Questions tagged [formality]
is for questions about whether a word or phrase is considered formal or informal. Be sure to include as much context as you can, because sometimes how formal or informal a word or phrase is can be different in different situations.
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Do you really answer “How do you do?” with “How do you do?”
I'm a non native speaker of English. In our learning we were told that when we say hello to someone we use equivalent phrase:
How do you do?
In response we do say:
How do you do?
But I'm ...
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Is it "I" or "me" in "Keep Tom and I/me updated"?
In this case what is correct?
Keep Tom and I updated.
or
Keep Tom and me updated.
I understand that me is an object pronoun. And therefore I feel the second option is correct.
...
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When is it acceptable to omit the subject "I"?
Have noticed that English speakers omit "I" when they are emailing or chatting:
How are you doing?
Am fine.
Also, this occurs often in daily/weekly reports. Have seen quite a few of them, ...
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Is it common to use "gonna" in written English and even in business English?
Gonna is a short form of going to.
That sounds a little bit like slang. Is it common to use it in written English and even in business English?
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Is ending a sentence with a preposition acceptable?
When I learned English at school, I was taught that I should not end a sentence with a preposition.
Is it correct to end a sentence with a preposition?
To avoid starting a sentence with a ...
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Is "Bunch of people" a valid phrase?
Some time ago I was told that use of the expression bunch of people is incorrect. Apparently, bunch should not be used along with people meaning group of people.
But the problem is that I can hear ...
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What is the meaning of "less than delighted"?
This study evaluated the efficacy of a novel group intervention intended to increase
the SWB of early adolescents who are less than delighted with their lives.
Is it a typo in the text putting than ...
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How do natives make a formal request at places like hotels?
I was living in a hotel for one week, and almost everyday I needed a wake-up call or a shuttle service, and so I would call the reception and say
Can you please arrange a shuttle for tomorrow 9:30 ...
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How sophisticated does the word 'occidental' sound for the average native speaker?
The word oriental is quite widely used. But its counterpart, occidental is not so popular, at least I don't hear it so often.
What's more, my contact with English is mostly by technical documentation,...
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What's the difference between "veggie" and "vegetable"?
What's the difference between "veggie" and "vegetable"?
Can I use them interchangeably? or is there any difference in terms of meaning and usage?
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Which version is correct and normally used, "between you and me" or "between you and I"?
I was listening to the song Superman by Eminem. I've listened it before many times but from the time I've started learning English grammar I am getting confused while reading or listening English. ...
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Meaning and usage of ain't
Sometimes I encounter ain't, but I really don't know how to translate it properly.
What does ain't stand for? If I really wanted to use it, in which contexts would you say it's acceptable using it?
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Is "You alright?" (without "are") acceptable?
I'm having a hard time figuring out which is the correct form of asking this kind of question. I mean speaking strictly, this doesn't sound right: You alright? or You eaten anything? compared to Are ...
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Use "got" or "have got"?
Could you please tell me if you got some time to read the report?
In this sentence, I have to use got or have got ? what is the difference between these two w.r.t. the meaning of the sentence?
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Under what circumstances does an adverb not get -ly?
I learned in school that it's correct to say really good. On the internet I've also seen real good. Is this grammatically incorrect, or are there particular circumstances under which this is correct? ...
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Can I pay my credit card?
As far as I know, the direct object of pay (when meaning provide money for something) is who or what you want to pay.
However, I read the following sentence from a (supposedly) native speaker:
Can ...
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"Fixing" an error
Open source programmers commonly use the term "to fix" (as in "fixing an error") to mean to correct (eliminate) an error.
Is this use of the term "to fix" common outside open source programming (both ...
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How to say - thanks for clarification
How you say "thanks for clarification" in a formal way?
For instance, is it OK to say:
Thank you for clarifying this?
I want to include this in a formal letter about a scholarship.
This why I am ...
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When can't we shorten It is to It's
I have noticed that in some cases people write it is while in others it's. And in some cases you just cannot write it's.
Is that your book over there? Maybe it is.
It's a beautiful flower. Yes, it is,...
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Lite instead of Light
I commonly see lite version, lite cream, etc. When is it acceptable to replace light with lite?
Is Lite already accepted as correct English or is it just an informal/incorrect spelling? Are there any ...
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The syntax of metaphors in English
I tried to translate a line of a Persian poem into English, it is almost like:
If you come to visit me, come slowly and softly
Lest the delicate porcelain of my loneliness cracks
Here, the ...
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“Both you and he are very happy” or "Both you and him are very happy"？
It's a sentence on a test paper:
Both you and he are very happy.
The sentence itself sounds awkward. Let's cast the awkwardness aside and look into the grammar. It's understandable that as part of ...
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Is formal English the same as written English?
In some languages there is a difference between written, formal and informal language.
For example, I listened to a US president speak. He was not reading anything, but I think all words were ...
user288
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Appropriate usage of "can't" and "cannot"
Are there any rules for using can't and cannot since they mean the same thing, and they are used interchangeably, but they sound weird in certain contexts?
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Is "as of today" a standard English expression?
Can I use "as of today" in a formal letter or essay?
I have googled this expression and turns out it could mean two different things.
until today
starting from today
So I got suspicious that this ...
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How to concisely express 'at many place' similar to somewhere, nowhere and everywhere?
I searched on the Internet and found the opposite of 'somewhere' is 'nowhere.' This confuses me, because I see it like this:
The opposite of "everywhere" (at all places) is "nowhere" (at no places). ...
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Excrement, faeces or poop?
In daily conversation, when we discuss/say about the baby excrement/faeces.
Which word should we used? Excrement, faeces or poop?
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Phrase Usage:- "Works like a Charm", can it be used formally?
I have seen many people using the phrase "It works like a charm"....when they are asked about , how something is working/going on. Is it a correct way to use it in business communication.
For Example:...
user26278
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Is the word 'appreciate' too formal?
I tend to use appreciate in my letter endings. Such as: "I appreciate your help".
I wonder if it is too much formality?
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"You are" vs. "you're" — what is the difference between them?
“You are” vs. “you're” — what is the difference between them?
I get confused between the two a lot. I want to understand how to use them appropriately, because I hate making mistakes.
Liam
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Are phrasal verbs almost always too informal to use in an academic writing?
I was reading an article on how to prove my writing and came across these example sentences given which sparked this question in my mind.
The blog says that
"use the word acquire instead of the ...
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Isn't there no difference between yeah, yes and yah
“Are you coming with us?” “Yeah, I'm coming.” (Merriam-Webster's Learner's)
In my tongue, for saying ‘yes (Korean yes),’ I could say ‘ye [je̞]’ or ‘ne [ne].’ Korean dictionaries say there’s no ...
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Are British words jarring in US English? [closed]
In particular, I don't mean mere alternate spellings like colour, honour, but words that are entirely different: using lift instead of elevator, fridge instead of refrigerator etc.
What is the common ...
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Difference between "special equipment" and "specialized equipment"
My translation of a text by a pipe-producing plant:
Bevel angle inspection
Inspection of this type is carried out as specified in the regulatory documentation using a bevel protractor or a ...
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What is the difference between 'Bad English' and 'Poor English'?
Is there any difference between 'Bad English' and 'Poor English'? If yes, when I should use them?
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apropos -- is this a common word in English?
apropos
Is this word part of your active or passive vocabulary? Do you ever use it at all? If yes, could you please give me some real-world examples related to how one would use this word in ...
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Can you "carry a child" in your womb?
Can I use "carry a child" to replace "carry a pregnancy"? Are there any single-word verbs I can use in this sense?
Surrogacy is an arrangement or agreement whereby a woman agrees to carry a ...
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Using I am all ears in a professional Email?
Before I ask the questions , here is a bit of context:
I am planning to email few of our customers asking for their feedback. This is what I plan to write
If you have any feature suggestion then ...
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"Is it okay for you?" Is this phrase considered formal in school/college setting?
If I emailed my teacher:
I've said that I can stay after school to make up the test, but I found out that I have a band rehersal tomorrow. Is it okay for you if I take it on wednesday after school ...
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"I have" vs "I have got"
I don't know what is the difference between using "I have got" and "I have"
For example:
He's got broad shoulders.
Is it possible to say:
He has broad shoulders.
If yes, so what is the ...
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Is tricky a formal word?
I am now writing a report which requires me to use formal, academic English...here's the question. I want to describe a task as more difficult, or more challenging than other ones. Can I use the word "...
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How should I write a sentence that has multiple questions?
I got these words from a speech, so I'm not entirely sure how I would write this...
Is the website easy to navigate? Easy-to-read? Well-structured? Concise?
"Easy-to-read" and the others are ...
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"How much are you into us for already?"
I am confused about a line from the movie Kingpin:
Ernie: All right, let's go. Thank you for the education, gentlemen. We've just received a PhD in stupidity. (to Roy) Doctor, shall we?
Roy: ...
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Ways to say "My phone ran out of power"
What are some other ways to say "My phone ran out of power", meaning my battery got depleted. What is the level of formality of each one?
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Problem of abstracting two things into one
As I am having some new options to describe one of my earlier post regarding to the following two constructions making into one sentence, I want to post this once again with my options.
If I say main ...
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Is the idiom 'speaks volumes about' valid in a formal context?
Looking on how to improve my essays, I've just come across the idiom 'speaks volumes about'. For example:
The unsightly yard and unpainted house speaks volumes about what kind of people live there.
...
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What is the subject when it's omitted after the comparison?
As market forces penetrate firms and bid up the value of attributes of labor that are more measurable than is the knowledge born of experience, it can be expected that trends in wages will not favor ...
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Difference between 'humid' and 'muggy' [closed]
Could you let me know the difference between these two adjectives? In my book they seem to be slightly different(by it's not clearly explained) while on the internet most people say that they've the ...
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