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5. FORMAL, INFORMAL AND COLLOQUIAL ENGLISH 
 
Formal, informal and colloquial English are the three varieties that can be generally found while interacting 
between most of the English users. Formal English exists more in written and scholastic communication rather than 
in oral communication. It is generally articulated and documented in academic, professional and administrative 
arena. As formal English is used by the professionals and technocrats, from top level to down level and vice versa 
internal and external communication, formal English usage is specifically preferred for authentic communication. To 
display the professional outlook of business communication, it is more evinced in official and administrative 
correspondences, business emails and reports. Technical communication could be better envisaged through formal 
English for undertaking literary, business, scientific and technical research. Though formal English is not strictly a 
barrier to social communication, business professionals prefer to use a mixed variety of formal and informal English 
for business networking, convincing, negotiating and persuasion. In any workplace contexts, both employers and 
employees indulge in a heterogeneous style of formal, social and technical communication, but a complete social 
and colloquial variety of English is strictly prohibited in the premises as well as in their oral and written 
communication. 
The formal and informal use of language varies according to the situational contexts and its immediate impact 
on grammar is widely acknowledged in texts. In almost all the ESL and EFL regions, English has been used as a 
formal language. Even in the ESP contexts, the role of English is limited in formal, academic, business and technical 
communication only. Most professionals prefer that the expression of language should be short, simple and sweet. 
To cater to their own communicative needs, most professionals tend to mould the language as they interact in oral 
and written texts. An English language learner can be in trouble while he/she uses the language in general. Hence a 
better sentence conceived by an English learner with accurate structures too seems to be a disqualified one and often 
the English language and English learner is scrutinized and screened according to their own level of language 
perception. 
Socioethnic influences govern the use and flow of grammar in any language. As informal language flourishes in 
the social and cultural contexts, the colloquial variety of English is more found in social media. Informal English is 
used for personal and social purposes, colloquial and slang is used in general terms with or without the 
acknowledgement of the listener. A language learner should be familiar about formal, informal and colloquial 
English and should be able to use it in different contexts. If only, the structural and situational use of both formal 

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