top of page

FORMAL AND INFORMAL COMMUNICATION
BY
PROFESSOR JON SAUL

FORMAL VS INFORMAL COMMUNICATION VIDEO NOTES

 

by

 

Profressor Jon saul

​

Formal Communication

 

Formal communication involves 3 aspects:

 

- formal structure

- formal vocabulary

- formal voice

 

FORMAL COMMUNICATION (WRITTEN)  VS. INFORMAL COMMUNICATION

EXACT                                                              VAGUE

PRECISE                                                           CONFUSING

CLEAR                                                              NOT CLEAR

 

 

He hit her back.

 

??????

 

He hit her on her back.

He hit her in return.

​

ESSAY STRUCTURE: 500 – 600 WORDS (no more than 800 words)

 

 

  1. INTRODUCTION

  2. BODY PARAGRAPH

  3. BODY PARAGRAPH

  4. BODY PARAGRAPH

  5. CONCLUSION

 

 

Introduction

 

Body paragraphs = 3 for the first essay

 

Conclusion

 

Structure of formal communication  essays

 

 

SENTENCES THAT BELONG IN A BODY PARAGRAPH

 

  1. TOPIC SENTENCE: MAIN IDEA OF THE PARAGRAPH

 

  1. USE EMPHATIC ORDER

 

  1. DEFINE YOUR TERMS

 

  1. STATEMENT OF IMPORTANCE: WHY IS THIS MAIN IDEA IMPORTANT?

    1. THIS COULD BE A QUESTION

    2. For example: This is important because…

 

  1. DEFINE/CLARIFY YOUR TERMS

 

  1. EXAMPLE THAT ILLUSTRATES THE IMPORTANCE OF THE MAIN IDEA

 

  1. EXPLAIN THE EXAMPLE: HOW/WHY THE EXAMPLE SHOWS THE IMPORTANCE OF THE MAIN IDEA

 

 

EMPHATIC ORDER

 

Emphatic order is an easy way to organize the major ideas in your research paper.

 

Emphatic order means beginning the major paragraphs of your discussion with these word combinations:

 

First, Second, Third, etc. or

 

Firstly, Secondly, Thirdly, etc. or

 

First of all, Second of all, Third of all, etc. or

 

The first major idea related to this thesis is…, 

 

The second major idea related to this thesis is…, etc….

 

 

SENTENCES THAT BELONG IN THE INTRODUCTION

 

  1. THESIS STATEMENT: MAIN IDEA OF THE ESSAY

  2. DEFINE YOUR TERMS

  3. STATEMENT OF IMPORTANCE: WHY IS THIS THESIS IMPORTANT?

    1. To whom is it important?

    2. What makes it significant?

  4. DEFINE YOUR TERMS

  5. NO EXAMPLES IN THE INTRODUCTION

  6. PREVIEW OF WHAT COMES NEXT IN YOUR ESSAY AND/OR

  7. PARAPHRASE THESIS STATEMENT

​

SENTENCES THAT BELONG IN THE CONCLUSION

 

  1. PARAPHRASE YOUR THESIS STATEMENT

  2. PARAPHRASE OF THE TOPIC SENTENCE FROM FIRST BODY PARAGRAPH

  3. PARAPHRASE OF THE TOPIC SENTENCE FROM SECOND BODY PARAGRAPH

  4. PARAPHRASE OF THE TOPIC SENTENCE FROM THIRD BODY PARAGRAPH

  5. PARAPHRASE YOUR THESIS STATEMENT

  6. NO EXAMPLES IN THE CONCLUSION

  7. NOTHING NEW IN THE CONCLUSION

​

 

Formal Structure:

 

Here is the structure of formal essays: 

 

  1. Introduction

  1. Thesis Statement (main idea of the essay) “Love is the most powerful force in the world.”

  2. Define your terms (be sure that the terms you use on your thesis statement are clearly defined for your reader: for example, if you use the word “love” in your thesis statement, be sure to define what type of love you are referring to (e.g., loving ice cream, loving your mother, romantic love) “I am referring to romantic love.”

  3. Statement of importance: answer the question “What is important about your thesis statement?”

  4. Define your terms

  5. Paraphrase your thesis statement (see https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/english-for-study-intermediate/0/steps/35241) for paraphrase techniques.

 

  1. First Body Paragraph

  1. Topic sentence (the main idea of the paragraph)

1. You may use “emphatic order” which is “The first reason that this is important is…” or “First of all,” or “Firstly,”

  1. Define your terms

  2. Statement of importance: what is important about this main idea?

  3. Define your terms

  4. Provide an example that illustrates the significance of your main idea (expressed in your topic sentence) Sometimes, you need to introduce the example…

  5. Explain the example (explain how the example shows the importance of your main idea)

  6. Sometimes, you need a transition sentence to the next paragraph (When you use emphatic order, you often do not need a transitions statement).

 

  1. Second Body Paragraph

  1. Topic sentence (the main idea of the paragraph)

1. You may use “emphatic order” which is “The second reason this is important is…” or “Second of all,” or “Secondly,”

  1. Define your terms

  2. Statement of importance

  3. Define your terms

  4. Provide an example that illustrates the significance of your main idea (expressed in your topic sentence) Sometimes, you need to introduce the example…

  5. Explain the example (explain how the example shows the importance of your main idea)

  6. Sometimes, you need a transition sentence to the next paragraph (When you use emphatic order, you often do not need a transitions statement).

 

  1. Third Body Paragraph

  1. Topic sentence (the main idea of the paragraph)

1. You may use “emphatic order” which is “The third reason this is important is…” or “Third of all,” or “Thirdly,”

  1. Define your terms

  2. Statement of importance

  3. Define your terms

  4. Provide an example that illustrates the significance of your main idea (expressed in your topic sentence) Sometimes, you need to introduce the example.

  5. Explain the example (explain how the example shows the importance of your main idea)

  6. Sometimes, you need a transition sentence to the next paragraph (When you use emphatic order, you often do not need a transitions statement).

 

  1. Conclusion

  1. Paraphrase your thesis statement

  2. Paraphrase the topic sentence of body paragraph 1

  3. Paraphrase the topic sentence of body paragraph 2

  4. Paraphrase the topic sentence of body paragraph 3

  5. Paraphrase your thesis statement (again)

 

 

Formal Voice

 

FORMAL WRITING: TRUTH/FACT NOT AN OPINION

 

THEREFORE: WRITE EXCLUSIVELY IN THE THIRD PERSON

 

FIRST PERSON: I THINK IT’S RAINING OUTSIDE.                     OPINION

 

SECOND PERSON: DO YOU THINK IT’S RAINING OUTSIDE?   OPINION

 

Third person: IT IS RAINING OUTSIDE.             FACT / TRUTH

 

                                                                        NUMBER

                                                   SINGULAR                               PLURAL

Voice/Case/Person

FIRST PERSON                         I           Think                           WE Think

 

SECOND PERSON                   YOU     Think                          YOU Think

 

THIRD PERSON                       HE        THINKS                      THEY think

                                                    SHE      THINKS

                                                    IT         THINKS

                                                 SINGULAR NOUNS      PLURAL NOUNS

​

 

 

ELIMINATE: Singular:        I, ME, MY, MINE, YOU, YOUR, YOURS

                        Plural:            WE, US, OUR, OURS, YOU, YOUR, YOURS

 

 

USE: IT, THEY, THEIR, THEIR

            NOUNS: PLURAL/SINGULAR

 

I AM SURE THAT NURSING IS A FINE CAREER.  OPINION

 

 

WRITE EXCLUSIVELY IN THE THIRD PERSON !!!!

 

NURSING IS A FINE CAREER.

 

 

Formal Vocabulary:

see FORMAL ENGLISH DO'S AND DON'TS LIST

 

 

​

FORMAL VOCABULARY VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS NOTES:

 

 

WHO IS A SUBJECT PRONOUN THAT IS ALWAYS THE SUBJECT OF THE SENTENCE (of a verb)

            WHO IS THERE?

 

WHOM IS AN OBJECT/ is never the subject.  

 

WRONG: WHOM IS THERE? WHO IS THERE?

 

            ALWAYS PREPOSITION + WHOM

            TO WHOM                               NEVER TO WHO

FROM WHOM                         NEVER FROM WHO

BY WHOM

WITH WHOM

 

 

To whom are you writing this letter?

From whom did you receive this gift?

 

To whom are you speaking?

 

 

By whom is this poem written?

 

Who wrote this poem?

 

WHO instead of ‘that’ is used when referring to people. 

(This is a sign of respect, one of the few that we have in English.) 

 

THE PERSON WHO IS THERE / NOT THE PERSON THAT IS THERE

 

The cat that is there.

The book that is there.

 

 

KID = informal/slang means a baby goat; use child or children (also a sign of respect).

 

 

NO __________ : Don’t use any phrase, such as “I ain’t got no friends, no job, no life.”

 

Instead, write, “I do not have any friends, any job or any life.”

 

For example, wrote, “The little match girl was without shoes…” rather than “The little match girl had no shoes…”

 

 

INFORMAL/slang: NO MATTER: 

 

Use the more formal “regardless” in the place of the informal “no matter”

 

“no matter what” = “regardless of”

 

 

INFORMAL/slang: GOING THROUGH: Use “experience” instead of “going through”. 

 

For example, write the clause, “This is what the little match girl was  …

 

RATHER THAN “This is what the little match girl was going through…”

 

writing pointers:

  1. DON’T BEGIN SENTENCES WITH BECAUSE… USE: “This is because…”

 

  1. DON’T END A SENTENCE WITH A PREPOSITION (to, for, by, in, over, under…)

 

Do write: “She is the person about whom I am speaking.”

Do not write: “She is the person I am speaking about.”

 

  1. use since to mean because or as…SAVE SINCE FOR TIME (SINCE LAST WEEK).

 

  1. Use ‘still’ for motionless…don’t use “still” for continues, remains, nevertheless, nonetheless

 

  1. DON’T END SENTENCES WITH ANY FORM OF THE VERB “TO BE”, e.g., am, are, is, be…

 

Do write: “To be all you can.” “To be all you are able.”

Do not write: “To be all you can be”.

6.   Use “for example”, “such as”, “for instance” or , e.g., for general examples.

You can use etcetera (etc.) with e.g.

“The man went to the store and bought fruit, for example, apples, pears, oranges, etc.”

“The man went to the store and bought fruit, e.g., apples, pears, oranges, etc.”

In this sentence, etc. means “and other things like that”.

 

Use , i.e., “for example” for specific examples that are all inclusive.

“The man went to the store and bought fruit, i.e., apples, pears, cherries and oranges.”

In this sentence. i.e., means “these fruit and only these fruit”.

PARAPHRASING TECHNIQUES

By Professor JON SAUL

 

  1. ACTIVE VS PASSIVE VOICE:

 

ORIGINAL SENTENCE:

 

The student placed the book on the desk. ACTIVE VOICE 

 

SUBJECT STUDENT PERFORMS THE ACTION OF THE VERB TO PLACE

 

 

The book was placed on the desk by the student. PASSIVE VOICE

 

SUBJECT THE BOOK RECEIVING THE ACTION OF THE VERB TO PLACE

 

The book was placed on the desk. PASSIVE VOICE AGENT OMITTED

​

 

2. REVERSING THE ORDER OF THE WORDS IN THE SENTENCE

 

ORIGINAL SENTENCE:

The student placed the book on the desk. ACTIVE VOICE 

 

On the desk the student placed the book. ACTIVE VOICE WORDS REVERSED

 

The book was placed on the desk by the student. PASSIVE VOICE

 

By the student the book was placed on the desk. PASSIVE VOICE WORDS REVERSED

 

 

3. USING SYNONYMS/ USE A THESAURUS

 

ORIGINAL SENTENCE: 

The student placed the book on the desk. ACTIVE VOICE

 

The pupil put the volume on the workspace. ACTIVE VOICE USING SYNONYMS

 

The book was placed on the desk by the student. PASSIVE VOICE

 

On the workspace the volume was put by the pupil. PASSIVE VOICE USING SYNONYMS

  

On the workspace the pupil put the volume.  REVERSED ACTIVE VOICE USING SYNONYMS

 

On the desk the volume was placed by the student. REVERSED PASSIVE VOICE USING SYNONYMS

bottom of page