TEAS® English Study Guide
Formal vs. Informal Language
Register. The register is the level of formality in writing, and good writing matches its register to its audience and purpose. A text to a friend and a report for a professor call for very different language. TEAS questions usually give you a context (an academic essay, an email to an employer) and ask which version of a text fits the situation.
Formal language — for academic, professional, and official writing:
- No contractions (do not, not don’t)
- No slang or casual expressions (a great deal, not a ton)
- Precise, specific vocabulary
- Complete sentences and an objective tone
- Often avoids "you" and stays in the third person
Informal language — for texts, personal notes, and casual conversation:
- Contractions, slang, and abbreviations are fine
- First and second person (I, you) are common
- Conversational, relaxed tone
Signs of informality to catch: Slang and vague words (stuff, kids, a lot, awesome), contractions, casual greetings (hey, what’s up), and filler expressions (honestly, no lie, kind of). When a question asks for the most formal or most appropriate option for a serious context, eliminate any choice containing these or similar words.
Putting it in practice:
Identify the audience and purpose the question describes. Then, eliminate choices in which the tone doesn’t fit — for a formal context, cut anything with slang, contractions, or a casual tone, and keep the precise, objective option.
Example:
Informal: What the researchers found was pretty huge, honestly. Formal: The researcher’s findings were significant.
The formal version drops the slang ("pretty huge"), the filler ("honestly"), and reaches for precise vocabulary — the right choice for an academic essay.