How do we avoid informal vocabulary in writing?
That's a difficult question to answer, but there are a few common mistakes to avoid.
🎯 Firstly, try to avoid using the word 'get'. Usually, it feels a bit informal and there are always more precise options that show better depth in your understanding of collocation.
🎯 Secondly, don't use 'and / but / so' to start sentences. It's considered informal by some strict English teachers - and potentially examiners - so just use alternatives like 'Also / However / Thus'.
🎯 Third, try to avoid idioms, proverbs and sayings. Idiomatic vocabulary and idioms are not exactly the same thing by IELTS standards. Idiomatic vocab is just nice collocations / phrasal verbs etc. A lot of people think saying things like 'every coin has two sides' is a good idiom. It is not; it is just informal and awkward.
🎯 Fourth, don't use expressions like 'ie / eg / etc' - these abbreviations are too informal for essays.
🎯 Fifth, avoid the following words completely: "really / totally / humongous / kids".
🎯 Lastly, avoid contractions. Don't say 'can't / don't / won't'. Say 'cannot / do not / will not'.
These little changes should really help you keep your essays at the appropriate formal/academic tone. If you have any queries about other idioms, phrasal verbs or expressions that you aren't sure are informal or not, please ask in the comments.
