ACE雅思培训： Avoiding Overly Formal Language

ace雅思专家

a) Some examples of 'overly formal' verbs

Verbs to use
Verbs to avoid
          Comments

buy
purchase
   

leave, go
depart
   

help
assist
   

need
require
   

ask for  request     
start, begin
commence
   

live
reside
   

get
obtain
   

get, gain  acquire     
watch  observe     
please  gratify  "Gratify" and the noun, "gratification" are unnecessarily formal in speaking. For example: "She accepted the gift with much gratification." Just say, "She was very happy to accept the gift." or, "She was very pleased to accept the gift."  
own  possess  To say, "I possess a computer and many books." sounds much too formal. But the noun, a 'possession' is normal, not formal sounding.  
fix
repair
"Repair" is a little formal. For example, “I'm going to repair this broken chair” sounds unnecessarily formal but, “I got my shoe repaired” doesn't sound too formal.  

Why?  

'Fix' is probably more suitable when the item to be fixed is composed of simple, solid parts, like a chair and one part is 'broken'. In other words, if something is 'broken', it's suitable to talk about 'fixing' it. But if, for example, your shoe is losing some of its stitching, we don't normally say it is 'broken'. In this case, it sounds normal to say, "I got my shoe repaired".

want
desire
   

stop
cease
   

let
permit
For example,  “My parents don't permit me to say out late at night” sounds too formal.

tell
inform
The noun, 'information' is not overly formal.  

answer, reply
respond
   

write to  correspond with     
start again
resume
   

seem
appear (a little formal)
For example: "You appear to be tired today." sounds a little formal. It is better to say, "You seem to be tired today."

ask
enquire, inquire
For example: "I enquired if there was a room available." sounds unnecessarily formal. It is better to say: "I asked if there was a room available."  

try  endeavour     
think  deem  The word 'deem' is very old-fashioned. It is not even suitable for the Writing test and is definitely unsuitable for most spoken language.  
would like to, want to
wish to
For example, “I wish to study in Britain” sounds too formal.  

Avoid that usage of "wish". But in the following sentence, "wish" is used normally: "I wish I could speak better English." (Don't use "can" in that sentence.)

will, let’s, should
shall
In England, “shall” is used in everyday speech with “I” or “we” but for other English speakers, the word "shall" is only used in formal situations or situations when one is trying to be exceptionally polite.  

If you know your examiner is from Britain, using "shall" to mean "will", "Let's ..." or "should" is ok. But if you know your examiner is not from Britain, I suggest not using it.

(If ... +) would (If ... +) should For example, “I should say so” when used to mean, “I'd say so” (= I would say so) is overly formal.  
Similarly, "I should be worried if I were you." is too formal. Instead, it is more normal to say: "I'd be worried if I were you."