The Cambridge Guide to Australian English Usage - Noel's ESL ...

informal style
inflections are the suffixes which add particular grammatical meanings to words
of a particular class (nouns, verbs etc). Languages such as French, German and
Italian have numerous inflections for individual classes and subclasses of words.
English has relatively few. The most familiar ones are:
for nouns
’s possessive/genitive
-(e)s
plural (see further under plurals)
for verbs
-(e)s
3rd person singular, present tense
-ing
continuous/imperfect aspect
-ed
past tense and perfect aspect
(see further under irregular verbs)
for adjectives
-er
comparative
-est
superlative
Note that inflectional suffixes such as those do not change the class of the word to
which they are attached, nor do they effectively form new words. Suffixes which
do are termed derivational (see under suffixes).
For the choice of spelling between inflection and inflexion, see under -ction.
infold or enfold See under en-/in-.
informal style We typically use an informal style when talking impromptu
with others. It consists of relaxed, easy-going language and ordinary colloquialisms
rather than scholarly or academic words. We say put up with rather than “tolerate”
or “endure”, buy rather than “purchase”, and cut or trim rather than “abbreviate”.
We use concrete examples and images rather than abstractions: tool rather than
“implement”, and date or job rather than “appointment” or “engagement”.
Abbreviated forms of words, such as uni for “university” and rego for “registration
check”, are natural elements of an informal style, as are contracted forms of phrases,
such as: I’m, they’re or mightn’t. The informal style also allows free and frequent
ellipsis of the standard grammatical elements of a clause, so that sentences may be
no more than:
Don’t know. A great idea. To show the flag.
Because informal language is associated with conversation, its overtones are friendly
and easy-going or perhaps offhanded. A hundred years ago, informal style would
hardly have appeared in writing, except perhaps in the dialogue of novels, and
informal language would have been almost synonymous with “incorrect” language.
Nowadays informal features of style are seen as useful resources if used in
moderation, especially for writers who want to avoid putting unnecessary distance
between themselves and their readers. A few informal touches can help to ensure
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