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# formal

«formal» in Mova's school dictionary: **serious and following proper rules, used in important or…** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples, with 5 sentences of Mova's corpora that use it.

### part of speech

adjective (formal, more formal, most formal)

### meaning for a pupil

1) Formal means serious and following proper rules, used in important or official situations. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/formal/#m1)

2) Formal clothes are smart clothes worn for special events. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/formal/#m2)

3) Formal language is polite and careful, not chatty or slangy. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/formal/#m3)

4) Formal can mean official, done in the proper way. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/formal/#m4)

### sense in the lessons

In writing lessons, formal letters use «Dear Sir or Madam», no slang and full words; informal letters to friends are chattier. In maths, a «formal method» is the written column method. In manners lessons, formal events need smart clothes and polite words. Phrases: «formal letter», «formal dress», «formal method», «formal event».

### examples

- We wrote a formal letter to the council about the park. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/formal/#x1)
- The wedding was very formal. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/formal/#x2)
- He wore a formal suit and tie. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/formal/#x3)
- Use formal language when you write to the head teacher. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/formal/#x4)
- Use the formal written method for long multiplication. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/formal/#x5)
- We got a formal invitation to the school concert. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/formal/#x6)
- «Hello» is more formal than «Hiya». [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/formal/#x7)

### note

Opposite: «informal», «casual». Adverb: «formally». Noun: «formality». Do not confuse with «former» (earlier). In maths, the «formal method» is the column method for adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing.

### In the corpora

- [Many -tion words sound formal; use them when they are clearer, not just to sound clever.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/english/8-endings-that-sound-like-shun/26/)
- [These words live in letters and formal writing.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/english/14-words-to-know-years-5-6/17/)
- [In rules and formal notices "shall" works like "must": "Bins shall be put out on Tuesday."](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/english/32-active-and-passive-voice-modal-verbs/15/)
- [Very formal writing says "by whom?"; in everyday talk "by who?" is normal.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/english/32-active-and-passive-voice-modal-verbs/19/)
- [Register means choosing words to suit your audience: formal language for governors, chattier words for friends.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/english/48-spoken-language-presenting-and-show-and-tell/12/)

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every meaning and example of «formal» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/formal/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.