Standard and Formal English

British & IGCSE › Checkpoint 8 › Checkpoint 8 English (Cambridge Lower Secondary 0861)

1. Two different ideas: standard and formal

Students often mix up these two ideas. They are not the same thing.

• Standard English is about correctness: English that follows the accepted rules of grammar and vocabulary. It is used in exams, books, news and formal writing.
• Formal English is about register (how formal or informal a text is): the level of politeness, distance and seriousness chosen for the reader and purpose.

A text can be informal but still Standard: I'm so excited about the trip! Can't wait to see you. (chatty, but no grammar errors). A sentence like We was gonna go is non-standard (wrong grammar for written English). In an exam, your writing must always be Standard English, and its register must match the task.

2. Standard and non-standard English

Why a writer uses non-standard English on purpose: in fiction, in dialogue, to make a character sound realistic, to show the character's age, background, region or personality, to create a casual, informal voice and sometimes for humour. In your own writing, use Standard English everywhere except inside a character's speech.

3. Formal and informal language

Formality is a scale. A letter to a head teacher is formal, a school magazine article is semi-formal (friendly but still careful), and a message to a friend is informal. Choose the level that suits your reader and purpose.

4. Formal vocabulary and phrases

5. Common mistakes

6. How Checkpoint asks about register

Question style: Identify two features that make this text formal. Name the feature and quote an example for each: 1. No contractions, e.g. 'it is not possible'. 2. The passive voice, e.g. 'visitors are requested to...'.

Worked example. Visitors are requested to remain on the marked paths at all times. Failure to do so may result in damage to rare plant species. Two formal features: (1) passive voice, Visitors are requested. (2) Formal, precise vocabulary, Failure to do so may result in. Also (3) no contractions and no direct address to you.

You may also be asked why a character speaks in non-standard English, or why a writer uses an informal, chatty tone (for example, in a blog: to build a friendly relationship with the reader and make the text feel personal).

In your writing, match the register to the task: formal for letters to officials, reports, news reports and speeches to adults, informal (but still Standard English) for diaries, blogs and emails to friends. Keep the register consistent from the first line to the last.

7. Practice

1. Rewrite in Standard English: Me and him seen the accident but we didn't say nothing.

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   He and I saw the accident, but we didn't say anything.

2. In a story, a character says: "Ain't nobody gonna stop me now!" Why has the writer used non-standard English? (1 mark)

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   To make the character's speech sound realistic and show their confident, casual personality (and perhaps their background).

3. Identify two features that make this text formal: Residents are advised that the swimming pool will be closed for maintenance. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.

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   Any two: passive voice (Residents are advised, will be closed). Formal vocabulary (maintenance, inconvenience). No contractions (will be, not 'll). Polite, impersonal tone (We apologise for any inconvenience caused).

4. Rewrite in a formal register: Hey, we're gonna need loads of help with the fair, so grab your mates and come along!

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   We will require a large number of volunteers for the fair. Students are invited to attend with their friends.

5. Is this sentence formal or informal, and is it Standard English? Honestly, the new café is amazing – you've got to try the mango cake!

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   Informal (contraction, Honestly, exclamation mark, direct address to you), but it is Standard English: the grammar is correct.

6. Identify two features that make this blog extract informal: So, here's the thing. I tried to bake bread last week (big mistake!) and it came out like a rock.

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   Any two: contractions (here's), chatty opener (So, here's the thing), brackets for a humorous aside (big mistake!), exclamation mark, first person and a casual simile (like a rock).

7. Replace the informal words with formal ones: We need to find out why loads of students don't get enough sleep.

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   We need to discover / investigate why numerous / many students do not get sufficient sleep.

8. Correct the non-standard forms: You should of seen it. Them birds was huge.

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   You should have seen it. Those birds were huge.