Mind Your Tone: Mastering Formal vs Informal English (B2)

Have you ever sent an email that sounded too casual—or too stiff? In English, choosing the right tone (or “register”) matters. Today you’ll learn how to switch between formal and informal English smoothly, so you sound appropriate at work, in emails, and in everyday chats. Expect useful phrases, cultural notes, and plenty of practice.

What do we mean by “register”?

Register is the level of formality in language. You already do this in your native tongue—English is no different.

• Formal: polite, structured, careful; used in professional emails, presentations, customer communication
• Informal: friendly, relaxed, spontaneous; used with friends, close colleagues, quick messages

Compare:

• Formal: “Would you mind sending me the report by Friday?”

• Informal: “Can you send me the report by Friday?”

• Formal: “Your request has been approved.” (passive, neutral tone)

• Informal: “We’ve approved your request.” (active, personal tone)

We regret to that the event has been postponed.

Informal English: natural, friendly, efficient

Use informal tone with friends, close teammates, or quick chats.

• Contractions: I'm, we’re, they’ve
• Common verbs: get, put, take
• Phrasal verbs: put off (delay), figure out (understand), pick up (collect)
• Friendly closings: "Thanks!", "Cheers" (UK, casual)

Keep it polite—even when informal:

• "Could you give me a hand with this?" (informal but polite)
• "Mind sending me that link?" (softened request)

Let's kick the meeting at 10.

Cultural notes: email etiquette and small talk

• Openings:
  • Formal: "Dear Ms. Patel," / "Dear Dr. Nguyen," (title + surname)
  • Neutral: "Hello Alex," (when you already know the person)
  • Informal: "Hi Sam," / "Hey Sam," (only if relationship allows)
• Closings:
  • Formal: "Kind regards", "Sincerely"
  • Neutral: "Best regards", "Best"
  • Informal: "Thanks", "Cheers" (UK)
• Addressing people:
  • Use titles (Ms., Mr., Dr.) with surnames in formal contexts, especially in first contact.
  • Don’t call strangers "sir" or "madam" in conversation—sounds overly formal or outdated in many contexts.
• British vs American nuance:
  • British emails often use "Kind regards" more; Americans use "Best" or "Regards".
  • "Cheers" is common informal British closing; avoid it in formal emails.

Formal vs informal vocabulary: quick toolbox

When you need to raise or lower the tone, switch words strategically:

• Formal: "assist" → Informal: "help"
• Formal: "inform" → Informal: "tell"
• Formal: "purchase" → Informal: "buy"
• Formal: "require" → Informal: "need"
• Formal: "request" → Informal: "ask"

Use formal choices for emails to clients, managers, or official documents. Use informal choices for chats or friendly emails.

Quick checklist: choosing the right tone

• Who’s the audience? Unknown/new contact → formal. Close colleague → neutral/informal.
• What’s the purpose? Request or complaint → more formal and polite.
• How will it be read? Email or document → formal. Chat message → informal.
• Do you need diplomacy? Use hedging ("might", "seems") and modals ("would", "could").
• Is urgency appropriate? Avoid sounding bossy; give specifics ("by Friday" rather than "ASAP" alone).

Practice makes fluent politeness—your tone will feel natural with time.

Kind ,