American English · B2 · Unit 21
Formal and informal
Formal and informal
By the end you can
- Switch between formal and informal language
- Write the same message in two styles
- Understand the tone of a message
Words and phrases
| American English | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| it's a pleasure to meet you | formal: nice to meet you | Mrs. Walsh, it's a pleasure to meet you. |
| how's it going? | informal: how are you? | Hey Mike, how's it going? |
| I was wondering if | a very polite way to ask | I was wondering if you could help me. |
| would it be possible to | a formal way to ask | Would it be possible to reschedule? |
| ma'am | a polite way to speak to a woman (US) | Thank you, ma'am. |
| gonna | going to (very informal, mostly spoken) | I'm gonna call you later. |
| please don't hesitate to | formal: feel free to | Please don't hesitate to contact me. |
| no worries | informal: it's fine, no problem | No worries, I'll do it. |
| I apologize for | formal: I'm sorry for | I apologize for any inconvenience. |
| to whom it may concern | a formal opening when you don't know the reader's name | To whom it may concern: I am writing about my order. |
| what's up? | informal: hi, how are you? | Hey, what's up? |
| y'all | you (plural; informal, especially in the South) | Are y'all coming tonight? |
Then talk it through
Meeting your partner's grandparents for the first time. In the app you have this conversation out loud or typed, with the unit's goals to tick off and corrections at the end.