How To Write Formal English Tasks at Cambridge B2
Write Formal English at B2
Why do we use formal language and expressions?
Whether you’re writing a report or a business email, or an essay, using a formal tone is essential for clarity and it shows respect for your audience, who expect you to communicate in this way. Formal writing is typically objective, structured, and generally free from informal expressions and contractions. Here are several practical tips to help you improve the formality of your writing.
Avoid Contractions
In formal writing, it’s best to avoid contractions such as can’t, won’t, it’s, or they’re. Instead, write the full forms as it shows the examiner that you understand the format of these types of writing.:
- Informal: “We can’t confirm the results yet.”
- Formal: “We cannot confirm the results yet.”
Build Your Vocabulary
You should add to your own vocabulary as you can show a wide range of language in your writing and it is important to choose words that convey your message in a precise manner. For example:
- Informal: “The results were pretty good.”
- Formal: “The results were very satisfactory.”
Satisfactory here is a more formal word with a similar meaning to good. Using an online thesaurus can help, but make sure the synonyms you choose are accurate and appropriate for your context.
Another way to make your writing more formal is to use noun forms instead of verbs. For example
- Informal: “People disagreed over what the government decided.”
- Formal: “There was disagreement over the government decision.”
A thesaurus will also provide noun form information and there are details in this C1 Advanced post on using noun forms.
Use Complete and Structured Sentences
Ensure each sentence has a subject, a verb, and conveys a complete thought. Formal writing often produces complex sentence structures, but they should always be clear first. Look at these two examples.
- Informal: “Not sure what happened.”
- Formal: “It is unclear what occurred.”
Use Passive Forms Appropriately
While overusing passive voice can make writing confusing, appropiate use of it in formal contexts can make the information more objective, which is often preferred in essay or reports. For example:
- Active: “We conducted the experiment.”
- Passive: “The experiment was conducted.”
Use The Third Person Perspective
In many formal contexts, especially in academic writing, using third person rather than first person is preferred, even where we wish to offer opinons.
- Informal: “I believe we should revise the plan.”
- Formal: “It is recommended that the plan be revised.”
- Formal: “We believe that the plan should be revised.”
Both of our examples here would be possible because “we” gives the impression of a general group of people rather than one individual, which makes this a formal sentence.
Be Specific and Objective
Formal writing, particulalry essays and reports, aim to inform or argue with evidence rather than persuade people emotionally. Avoid very general language or personal opinions unless they are explicitly required.
- Informal: “I think this was a great result.”
- Formal: “The result appears to be highly beneficial, based on our experience from the pilot programme.”
Check And Review What You Write
Even well-written reports or essays can give a negative impression if they contain grammatical errors, spelling mistakes, or inappropriate or very simple vocabulary, so always review your work carefully .
Using a formal approach in writing is more than just complex words—it’s also about being clear and precise. By adjusting your language, avoiding informal language, and focusing on structure you can communicate more effectively and produce better writing in your exam. And of course, be sure to practise regularly!