The Language of Formal Writing

No abbreviations!

St.	Street
QC	Quebec
OK	okay

Write out all numbers under 100.

except address & phone, dollar amounts, percents

3 days	three days
	$ 3.00
	30%
	3,000

No contractions!

can't	cannot
she's	she is
he's been	he has been

No personal language!

1st person: I, me, my, etc	A student, Roger Schwartz...
we, us, our, etc.	The Kenners, People in Montreal...
2nd person: you, your, yours, etc.	Dr. Smith, Tall people...

No slang or very colloquial language!

guys	men
kids	children
really (nice)	very (nice)

©1997 Dr. Sheryl Beller-Kenner
Last revision 09/97