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INFORMAL WRITING: This is ‘chattier’ and more relaxed than formal writing. You
can use an informal style when writing to friends or people you know well, or when it
suits the task (such as a blog or an article in a teenage magazine).
When writing in an informal style:
You can use slang words.
You can use contractions such as don’t or I’ll.
Look at the two examples below:
Our dog nicked some of my Although it may seem harmless,
sister’s chocs yesterday! He went even a small amount of chocolate
crazy and started running all over may be dangerous to your dog. If
the house. We got him to the you suspect your dog has eaten
vets and he gave us some chocolate, contact your vet
medicine to make him barf it up. immediately.
Audience: a friend Audience: pet owners of any age
Purpose: an e mail Purpose: an article for a magazine
Type: informal Type: formal
Fill in the type of writing for each of the examples below:
1. Audience: Your headmaster
Purpose: A report about sport in your school
Type: FORMAL or INFORMAL? ...................................................
2. Audience: Your friend
Purpose: A letter about your holiday
Type: FORMAL or INFORMAL? ...................................................
3. Audience: Adult newspaper readers
Purpose: A newspaper article about the dangers of smoking
Type: FORMAL or INFORMAL? ...................................................
4. Audience: Teenagers
Purpose: A blog about music
Type: FORMAL or INFORMAL? ...................................................
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