Features of formal transactional writing

Question 1

Abbreviations

Answer 1

Words and names or organizations are written in full in more formal styles but can be abbreviated in less formal styles, e.g. Air New Zealand / Air NZ

Question 2

Abstract nouns

Answer 2

Names of ideas and feelings, e.g. ‘democracy’, ‘love’, are common in political, social and scientific writing, usually in the formal styles.

Question 3

Allusion

Answer 3

Reference to famous stories in history, literature and legend (usually in more formal texts). Reference famous people in sport, entertainment (usually in less formal texts).

Question 4

Analogy

Answer 4

Comparison made in order to explain something (rather than in order to express it vividly), e.g. ‘an atom is like the solar system, with the nucleus at the center and electrons circling it the same way the planets circle the sun’.

Question 5

Apposition

Answer 5

Putting two nouns (or noun phrases) that name the person side by side, e.g. ‘Guest star pop singer Belly Furtado plays. . .’

Question 6

Assertion

Answer 6

An opinion stated firmly as if it was a fact, e.g. ‘You can win this war, Adolf.’

Question 7

Balance

Answer 7

The parts of the sentence have similar length and construction, giving it an elegant flow, e.g. ‘Ask and you will receive; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you’.

Question 8

Cliché

Answer 8

Familiar conversational sayings, e.g. ‘Hit the nail on the head’. (Commoner in less formal styles).

Question 9

Complex sentences

Answer 9

Sentences made up of smaller sentences joined by any conjunction except ‘and’, ‘but’ or ‘then’. Longer examples are commoner in more formal styles.

Question 10

Conservative grammar

Answer 10

Strictly correct grammar, e.g. “I am well” (instead of “I am good”) is found in more formal styles. Less formal styles have lower standards.

Question 11

Contractions

Answer 11

Short terms, e.g. ‘can’t’, ‘he’ll’ are avoided in more formal styles, but are common in less formal styles.

Question 12

Emotive language

Answer 12

Words showing the writer’s feelings and working up the feelings of the reader. Less formal styles only, e.g. ‘The city is full of gorgeous modern architecture and oozes charm’.

Question 13

Figurative language

Answer 13

Similes and metaphors are thoughtfully chosen in more formal styles but can be clichéd or chosen to shock or amuse in less formal ones, e.g. ‘Match-fixing swims through cricket like a crocodile in a murky pool, its eyes popping above the surface now and then, victims already digested down below’.

Question 14

Formal diction

Answer 14

Slang and rude words are avoided in more formal styles, but reviews can have ‘biopic’ and ‘skulduggery’, and a column can have ‘bean counter’.

Question 15

Honorifics and titles

Answer 15

People are called ‘Mr.’, ‘Miss’, ‘Sir’, ‘Lady’ etc. and nicknames are avoided in more formal styles, e.g. ‘President George Bush’ (editorial) / ‘Tane’ (column) for ‘Tane Wilton’.

Question 16

Impersonal style

Answer 16

The words reflect educated writers and reader (e.g. ‘I’, ‘We’, ‘You’, etc.) are rare or absent in formal styles, but quite common in less formal contexts.

Question 17

Irony

Answer 17

Saying something different from what you really mean. More formal styles sometimes use understatement but avoid satire and sarcasm which can be found in less formal styles.

Question 18

Learned diction

Answer 18

The words reflect educated writers and readers in more formal styles and less education in less formal styles.

Question 19

Literal language

Answer 19

Saying plainly exactly what you mean. This usually shows a serious purpose and tone, whatever the style, e.g. ‘one-eyed’ means having only one working eyeball.

Question 20

Neutral tone

Answer 20

Unemotive writing (not showing the writer’s feelings and not working up the feelings of the reader). Most typical of the most formal styles.

Question 21

Parenthesis

Answer 21

Using brackets or commas to insert an explanation into a sentence right where it is needed. More common in formal styles.

Question 22

Passive construction

Answer 22

Writing the object of a verb (the person or thing the verb has happened to) before the verb in the sentence, e.g. ‘The pedestrian (object) was struck (verb) by a car’. More common in formal styles.

Question 23

Qualifications

Answer 23

Words like ‘probably’, which show the writer is being cautious about the idea being put forward. More typical of more formal styles.

Question 24

Rhetorical question

Answer 24

A question asked to make a point, not to seek an answer from the reader. Can be found in any of the styles.