Formal and Informal Words in the English Language
| Formal Word | Informal Word |
|---|---|
| Accept | Get |
| Assist | Help |
| Begin | Start |
| Purchase | Buy |
| Obtain | Get |
| Commence | Begin |
| Demonstrate | Show |
| Comprehend | Understand |
| Consequence | Result |
| Require | Need |
| Conclude | Finish |
| Respond | Answer |
| Depart | Leave |
| Increase | Raise |
| Decrease | Lower |
| Suggest | Recommend |
| Encounter | Meet |
| Consider | Think about |
| Reside | Live |
| Request | Ask |
| Occupy | Use |
| Examine | Look at |
| Confirm | Verify |
| Provide | Give |
| Aid | Help |
| Contribute | Give |
| Appreciate | Like |
| Transfer | Move |
| Discover | Find |
| Advise | Tell |
| Inform | Tell |
| Assist | Help |
| Celebrate | Party |
| Inquire | Ask |
| Repair | Fix |
| Solve | Fix |
| Participate | Join |
| Endure | Last |
| Implement | Do |
| Acknowledge | Recognize |
| Fulfill | Complete |
| Distribute | Hand out |
| Contribute | Give |
| Address | Speak to |
| Criticize | Complain |
| Disclose | Reveal |
| Encourage | Motivate |
| Confide | Trust |
| Recommend | Suggest |
| Evaluate | Judge |
| Get | Obtain |
| Fix | Repair |
| Tell | Inform |
| Help | Assist |
| Ask | Inquire |
| Show | Demonstrate |
| Start | Begin |
| Buy | Purchase |
| Raise | Increase |
| Lower | Decrease |
| Like | Appreciate |
| Party | Celebrate |
| Meet | Encounter |
| Think about | Consider |
| Move | Transfer |
| Find | Discover |
| Join | Participate |
| Speak to | Address |
| Trust | Confide |
| Complain | Criticize |
| Give | Provide |
| Complete | Fulfill |
| Finish | Conclude |
| Answer | Respond |
| Leave | Depart |
| Buy | Purchase |
| Reveal | Disclose |
| Enjoy | Appreciate |
| Fix | Solve |
| Play | Participate |
| Do | Implement |
| Recognize | Acknowledge |
| Hand out | Distribute |
| Party | Celebrate |
| Listen | Hear |
| Talk | Speak |
| Meet | See |
| Help | Assist |
| Stay | Reside |
| Give | Provide |
| Move | Transfer |
| Return | Come back |
| Understand | Comprehend |
| Show | Demonstrate |
| Find | Discover |
| Be sorry | Apologize |
| Love | Adore |
| Recommend | Suggest |
| Answer | Respond |
| Hang out | Spend time |
| Formal Word | Informal Word |
|---|---|
| Accelerate | Speed up |
| Allocate | Give out |
| Assert | Say |
| Assign | Give |
| Assume | Guess |
| Attain | Get |
| Beneficial | Good |
| Cancel | Call off |
| Cease | Stop |
| Clarify | Explain |
| Commend | Praise |
| Conclude | End |
| Confirm | Check |
| Contribute | Chip in |
| Convince | Persuade |
| Cooperate | Help out |
| Correlate | Match |
| Create | Make |
| Dedicate | Devote |
| Demonstrate | Show off |
| Deny | Say no |
| Depart | Take off |
| Determine | Figure out |
| Discard | Throw away |
| Distribute | Pass out |
| Elaborate | Explain more |
| Encounter | Bump into |
| Enforce | Carry out |
| Enhance | Improve |
| Establish | Set up |
| Exceed | Go beyond |
| Excuse | Let off |
| Exemplify | Show |
| Expect | Think |
| Extend | Stretch |
| Facilitate | Make easier |
| Forbid | Tell off |
| Formulate | Think up |
| Gather | Collect |
| Grant | Give |
| Implement | Carry out |
| Indicate | Point out |
| Inform | Let know |
| Inquire | Ask about |
| Instruct | Teach |
| Investigate | Look into |
| Maintain | Keep up |
| Minimize | Cut down |
| Notify | Tell |
| Observe | Watch |
Read more:
- English Vocabulary for the Workplace
- Animal-Themed Vocabulary with Meanings
- English Words Derived from Other Languages
- English Words to Describe Art and Creativity
Resources:
- Grammarly Blog
- ESL Cafe (Dave’s ESL Cafe)
- Voice of America (VOA) Learning English
- ETS TOEFL Resources
