Hi everyone How do we avoid informal vocabulary in writing? | IELTS Essays Band 9 | IELTS Writing 9.0

Hi everyone

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.

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