Questions tagged [formality]
is for questions about whether a word or phrase is considered formal or informal. Be sure to include as much context as you can, because sometimes how formal or informal a word or phrase is can be different in different situations.
332 questions
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Need help with “who/whom” question
_______ is the lady Jim was talking to?
a.) Who
b.) Whom
Hi all, may I know what is the answer to the above question? From my understanding of grammar rules, Jim is the subject and the lady is the ...
CK Kwok
7
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4
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751
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"Saying who or what did the action would be clearer": passive voice vs. active voice in a technical document/checklist?
Sometimes I will write a sentence like this one in a technical document (checklist-like, with steps):
If the dial is inaccurate, the gauge needs to be replaced.
Then when I use the proofreading ...
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1
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96
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Are "ad" and "advert" appropriate for formal writing?
In my own experience, I've noticed that in formal articles, advertisement seems to be more frequently used than ad or advert. That said, I don't think I'm exposed to English enough to be completely ...
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3
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755
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Formality regarding abbreviation. Is "GM foods" less formal than "genetically modified foods"?
Sometimes I wonder if abbreviating phrases makes my essays look less formal than they should be. For example:
GM foods VS genetically modified foods (Is "GM foods" suitable for formal ...
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1
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111
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Is my English-speaking friend leading me astray?
He tried to help me write a movie review, so he put
"Pretty good movie, I felt like this is Scorsese's best work, albeit it does have some rough patches."
But personally, I feel like this is ...
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4
answers
189
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How to refer to vibe coding more formally?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vibe_coding:
Vibe coding (also vibecoding) is an AI-dependent programming technique where a person describes a problem in a few sentences as a prompt to a large language ...
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0
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1
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51
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With a comparative such as "Jack does X as often as Jill" should "does" be added at the end of the phrase?
Which is the better usage
Jack washes his hands as often as Jill
or
Jack washes his hands as often as Jill does?
Does the answer depend on the level of formality of the discourse?
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0
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1
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135
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Difference: think something + [adj VS to be adj]
As far as I'm concerned, the following structures mean the exact same thing:
think/consider/account + O + adj/N
think/consider/account + O + to be + adj/N
Is that true, or is there a difference of ...
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3
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277
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Does using quotes around an informal word make it acceptable in academic writing?
Riding stunts such as "wheelie," "stoppie," or "drifting" are considered reckless driving when performed on public streets.
All three words are rather informal/slang, ...
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1
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1
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707
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Is "bullshit" still considered offensive when used in a narrower sense?
The OALD defines "bullshit" as "an offensive word for ideas, statements or beliefs that you think are silly or not true", giving nonsense as a synonym and no further details.
...
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1
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How do I know if an idiom is suitable for academic writing? [closed]
Flashing lights and camera lenses may put the judge, who must always be of sound mind, off his stride and hence affect his judgments.
There are idioms that can be used for academic writing, and there ...
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2
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174
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Why is "out of employment" more informal than "unemployed"? Does that mean "take the place of" is also more informal than "replace"?
A native speaker told me that "out of employment" is more informal than "unemployed", however, I don't know why and to what extent "out of employment" is informal.
I ...
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2
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202
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Is “loo roll” a common term for a roll of bath tissue?
Bearing in mind that loo is a common term for the restroom in the U.K., I’ve been listening to Michael McIntyre’s comedy and heard him use the term “loo-roll”, which based on the context seems to be ...
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4
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Would you use "youngsters" to refer to "young people" in a data report?
I've seen somewhere that "youngster" is an informal word. So, would you use "youngsters" to refer to "young people" in a data report? For example:
The number of ...
- 4,476
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3
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Are "turn out" and "end up" too informal for academic writing?
Would you find it weird if you read a data report using "turn out" or "end up"? The root of my wondering is how informal it sounds when translated into my mother tongue.
... This ...
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1
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125
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"In which bar shall we go?" vs. "Which bar shall we go to?"
Which is better?
In which bar shall we go?
Which bar shall we go to?
A friend of mine has told me that "In which bar shall we go?" might be too formal. Is that true?
3
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1
answer
301
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Should 'got' be used instead of 'was' in formal reports?
I frequently write reports for customers with detailed descriptions of my work. Neither me nor my colleagues are native speakers but they frequently use 'got', where I would rather use 'was'. Very ...
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1
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103
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Is the following sentence correct and natural? [closed]
currently a second-year Master of Web Intelligence and Data Science's student
Is the above grammatically correct and natural sounding?
What is the difference between 'master of' and 'master's in' ?
...
0
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1
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261
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"The given text", or how should students or scholars refer to the text they are given in an exam?
In an exam situation students are often given a text which they have to summarize, analyze, you name it. Often they start their answers "The given text ... deals with" or "The text at ...
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2
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"Very well so" correctness and formality?
Person 1: "I hope I answered all your questions."
Person 2: "Yes, you did, very well so."
Is the "very well so" grammatically correct? What about formality?
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0
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1
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111
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Formality of "that thought is not worthy of you"
Some time ago I learned the phrase "that thought is not worthy of you." My understanding is that this means roughly: "by expressing that thought, you are degrading yourself."
My ...
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1
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2k
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When to use "thanks for stopping by"?
Is "thanks for stopping by" used for brief visits? And when can we use it, at the beginning or at the end of the visit?
Is it informal? If yes, what can we use instead to convey a formal ...
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2
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605
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Can we "go to a movie"? Is it grammatical?
Please tell me, can I say "I go to a movie (I mean a film)"? Because we go to a place not to a film. I saw this sentence in "Tactics for listening":
I went to a really dumb movie.
...
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0
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1
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101
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Using "take" instead of "need" in formal writing vs casual speech
Is there any preference regarding the use of the following sentences in formal writing vs casual speech? I mean is it acceptable to use "take" in a formal writing in the meaning of need (or ...
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1
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2k
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Usage of "long time no see/hear" in informal speech
What is the most common thing to say when we send a text to someone who hasn't texted us for a few days? "long time no see" or "long time no hear" or can both be used?
Does it ...
0
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2
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126
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Is shall more formal than will in the spoken language?
English Grammar in Use 5th Edition by Murphy covers 'shall and will' on the page 44; the book suggests that 'will' is more common in the spoken English and no information regarding the question in the ...
user138449
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1
answer
115
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must or have to
Pick just one:
Tom can’t meet us because he must work.
Tom can’t meet us because he has to work.
I don’t believe either sentence is wrong, although the grammar book prescribes has to as the answer.
...
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1
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106
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Is 'all the way up to 100%' a formal expression
I am writing an academic paper and I do not know whether my expression is formal. The full sentence is
There is a threshold (we call it take-off threshold) of ρc above which the proportion of the ...
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1
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2k
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What is a formal word for 'coming weeks'?
Is there a way to write this sentence more formally?
I will follow up with you to discuss my research work in the coming weeks.
How can I replace the phrase 'coming weeks'?
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1
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Is "assumation" a valid abstract noun of 'assume'? [closed]
Is 'assumation' a valid abstract noun of "assume" as:
"You have to make an assuming that x is a real number"
sounds incorrect?
How formal is 'assumation'?
3
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3
answers
1k
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Is "steer clear of" formal or informal?
In the following text, I need a formal language. Is "steer clear of" appropriately used with an awareness of style?
Nature make a favourable impression on people. However, some
people have ...
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3
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"respectively"—should only be used if your sentence would be unclear without it?
Should we use in academic writing the word "respectively" for the following case:
Consider circles 1 and 2.
These circles have radii r1 and r2, respectively.
Maybe because it is obvious ...
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1
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45
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"or" between items
Which option is the proper in academic writing for "or" items (apples/pears/oranges):
I am going to eat red apples or yellow pears or green oranges.
I am going to eat red apples, or yellow ...
- 419
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3
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146
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Using a comma instead of "and" in "A and B are the objects that are part of the equation."
It is proper to use "," between A and B
A, B are the objects that are part of the equation.
instead of "and"
A and B are the objects that are part of the equation.
in formal ...
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1
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58
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one shouldn't give due credit unless is given likewise
One shouldn't give due credit unless (one) is given likewise
Is this sentence both grammatically and semantically alright? I tried to imply that one shouldn't respect others unless one is respected ...
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2
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1
answer
128
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Different ways of saying dates in US English
This question is about the stylistic differences between certain expressions in American English.
When one has to say a date out loud, there are 4 possibilities in US English.
"Month + ordinal&...
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0
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"This is the one encyclopedia upon which I can depend." Can I put the proposition 【upon】 at the end of the sentence?
"This is the one encyclopedia upon which I can depend." Can I put the proposition 【upon】 at the end of the sentence? That is" This is the one encyclopedia which I can depend upon."...
o_ui
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1
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250
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Are "far better" and "way better" both in the same register?
Are "far better" and "way better" both in the same register and interchangeably used?
If not, what's the difference between them?
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What's the difference in meaning and formality between these questions?
A. "You're feeling a little nervous, aren't you?"
B. "Feeling a little nervous, are you?"
C. "A little nervous, are you?"
My questions are:
Are B and C correct?
Is there ...
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51
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"break one's habit of", "break the habit of", "break one's .... habit", are they formal?
Consider the following sentences:
He is trying to break his habit of biting his nails.
He is trying to break the habit of biting his nails.
He is trying to break his nail-biting habit.
He is trying ...
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1
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'Act against' vs 'act against it'
Are both options correct and formal? If so, which one is preferable?
1: It would happen if we don't act against it
2: It would happen if we don't act against
Many thanks!
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Formal equivalent for "something something" to fill in the blank created by leaving out unimportant information
I quoted a comment in which only the first and last parts were relevent to the point I was trying to make and instead of the middle (unimportant) part I wrote:
Something something
which I later ...
- 1,497
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1
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63
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How should I address the readers in a product review? [closed]
Occasionally, I leave reviews on the games I play. I mostly use "the player" or "players" in my text to have a rather formal tone. However, my formal writing is not as rigid as you ...
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1
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Them instead of Him/Her formal reference
"Sir, Mr. Grapefield is waiting at the door"
"Invite them in then. I will see them shortly"
Can such a reference exist in English? Can we formally address or refer to somebody who ...
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2
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178
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Is 'duration' a natural/standard term for end time - starting time?
I know duration is ok here, but is that always the word a native would
choose? Is there any more natural alternative?
For example:
Start Time: 3ᴘᴍ
End Time: 6ᴘᴍ
Duration: 3 Hours
I came across some ...
nluizsoliveira
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2
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115
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Does "ruin the experience" sound informal? [closed]
Does "ruin the experience" sound informal?
I'm writing an essay and I'm wondering if it's appropriate to use such a phrase.
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What does the format "someone on something" imply?
In this example:
Barack Obama on food and climate change: 'We can still act and it won't be too late'.
what does “Obama on food and climate change” mean?
Is it a formal way of saying someone's ...
Hamid Rabbani-Mousavian
1
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1
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233
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What would be a more formal way of saying "do a lot of teaching"?
I want to say that lecturers at our faculty do a lot of teaching, but to my ears, this phrasing is rather informal – am I right? So, what would be a more formal (or at least less informal) way of ...
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0
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Do dictionaries sometimes say nonsense?
For example, plural nouns like 'clothes' and 'pants' actually are singulars, but we call them 'plural nouns.' If it's true, what words is appropriate to describe these cases? 'Formal'?
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Up (with) the workers!
Here are a few questions about expressions like:
Up (with) the workers!"
Are they old-fashioned?
Do they mean the same as "Viva . . ."? Could we say, e.g., "Viva the workers!"...
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