

Example of formal writing

The following excerpt shows an example of formal writing that was used in a statement released by American president Joe Biden:

Love is love, and Americans should have the right to marry the person they love. Today’s bipartisan vote brings the United States one step closer to protecting that right in law. The Respect for Marriage Act will ensure that LGBTQI+ couples and interracial couples are respected and protected equally under federal law, and provide more certainty to these families since the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs . I want to thank the Members of Congress whose leadership has sent a strong message that Republicans and Democrats can work together to secure the fundamental right of Americans to marry the person they love. I urge Congress to quickly send this bill to my desk where I will promptly sign it into law.

Example of informal writing

The following example of informal writing is a review of the movie Fight Club by a user of the aggregator website Metacritic:  

Best movie of all time. Period. Seen it more than 28 times. Its a bible of what we have to learn. I say you are not your clothes. You are not the brands u wear, even when u think they re part of ur personality. Comb your hair. I ll tell everyone here the end of the movie, but that its not what this movie is about. First rule of fight club is… you do not talk about fight club. And if u havent seen this film then you are a hollow shell. Become human again and start by watching this lesson.

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Writing Help 101: Difference Between Formal and Informal Essay Writing Styles

• Sep 20, 2009
• Academic Writing

Do you often encounter problems in writing your essays? Follow these simple writing hints to help you achieve ease with your writing.

Essay writing can either be informative, analytical or entertaining. Depending on the type of essay you are writing on, you can either have a formal or informal writing style. The formal writing style is often followed when essay writing for informative and analytical articles. In this case, it is necessary to consider your word choice. Certain words can contribute to the article's tone or mood. This is because the tune should be consistent with the article's purpose and general objectives. Words can either bring the subtle, happy, or strong mood to your essay writing. With formal writing, words are more often technical in nature. Formal essay writing often follows a particular pattern or outline. On the other hand, informal essay writing is not very rigid with word choice. With this type of essay, you can use slang language to express your ideas and thoughts. However, do it so minimally as slang language can have variations in meaning depending on one's cultural background. To put it simply, caution must be exercised when using slang language as it could be offensive sometimes. Informal essay writing often lacks a conventional pattern. It is the style often used with writing entertaining articles.

Whichever writing style you take on, it is necessary that your essays undergo spelling and grammar checks. This would inhibit possible vagueness and confusion that come with the wrong use of tense and improperly misspelled words.

If you struggle with college essay writing, Personal Writer is here to say. Our expert writers will produce custom-written, completely original and high-quality essays and research papers for an affordable price. Contact us with an inquiry. 

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How to Write a Formal Essay: Format, Rules, & Example

If you’re a student, you’ve heard about a formal essay: a factual, research-based paper written in 3rd person. Most students have to produce dozens of them during their educational career. 

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Writing a formal essay may not be the easiest task. But fear not: our custom-writing team is here to guide you through the process. This article will:

• explain what a formal essay is;
• show how to write it step by step;
• provide you with an essay sample. 

👔 Formal Essay Definition

• ✅ How to Write
• ✍️ Writing Rules
• 🖥️ Essay Format
• 📑 Sample Paper

🔍 References

A formal essay is a well-structured piece of writing with a clear introduction, body, and conclusion. This type of essay often includes cited research, uses an academic tone, and is written in 3rd person. While writing a formal essay, it’s necessary to back up your arguments with factual evidence.

What Is an Informal Essay vs. Formal Essay?

Essays come in two formats: formal and informal (also known as personal .) They differ in terms of style and context. You can choose one of the formats depending on the situation and the type of paper you need to write.

Don’t know how to tell the difference between them? Well, here are some key characteristics of these essay types:

As you can see, these types of writing are almost total opposites. Informal essays are only reserved for creative assignments, which means that most of the papers you write need to be formal.

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Our article on creative essays can help you write an informal paper. But how do you craft a perfect formal essay? Keep reading to find out.

✅ How to Write a Formal Essay

Traditionally, a formal essay it’s composed of 3 sections: an introduction, 3 or more body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Let’s examine each part in detail.

Formal Essay Introduction

The introduction is what your essay starts with. Its primary goal is to catch the reader’s attention with a hook, briefly introduce the topic, and lead toward the thesis statement located at the end of the first paragraph.

Here is what you might want to keep in mind while writing the introduction:

If you want some more inspiration for your introduction, check out our article on hooks in writing .

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Now on to the thesis statement : the key idea of your essay. When working on it, keep in mind that it should answer the central question in your topic and reflect your essay’s overall structure. your essay’s overall structure.

Suppose your topic is related to the teaching methods involving poetry. In that case, the thesis statement can be like this:

Teaching methods that involve reading and writing poetry in elementary school are beneficial for children as they enhance their capacity for empathy, develop creativity, and help with self-realization.

Formal Essay Body

The next part of an essay is the main body paragraphs. They support the thesis statement with well-developed arguments and explore the topic in-depth. Each body paragraph starts with a topic sentence stating its main point. The length of a paragraph can vary, but the best option is to have between 4 and 7 sentences.

To make the text flow easily, you may use transitional words. Here are some examples:

• after all, 
• for instance, 
• on the one/other hand, 
• initially, 
• as a result.

How to Write a Formal Essay Conclusion

Lastly, every essay needs closure. A good conclusion summarizes the essay’s main ideas, includes a paraphrased thesis, and encourages the readers to think more about the topic.

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The structure of a conclusion may change slightly depending on the subject. For instance, it can suggest some solutions to a problem, express an opinion, or give a recommendation. It’s important to remember that the conclusion is a part that emphasizes your essay’s most important points and doesn’t introduce new information.

If you’re curious about writing each essay part, check out our article on 5-paragraph essays .

✍️ Formal Writing Rules

Just like choosing the proper attire to wear to a formal event, we need to use the right words while writing a formal essay. Here are some suggestions that can help you maintain a formal tone in your paper:  

Dos of formal writing

• Pay attention to your vocabulary. The words you will use in a formal essay will likely have a nuanced meaning. Make sure you know exactly what the terms mean, and do your best to sound precise.
• Use punctuation correctly. Here are some of the things to watch out for: Avoid exclamation marks; Use dashes for insertions; Use colons with enumerations; If you’re unsure of whether to use a punctuation mark or not, rewrite the sentence in a way that doesn’t require it.
• Use varied sentence structure. In formal writing, there is always a danger of sounding monotonous. Avoid repeating sentence structures to make your essay more readable.
• Provide references. It’s essential to cite every idea that you borrow. Try to paraphrase quotations from your sources: it will help you avoid plagiarism.

Don’ts of formal writing

• Avoid using pronouns.  With words such as “I,” “me,” “we,” or “us,” an essay becomes wordy. It also makes the author seem less sure of their ideas. If you want to use personal pronouns, try substituting them with words like “the reader,” “viewers,” or “one.”
• Avoid using slang expressions and nonstandard diction. Slang words in a formal essay will make it less appealing to the readers. If you want to be taken seriously, it’s best to avoid those expressions and use proper Standard English.
• Avoid informal tone.  When you write a formal essay, incorporate the language and the expressions you would use while delivering a speech, not the words you use when you casually talk to friends. A formal tone suggests that the author is serious about the topic and respects the audience.
• Avoid passive voice. Passive verbs are hard to read, and they are wordy. Use active voice to sound more straightforward and concise.

Contractions in Formal Writing

A contraction is usually a combination of two words into one, such as “don’t,” “isn’t,” “can’t,” and “wouldn’t.” When you work on a formal essay, it’s essential to be careful about contractions. It’s inappropriate to use them in academic writing, so it’s best to stick to the full variant.

However, there are exceptions to this rule. For instance, when working with direct quotations, it’s essential to reproduce words exactly as they are used in the original. To learn more about it, be sure to check out the University of North Florida’s article on in-text citations .

What to Use Instead of “You” in an Essay

Another common mistake students make is using the “you” and “yours” pronouns to address the readers. This mistake can make the essay overly informal and lead to misinterpretations of the text.

How do you fix it? Our advice is to replace 2nd-person pronouns with the following words:

• individuals,

You can find more formal writing tips in this informative video from Smrt English:

🖥️ Formal Essay Format

Now that we’ve discussed formal essay writing in detail, it’s time to look at the formatting. A formal essay is usually written in MLA or APA formats. If you’re asked to write a paper in one of these formats, you may find the guidelines below helpful:

📑 Formal Essay Example

Here is an excellent sample of a formal essay that uses all the guidelines mentioned in this article. It will help you to produce a perfect paper of your own:

For more information, check out Purdue OWL’s resources on various formatting styles .

Formal Essay Topics

• Stress management techniques  
• The effects of coffee  
• Negative effects of technology on children 
• Causes and outcomes of organizational conflicts in sports  
• Different types of friends  
• Same-sex marriages in the United States  
• Are early marriages harmful or beneficial? 
• How do nutrition and hydration improve athletes’ performance? 
• Is polygamy morally acceptable? 
• Different features of sports business  
• What characterizes friendship in the age of media ? 
• Positive and negative effects of tourism on environment in the Caribbean  
• How does society treat single parents ? 
• How does the uninvolved parenting style affect child’s future well-being? 
• The role of family relationships in Odyssey  
• Financial concepts in sport finance  
• Main features of a strong marriage  
• The importance of media coverage for sport teams 
• Reasons why students choose to get internship  
• The role of stadiums in the sports industry 
• The multiracial family: the Carters case analysis  
• Characteristics of children’s sports  
• Crucial factors affecting health fitness  
• How is technology used in hotel management ? 
• Structure and operational context of Four Seasons  
• What are the main qualities of a true friend?  
• Different websites that promote rental properties 
• The imperative aspects of tourism  
• Importance of hotel training  
• What factors determine adolescents’ adjustment after they experience parental divorce ? 
• How does tobacco use affect the human body?  
• The importance of language and world view for communication 
• What makes a combination of reinforcement and punishment in parenting efficient? 
• The scientific approach of sports economics  
• How does divorce affect children? 
• Living on-campus vs. living off-campus when attending university: a comparison  
• How does the New Moves program promote a healthy lifestyle? 
• How to be an effective counselor  
• Various types of restaurants in Ireland  
• Carolina Dog’s characteristics 
• Comparison of Monzameon’s The Love Suicides at Amijima and Tartuffe by Moliere  
• Comparing homosexual and heterosexual families  
• How is family presented in Everyday Use by Alice Walker ? 
• In what ways can Anaerobic Threshold be assessed? 
• Is bad parenting a healthcare problem? 
• Why student-athletes should benefit from sports  
• Mind-body awareness and its health benefits 
• Can punishment boost academic performance? 
• Techniques to teach students swimming  
• Issues faced by the sports licensing field 

Thanks for reading through this guide! We hope that you found it helpful and now have a better idea of how to write an excellent formal essay. Don’t hesitate to share our article with a friend who may need it. Good luck!

Further reading:

• How to Write a Critical Thinking Essay: Examples & Outline
• What Is a Discourse Analysis Essay: Example & Guide
• How to Write a Narrative Essay Outline: Template & Examples
• How to Write a Précis: Definition, Guide, & Examples 

❓ Formal Essay FAQs

It’s best not to use pronouns such as “I,” “my,” “we,” “our,” etc., in a formal essay since it give the paper an informal tone and the text becomes wordy. It also makes the writer seem less sure about their ideas.

It’s better to avoid using parentheses and dashes in formal academic writing. If the information you want to include in the essay is important enough, it should be a part of the sentence. Otherwise, you can simply omit it.

The formal and informal essays differ in style and context. While a formal essay is a piece of well-structured writing that tries to convince the reader by providing arguments, an informal essay has no set structure. It reflects the author’s personal thoughts or opinions.

Starting your sentence with “because” in formal writing is not the best idea. The word “because” is a subordinate conjunction, which means it’s used to join the main clause to a subordinate clause, not to start a sentence.

It’s best to avoid using 1st- and 2nd-person pronouns, slang expressions, nonstandard diction, and contractions in a formal essay. They are primarily used in daily speech and are considered inappropriate in academic writing. 

• Point of View in Academic Writing: St. Louis Community College
• Components of a Good Essay: University of Evansville
• Introductions & Conclusions: University of Arizona Global Campus
• How to Improve Your Academic Writing: University of York
• Nine Basic Ways to Improve Your Style in Academic Writing: University of California, Berkeley
• Academic Writing Style: Organizing Your Social Sciences Research Paper: University of Southern California
• Formal and Informal Style: Northern Illinois University
• Formal Writing: Davenport University: LibGuides
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• Key Differences

Know the Differences & Comparisons

Difference Between Formal and Informal Writing

Our choice of the form of writing mainly depends on the fact – to whom we are writing to? Secondly, the matter we are going to discuss in our write up also decides the writing style, because if we are writing on a serious matter, then an informal way of writing will not be considered suitable in that case. So, in this article, you will get to know the details of these two writing styles along with its do’s and don’ts.

Content: Formal Vs Informal Writing

Comparison chart, definition of formal writing.

A formal piece of writing is used when we do not have any idea of the person, or when we know the person but haven’t exchanged words, or we are not having familiar terms with the person who receives the letter. Here, we use formal language which indicates dignified and deferential regard for the reader. It is used when writing for academic, professional and legal purposes.

Formal Writing is a bit difficult as we have to consider some important points are to be kept in mind with respect to:

• Word choice and tone should be polite.
• No use of first and second person singular pronouns
• Use of positive and literal language and academic vocabulary.
• Avoiding repetition and over generalisation.
• Use of proper spelling, grammar and punctuation
• No use of contractions, cliche, colloquial diction and abbreviations
• Sentences are fully elaborated and concluded.
• Avoid use of jargons.
• No emotional language
• No statistics without proper reference.
• Full of objectivity, as proper evidence, should be there to support your argument.

Definition of Informal Writing

The informal style of writing is one used for personal and casual conversation, wherein friendly and colloquial language is used. In an informal writing style, personal and emotional tone is used, and the reader is directly referred by the words ‘you’ or ‘your’. It is used when writing personal emails, text messages, letters to friends and family etc. It is a direct form of writing which uses:

• Contractions, abbreviations and short sentences are used.
• Use of ordinary, short and simple sentences.
• Personal and subjective
• Loosely structured
• Use of first and second person pronoun.
• Acceptable use of slang and cliche
• Imperative sentences can be used

Key Differences Between Formal and Informal Writing

The differences between formal and informal writing can be drawn clearly on the following grounds:

• Formal writing is that form of writing which is used for the business, legal, academic or professional purpose. On the other hand, informal writing is one which is used for personal or casual purpose.
• Formal writing must use a professional tone, whereas a personal and emotional tone can be found in informal writing.
• In formal writing, use of slang is not at all common, whereas we normally use slang in informal writing.
• When it comes to language, we use formulaic language in formal writing, which contain a set form of words. As against, informal writing is direct.
• We use passive voice in a formal piece of writing. In contrast, in an informal piece of writing, we use active voice.
• In formal writing, linking words are used, instead of conjunctions which are used in case of informal writing.
• In formal writing, interjections are usually avoided, and so exclamation marks are not used. Conversely, in informal writing, interjections are commonly used.
• In a formal piece of writing, when we refer to audience 1st person plural or third person singular is used. On the contrary, informal piece of writing, we use 1st person singular form to refer to the audience.

Both formal and informal writing is used in our day to day life but in different situations. We just need to think about the reader and the topic of your discussion, before choosing the writing style. When the topic is quite serious and objective, the formal writing style is suitable. It is also used when the write up is addressed to some respectable person or institution.

On the other hand, informal writing is best suited when you are communicating with your family, friends and acquaintances. Further, if the matter of discussion is not very serious, then also informal writing can be used, subject to, you are comfortable with the reader, in talking informally.

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Difference between Formal Essay and Informal Essay

What is a Formal Essay?

Uses third person pronouns, subject content, objective and impartial, research purpose and question, critical analysis, introduction.

• An introduction is the first paragraph of a formal essay
• Includes thesis statement
• Background knowledge of the topic
• Facts and statistics to support the thesis statement

Body Paragraphs

• Body paragraphs contain arguments and facts in detail to support the thesis statement
• Each body paragraph starts with a topic sentence which introduces the main idea of the paragraph linked to the central theme
• Uses PEEL method (Point, Evidence, Explain, Link)

What is an Informal Essay?

Directly address the reader, personal experiences and narration of events, research problem, post a comment, contact form.

Home — Essay Samples — Life — Power — Difference between Formal And Informal Power

Difference Between Formal and Informal Power

• Categories: Gender Discrimination Power

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Words: 515 |

Published: Mar 16, 2024

Words: 515 | Page: 1 | 3 min read

Table of contents

Formal power, informal power, implications of formal and informal power.

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