[B-A] Informal and Spoken English

LET'S READ! 📖

Direction: Read the passage below then answer the questions being asked.

Hi Samantha,

I've been thinking about that article U R writing for the student mag about uni exchange programs. I reckon it'd be great if we could speak to someone who's been on one-- to talk about their experiences, exposures, and things like that. Can U get in touch with the university to get some info? FYI, there's loads of great stuff on their website, but no good stories and chronicles. Maybe they could put U in touch with a couple of people who've done exchanges before. We need someone who can execute our desired action. I think U R cool enough to talk with the guys. I need you to meet the principal cos he's like, gonna set up some meetings. With a couple of students who've done exchanges. Two or three maybe. Nice people, the principal says, D'you wanna come too? Oh, you have no choice. You gotta come. He wants me to come too and well, you know, have a bit of a chat and maybe, you know, take down some valuable details during the chat. There will be lots of useful info that you can't find on the web. BTW, I wanna ask you out for dinner after the meeting if that's possible. I think it's been forever since we met. What U think? We can talk about it over a drink after the meeting.

Thanks,

Thomas

QUESTIONS:

1. Why did Thomas think it'd be great to talk to someone who's been on the program?

2. What is on the university's website?

LET'S UNDERSTAND! 📚

Informal and Spoken English

Vocabulary

🔺1. Many of the most informal words change with fashion. Some informal words are used in some English-speaking contexts but not others. However, some very common and permanent examples include:

a bit of ( a little )	maybe ( perhaps )
chat ( conversation )	plenty of / loads of ( a lot of )
a couple of ( a few )	pretty ( rather / quite )
cool ( nice, fashionable )	really ( very, absolutely )
guy ( man )	reckon / guess ( think )
kid ( child )	yeah ( yes )

🔺2. Most phrasal verbs are informal.

Example:

He's gonna set up some meetings...

🔺3.In very informal spoken English, we can use be like to mean 'said'.

Example:

He's like, 'I'm really glad you called.' OR He said, 'I'm really...'

Contractions and abbreviations

🔺4. We usually use contractions, e.g. isn't or there's, in informal English. Some contractions, e.g. should've or "who've, gotta ( [have] got to ), gonna ( [be] going to ), wanna ( [do you] want to ), d'you ( do/ did you), cos ( because) and dunno ( [I] don't know ) are very informal.

Example:

There's some great deal stuff on their website, but I can't find any good stories.

🔺5. Some words have short informal and longer formal forms.

cell ( cell phone )	net / web ( internet )
info ( information )	paper ( newspaper )
mag ( magazine )	phone ( telephone )
mail ( email )	TV / telly ( television )
mobile ( mobile phone )	uni ( university )

🔺6. Some common abbreviations used in emails, SMS texting, etc., include:

btw ( by the way )	TX ( thanks )
IMHO ( in my humble opinion )	CU ( see you )
FYI ( for your information )	R ( are )
asap ( as soon as possible )	4 ( for )
LOL ( [ laughing out loud. )	2 ( too / to )
BFN ( bye for now )	U ( you )

Punctuation

🔺7. In informal writing, we often use dashes ( - ) to show pauses or connections between parts of a sentence.

We don't normally use colons ( : ) or semicolons ( ; ).

Example:

I'm going to do some studying tonight - not because I want to, but because I have to.

We can use dots (...) to show we think the reader can guess the rest.

Example:

Can you buy some food for the party? You know, pizza, chips, cakes, etc...

We can use rows of question marks ( ?? ), exclamation marks ( !! ) or both ( ?! ).

Example:

I can't find my sweater!!! Where is it ???

We can use capital letters in order to add emphasis, for example if we are angry.

Example:

WHERE R U ? BEEN WAITING 2 HOURS!

Spoken English

🔺8. In informal English, we use fillers ( words / phrases with no meaning ) while we think about what to say, e.g. OK, well, so, right, now. then,like, you know, I mean, and ( you ) see.

Example:

So he wants me to come and, well, you know, have a bit of a chat with him.

We use many phrases to refer to things in general or avoid being too specific, e.g.... or something, things like... and stuff,... or whatever and kind of.

Example:

....to take some photos or whatever.
There's loads of great info and stuff.

LET'S PRACTICE! 📝

Part I

Direction Change the following answers into a an informal way.

Do you know what's showing on television this evening?
Would you like to use my mobile phone?
What's in the newspaper today?
Do you think it's time for us to go?

Part I

Direction Imagine you are in the US and you are meeting someone for the first time at a social event for Asian people. How would you use informal language, conversational phrases, and fillers to engage in introductions and make small talk? Your mentor will act as the person you will meet.

Introduction
Small Talk
Purpose for attending
Saying goodbye