Vocabulary · lesson 25 of 30 · free

Formal and informal words — Vocabulary words for kids

Many everyday words have a formal partner used in letters, applications, reports and speeches: buy → purchase, help → assist, start → commence, live → reside. Choosing the right one shows you know your reader.

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Word tip

Know your reader — “formal words for letters and reports, everyday words for friends”

  1. Informal (everyday) words are short and friendly: buy, help, get, tell.
  2. Formal words are longer and more serious: purchase, assist, receive, inform.
  3. Use formal words in letters to the principal, applications and reports; use everyday words with friends and family.

Use it for: Formal letters, applications, reports and speeches in Class 6–10 English writing.

Worked example: Which is the formal word for “buy”? → purchase

  1. Formal words are used in letters and reports.
  2. The formal word for buy is purchase.

Check: “I wish to purchase two tickets” sounds right in a letter ✓

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✏️ Practice

Work it out in your head or on paper, type the answer and press Check. Stuck? Press “Show me how”.

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🏁 Lesson 25 test

20 questions. Check each answer, then go to the next one. Get 16 or more right to pass.

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🖨️ Formal and Informal Words Worksheet

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