Academic writing is formal writing. Many students who learn English as the second language have trouble telling informal writing apart from formal writing. They resort to informal writing, since it’s easier and more familiar. Characteristics of informal writing include the use of colloquialisms and slangs.
In academic writing tests such as IELTS, you are assessed according to the following criteria:
•Task Response - how accurately to address the task
•Coherence and Cohesion - how organised your writing is
•Lexical Resource - the range of your vocabulary
•Grammatical Range and Accuracy - the correctness of your grammar
Academic writers usually employ tentative language rather than assertive language in their essays or reports by:
1) Using possibly and probably in front of verbs and noun phrases; e.g. 'This is possibly caused by...' or 'This is probably the most important factor.'
2) Using the modal verbs may and might; e.g. 'This may be the most important factor.'
3) Using appears to and seems to; e.g. 'This appears to be the most important factor.'
4) Avoiding always and every, and replacing them with often and many/much
Using formal vocabulary e.g. discuss rather than talk about. One way to do this is by replacing phrasal verbs with more formal ones.
5) Using more formal grammar, for example:
Use 'There' as a subject; e.g. 'There is a serious risk of...'
Use 'It' as a subject; e.g. 'It is very difficult to...'
Use 'One' as a subject; e.g. 'One may ask whether...' ('One' is a formal version of 'You' [plural] in general)
Use the passive voice; e.g. 'Many things can be done in order to...'
Now let's do an exercise by identifying the informal expressions in the following sentences and then rewrite the following sentences, replacing the informal expressions with a more formal equivalent.
1. Unfortunately, since there are so many possible explanations, the correct one is most difficult to find out.
2. Effective vaccines prevent such hazards, but only if a social organisation makes sure that all potential mothers are vaccinated in good time.
3. Modern houses have so many labour-saving things that it is difficult for the person at home to have adequate exercise by doing chores, cooking, and looking after a family.
