Word list (formal and informal words for emails)

The following list shows some words and phrases that are frequently used in e-mails. You will alter the tone
of the e-mail by your choice.
Formal
Standard/Neutral
Informal
Contact
Contact, get in touch with)
Get in touch with
Due to
Because of
Enquire
Ask
Further
More
Inform
Tell
Information
Information
Info
Obtain/receive
Obtain/receive
Get
Possess
Have
Have got
Provide
Give
Purchase
Buy
Regret
To be sorry
Request
Ask
Require
Need
Reserve
Book
Verify
Check/prove
Do you think you could possibly
Could you?
Can you? (Requests)
I was wondering if you could
Perhaps we should
Shall we?
Lets, How about?
(Suggestions)
I am afraid there might be a small
I think there could be problem There will be a problem
problem.
It seems as if we might have a slight
problem.
FORMAL V. INFORMAL FEATURES
1. VOCABULARY/LEXIS
Why are some English words considered to be more polite or refined,
whereas others which mean the same thing are thought rude or vulgar?
English vocabulary comprises words taken from many languages, particularly
Anglo-Saxon, French and Latin. In 1066 the Anglo-Saxon inhabitants of
Britain were conquered by the French-speaking Normans. As French was the
language of the Court and ruling classes (and Latin the language of the
clergy and education), words derived from French or Latin have been
considered more formal than those derived from the native language of the
Anglo-Saxons.
The list below compares relatively formal words of Latin/French origin with
their less formal alternatives, many of Anglo-Saxon origin. It is an illustration
of a general tendency, not a conversion table: the choice of vocabulary
always depends on the context.
I. Latin/French based
(single-word verbs)

Anglo-Saxon based
(phrasal verbs)

to
to
to
to
to
to
to
to

remove
retain
consult
enter
descend
escape
depart
arrive

to
to
to
to

despair
provoke
discuss
investigate

to
to
to
to
to
to
to
to
to
to
to

arrange
postpone
visit
tolerate
restore
elapse
claim
renounce
invent
concede
diminish

II. Uncommon words

to take away/out
to keep back
to look up
to go/come in
to go down
to get out
to set out, set of
to come along,
to turn up, to get to
to give up (hope)
to wind up
to talk over
to check out,
to look into
to fix up
to put of
to drop in
to put up with
to bring back
to go by
to make out
to give up
to make up
to give in
to fall of
Common words

A) Verbs
to
to
to
to
to
to
to
to
to
to
to
to
to
to
to

purchase
obtain/procure/receive
cease
function
masticate
demonstrate
deteriorate
reside
abbreviate
terminate
assist/aid
commence
desire/require
liberate
consume

B) Nouns

to buy
to get
to stop
to work
to chew
to show
to get worse
to live
to shorten
to end
to help
to begin
to want
to free
to eat

carnivore
putrefaction
deficiency
vision
residence
respiration
somnambulist
comprehension
perspiration

meat-eater
rot
lack
sight
home
breathing
sleep-walker
understanding
sweat

C) Adjectives
incorrect
amiable
vacant
insane
inexpensive
vivacious
superior
infantile
sufficient
entire
senior

wrong
friendly
empty
mad
cheap
lively
better
childish
enough
whole
older

D) Adverbials
subsequently
principally
consequently
initially
finally

next/later
mostly
so
at first
in the end

2. Punctuation
Unabbreviated words

Abbreviated and
contracted forms

I will
we would
will not
as soon as possible
memorandum

Ill
wed
wont

No exclamation marks
or dashes

Any type of
punctuation

a.s.a.p.
memo

3. Grammar
I) Passive forms

Active forms

Cfr. A meeting has been scheduled for 3 October 2005 at 11 a.m.

Weve set a meeting for 3 Oct at 11 a.m.
II) Impersonal forms

Personal forms

It is said that
It is possible to consider the results
from another viewpoint.

They say that

We can consider the results from another
viewpoint.

It is not clear why such terrible

conditions were tolerated
for so long.

I cant understand why they put up

with such bad conditions for so long.

It seems that this is an

efective plan.

We think this is an efective plan.

III) Noun phrases

(nominalisation)

Verb phrases
(verbalisation)

The Presidents speeches

were rather unintelligible.
His tone of voice revealed that .
My findings are outlined below.

The P. was talking rubbish.

You could tell from his voice that.....
Ive described/set out/written below
what Ive found.
.

Is happiness possible during

unemployment?

Can people be happy when theyre

out of a job?

After clarification of the

problem areas.

When the bits everyone was getting

wrong had been explained

IV)Not ending with prep.

Ending with prep.

To whom were you speaking?

Who were you speaking to?

V) No, none

Not any

I have no money.

I havent got any money.

I see no reason

I dont see any reason

VI) Complex sentences

Simple sentences

Subordination Although/because/if/
when, etc.

Coordination
and/but/so/for/thus

Although cruises round the

Mediterranean are fairly expensive,
they seem to be very popular.

Cruises around the Mediterranean are

fairly expensive, but they seem to be very
popular.

VII) Use of inversion

Inversion only for emphasis

Should you require

further information

Only then did I realise

Formal and Informal Language

In order to write clearly and accurately you need to identify the diference between
formal and informal English. Here is a list of some of the most characteristic features
that diferentiate formal and informal English.

Formal
Words of Latin/French origin
residence
Single-word verbs
to arise
to mount / to board
Formal Connecting words
In addition, furthermore
However, on the other hand,
Therefore, consequently

Informal

Words of Anglo-Saxon origin

home

Phrasal verbs, idioms with get

to get up
to get on
Informal connecting words
And
But
So

Active constructions
They say that
theyve put the price up
you never know
you can argue

Modal verbs, adjectives, clauses etc

Can people be happy when they havent got a job?
When the bits everyone was getting wrong had been
explained

Ending with prepositions

Who were you speaking to?

Impersonal constructions
it is said that
the price has been increased
one never knows
it can be argued

Abstract nouns
Is happiness possible during unemployment?
After clarification of the problem areas..

Not ending with prepositions; use of whom

To whom were you speaking?

Complex sentences
Simple sentences
The student, who was late for class, sprinted across the The student was late for class. He sprinted across the
ground.
ground.

Use of inversions for conditionals and emphasis

Inversion sometimes used for emphasis
Should you require further information, please contact
Only then did I realise

No contractions in writing
I will, we would

Contractions is writing
Ill, wed

Origin
English is made up of words taken from many diferent languages, particularly AngloSaxon, French and Latin. In 1066 the Anglo-Saxon inhabitants of Britain were conquered
by the French-speaking Normans. As French was the language of the ruling classes (and
Latin the land of education), words which come from French or Latin have been
considered more formal than those derived from the language of the Anglo-Saxons.

The table below compares relatively formal words of Latin/French origin with their less
formal alternatives, many of Anglo-Saxon origin. It is an illustration of a general

tendency, not a conversion table: the choice of vocabulary always depends on the
context. Supply the missing words.

Formal
Verbs
to depart
to retain
to cease
to function
to demonstrate
to reside

Informal
to go

to seem
to shorten
to end
to help
to begin
to want
to get
to free
to eat
Adverbials
subsequently
principally

next/later
so
at first
in the end

Formal
Nouns
deficiency
vision
residence
respiration
comprehension
Adjectives
incorrect
amiable
vacant
insane
inexpensive

Informal

wrong

lively
better
childish
enough
whole
older

Formal

Informal

Verbs

Formal

Informal

Nouns

to depart

to go

deficiency

lack

to retain

to keep

vision

sight

to cease

to stop

residence

home

to function

to work

respiration

breathing

to demonstrate

to show

comprehension

understanding

to reside

to live

to appear

to seem

to abbreviate

to shorten

Adjectives

to terminate

to end

incorrect

wrong

to assist / aid

to help

amiable

friendly

to commence / initiate

to begin

vacant

empty

to desire / require

to want

insane

mad

to obtain

to get

inexpensive

cheap

to liberate

to free

animated / vivacious

lively

to consume

to eat

improved /

better

juvenile / infantile

childish

sufficient

enough

entire / complete

whole

senior

older

Adverbials
subsequently

next/later

principally
consequently / therefore

so

initially

at first

ultimately / finally

in the end