Looking formal

Verbs contraction

·

It's essential for us to bear this issue in mind.

vs.

It is essential for us to bear this issue in mind.

• It's essential...

• It is essential...

• indifferent

Very + adjective vs. alternative adjective

·

They did a very interesting and clear job.

vs.

They did an intriguing and coherent job.

• very interesting and clear

• intriguing and coherent

• indifferent

Sentence length

·

There are a number of ways to impress with your writing, because perhaps the paramount goal is the importance of writing clearly, since clarity allows complex ideas to be better understood.

vs.

There are a number of ways to impress with your writing. Writing clearly is perhaps the paramount goal, as clarity allows complex ideas to be better understood.

• short sentences

• long sentences

• indifferent

Genitive saxon

·

Since Perelman's research, many other authors have followed his path.

vs.

Since the research by Perelman, many other authors have followed his path.

• Perelman's research

• research by Perelman

• indifferent

Numbers spelling

·

800 experiments were carried out to test the hypothesis.

vs.

Eight experiments were carried out to test the hypothesis.

• 800

• eight hundred

• indifferent

Answer explanation

There are certain formal conventions regarding the writing of numbers:

There are certain formal conventions regarding the writing of numbers:

· Those up to 10 and including 10 should be spelled out in full.

· Those from 11 to 100 can either be written using numerals or be spelled out, but the first option is generally preferred*.

· Larger and rounder numbers like a hundred, a thousand or a million should also be spelled out.

· Larger but more exact numbers should be written with numerals and a comma placed every three digits* (like 12,000).

· Fractions should also be written in full (like two-thirds).

* except if the sentence begins with that number, which should always be spelled out.

Phrasal verbs

·

Various experts found out that the theory was erroneous.

vs.

Various experts discovered that the theory was erroneous.

• found out

• discovered

• indifferent

Answer explanation

Yet, there are some acceptable and indeed commonly-used phrasal verbs that can be used when writing an academic piece, like:

· The research was carried out…

· This experiment consists of three…

· These recommendations are based on…

· Each test was subjected to…

Must vs. have to

·

You must have an opinion about this very controversial issue.

vs.

You have to have an opinion about this very controversial issue.

• must

• have to

• indifferent

Answer explanation

Despite must being more formal than have to, neither of them is recommended in academic writing, since both tend to imply a command addressed to a second-person, in a too direct tone.

Therefore, in any case, given these contexts, it is preferred to use only a less aggressive should within a passive voice construction.

You must have an opinion about this very controversial issue, but

An opinion about this very controversial issue should be had.

Nobody vs. no one

·

Nobody revealed the result of the investigation.

vs.

No one revealed the result of the investigation.

• nobody

• no one

• indifferent

Answer explanation

Although no one is subtly more formal than nobody, it is not the most recommended option for formal writing, as long as the passive voice is available to just omit either of the two:

No one revealed the result of the investigation, but

The result of the investigation was not revealed.

Negative verbs vs. negative prefixes

·

It was not predictable to know that the study would go wrong.

vs.

It was unpredictable to know that the study would go wrong.

• It was not predictable, ...

• It was unpredictable, ...

• indifferent

Relative pronouns omission

·

Various experts discovered that the theory was erroneous.

vs.

Various experts discovered the theory was erroneous.

• Various experts discovered that the theory...

• Various experts discovered the theory...

• indifferent

Answer explanation

Bear in mind that we cannot always omit the relative pronoun:

· Here is an example of relative pronoun that cannot be omitted (antecendent)

and that we cannot always use that in all contexts, as we need the relative clause to be non-defining:

· The award was given to Sara, who did not even know she was nominated.

· The award was given to Sara, that did not even know she was nominated.