Lesson 2 — Activity 3: Types of Language

When we communicate well, we must consider the type of language to use with a specific audience. When we communicate with different people, we sometimes use different types of language even if we are sending the same message to each person.

Formal language is the language we use when we are in a formal situation, such as a job interview or meeting someone for the first time. We also use more formal language for research essays and business letters. When our audience is someone we do not know very well or is a general audience, our language is more likely to be formal.

In many workplaces, formal language and work-related jargon is often used. Think of medical or police TV shows and the talk that occurs among the actors who play the doctors, lawyers, or police officers. Their conversations include many technical terms that are not familiar to people who don't know much about medicine, law, or police work.

Click here for examples of jargon in the workplace.

Informal language is the language we use in most situations, such as talking with friends and family. Although it is still important to be polite and appropriate, we do not pay as much attention to our vocabulary and grammar in an informal situation as we should. We use more slang and perhaps clichés for informal situations than for formal situations because we are with people we know well and speak to often.

Some examples of slang:

Click on the Play button below to watch a video on how to use formal and informal language.