TEAS 7 · English and Language Usage · 6 min read
Formal Writing, Tone and Clear Sentences
- Distinguish between formal and informal conventions, including point of view, objective tone, and standard mechanics.
- Apply precise diction, differentiate denotation from connotation, and eliminate redundancy and wordiness.
- Combine clauses using coordination, subordination, appositives, and phrases while avoiding run-on errors and comma splices.
Conventions of Formal Writing and Objective Tone
Formal writing adheres to standard English grammar, punctuation, and capitalization conventions. In academic and professional environments, maintaining these standards ensures that ideas are conveyed clearly, authoritatively, and respectfully. Unlike casual conversation, formal prose establishes a serious environment where readers evaluate the validity of the work based on clarity and structured presentation.
Point of view plays a significant role in establishing the appropriate tone. Formal writing often uses the third-person point of view, although first person may be appropriate depending on the purpose and style guide. Even so, first-person pronouns such as I, me, and we are generally avoided in objective formal prose to prevent personal bias from overshadowing the evidence. Second-person pronouns are often avoided in formal academic prose as well, though they may be appropriate in professional writing that addresses readers directly.
Maintaining an objective tone is essential in formal prose. An objective tone presents factual information without emotional bias or personal feelings, whereas a subjective tone expresses personal beliefs, feelings, and interpretations. To preserve an objective stance and maintain credibility, formal writing avoids hyperbole and exaggerated language. Additionally, exclamation marks should rarely be used in formal writing, and rhetorical questions are generally discouraged in formal scientific and academic writing because writers are expected to provide direct, evidence-based statements rather than open-ended queries.
Informal elements must also be removed to maintain professional standards. Informal writing often includes colloquialisms, idioms, and slang expressions. In academic contexts, slang terms should be replaced with formal, standard equivalents. Casual abbreviations such as 'info' or 'pics' should be written in full in formal prose, and contractions are generally avoided in formal academic writing, although some professional styles allow them.
Common mistakes
- Creating a comma splice by joining two independent clauses with only a comma, rather than adding a coordinating conjunction (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so) or a semicolon.
- Avoid expressions that repeat a meaning unnecessarily, such as 'true fact'; retain 'end result' or 'past history' when the modifier makes a meaningful distinction.
- Introducing nominalizations like 'conduct an investigation' instead of using direct action verbs like 'investigate.'
- Overusing introductory constructions such as 'There are' or 'It is' can make sentences wordy, but these constructions are sometimes useful or necessary.
Key points
- Formal writing adheres to standard grammar conventions and maintains an objective tone by avoiding personal bias, hyperbole, exclamation marks, and rhetorical questions.
- First-person pronouns are generally avoided in objective formal prose, while second-person pronouns are avoided in academic writing but may appear when directly addressing readers in professional prose.
- Precise diction relies on replacing vague nouns like 'things' and general verbs like 'get' with specific terms, action verbs like 'obtain,' or clinical terms like 'administer.'
- Concision can be improved by eliminating filler phrases like 'due to the fact that,' removing modifiers that add no meaning, and replacing wordy nominalizations with direct verbs when appropriate.
- Coordination joins clauses of equal importance using coordinating conjunctions (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so), while subordination links independent clauses with dependent clauses.
- Sentences can be effectively combined using appositives, participial phrases, and relative clauses introduced by relative words such as 'who,' 'which,' or 'that.'
- Run-on errors, such as fused sentences and comma splices, must be avoided by correctly separating or connecting independent clauses.
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