Formal vs Informal Emails and Letters

Formal vs Informal Emails and Letters

Learning Objective

At the end of the lesson, you will be able to differentiate between formal and informal emails/letters and understand the differences in language used.

Formal vs Informal

Formal emails/letters are used for professional purposes while informal emails/letters are used for personal communication.

Tone

Formal emails/letters use a polite and professional tone while informal emails/letters use a casual and friendly tone.

Greetings

Formal emails/letters use formal greetings such as 'Dear Sir/Madam' or 'To Whom It May Concern' while informal emails/letters use casual greetings such as 'Hi' or 'Hey'.

Language

Formal emails/letters use formal language and avoid contractions while informal emails/letters use informal language and contractions.

Length

Formal emails/letters are usually longer and more detailed while informal emails/letters are shorter and more relaxed.

Closing

Formal emails/letters use formal closings such as 'Sincerely' or 'Yours faithfully' while informal emails/letters use casual closings such as 'Cheers' or 'Best'.

Practice

Let's practice! Read the email and determine if it is formal or informal.

Review

What have we learned today? Let's review the differences between formal and informal emails/letters.

Write down 3 things you learned in this lesson.

Write down 2 things you want to know more about.

Ask 1 question about something you haven't quite understood yet.