Everything you need to adjust your English register correctly for any situation, contractions, phrasal verbs, vocabulary and passive voice, with exam practice.
Register means adjusting your language to suit the situation, the same idea can be expressed very differently depending on whether you're texting a friend or writing a formal report. Choosing the wrong register, using slang in a job application, or being overly formal in a casual chat, is a genuine communication error, even when the grammar itself is technically correct.
This guide brings together the specific features that separate formal and informal English, many of which connect directly to other grammar points covered elsewhere on this site.
Contractions (can't, don't, I'm, it's) are standard in informal and neutral English, but generally avoided in formal writing, academic essays, and official documents.
| Informal | Formal |
|---|---|
| I can't attend the meeting. | I am unable to attend the meeting. |
| We don't have enough data. | We do not have sufficient data. |
| It's important to note... | It is important to note... |
As covered in our full guide to phrasal verbs, informal English relies heavily on them, while formal writing generally prefers a single-word Latinate alternative.
| Informal (phrasal verb) | Formal (single word) |
|---|---|
| find out | discover |
| put off | postpone |
| set up | establish |
| look into | investigate |
| give up | abandon |
| Informal | Formal |
|---|---|
| kids | children |
| a lot of / lots of | a significant number of / considerable |
| get | receive / obtain |
| guy / bloke | man / gentleman |
| okay / fine | satisfactory / acceptable |
As covered in our full guide to the passive voice, formal and academic writing uses the passive far more often than everyday speech, since it sounds more objective and removes personal focus.
| Informal (active) | Formal (passive) |
|---|---|
| We conducted the survey in March. | The survey was conducted in March. |
| Someone made a mistake in the report. | A mistake was made in the report. |
| Feature | Informal | Formal |
|---|---|---|
| Question tags | You're coming, right? | Will you be attending? |
| Starting with "and/but" | And that's why we left. | Consequently, we left. |
| Direct address | Hey, thanks for this! | Thank you for your assistance. |
| ❌ Too Informal (in a formal context) | ✅ Correct Formal Register | Why |
|---|---|---|
| I can't make the meeting, sorry! | I regret that I am unable to attend the meeting. | Contractions and casual phrasing don't fit a formal email or letter. |
| We need to look into this problem. | We need to investigate this issue. (in an academic report) | A phrasal verb reads as too casual for formal or academic writing. |
| Lots of people think this is wrong. | A significant number of people consider this incorrect. | "Lots of" and "think" are too informal for academic register. |
| Exam | How Register Is Tested | Sample Question |
|---|---|---|
| Cambridge B2 First / C1 Advanced | The Writing paper includes both formal (report, essay) and informal (email, review) task types, testing appropriate register control. | Writing a formal report to a manager vs an informal email to a friend on the same topic. |
| IELTS Writing Task 1 (General Training) | Candidates must adjust register precisely depending on whether the letter is formal, semi-formal or informal. | Writing a formal complaint letter vs an informal letter to a friend. |
| IELTS Writing Task 2 | The academic essay expects consistently formal register throughout, no contractions, no phrasal verbs. | Avoiding contractions and casual vocabulary in an argumentative essay. |
| Trinity GESE/ISE (SELT) | Higher levels assess the ability to shift register appropriately depending on the conversational context. | Speaking more formally in a simulated professional scenario. |
Reading about grammar takes you part of the way. Real fluency comes from using it, in conversation, with a tutor who corrects you immediately. Book a free level test with Elite Language Solutions and find out exactly where you are.