Academic Writing--Rules of Formal Letter Writing (A Comparison/Contrast Between British and American Style)

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British Rules

1. Use First Person ("I")

2. Avoid Ellipsis (use complete sentences; do not omit "I" when referring to yourself.)

3. Avoid slang or colloquial/idiomatic phrases (for example, avoid slangy expressions, such as "To pay you a penny," "make up for it," "bits chopped off")

4. Avoid contractions (I'm, You're, We've, etc.)

5. Avoid vague, unspecific lexis (vague references, such as "I am writing in response to your advertisement." What advertisement? For what position? Where was the ad published? When? It could be that the company has placed many ads, in several publishing venues).

6. Avoid direct and rhetorical questions.

7. Use formal linking words, such as nevertheless (instead of "but"), therefore (instead of "so"), in addition (instead of "and"), and parenthetically (instead of "by the way").

8. Use passive voice whenever possible.

9. Avoid exclamatory expressions and intensifiers, such as "incredible" or "incredibly." If you must use an adjective or adverb, use more muted terms, such as "very."

American Rules
(Some rules are the same, but there are some significant differences.)

1. Use First Person ("I") (SAME AS BRITISH)

2. Avoid Ellipsis (use complete sentences; do not omit "I" when referring to yourself.) (SAME AS BRITISH)

3. Avoid slang or colloquial/idiomatic phrases (for example, avoid slangy expressions, such as "To pay you a penny," "make up for it," "bits chopped off") (In many ways, the same as British, but some expressions, such as "make up for it" have become part of the regular lexicon. In essence, American formality tends to be less formal than British formality and slightly more forgiving if you make a minor error.)

4. Avoid contractions (I'm, You're, We've, etc.) (SAME AS BRITISH)

5. Avoid vague, unspecific lexis (vague references, such as "I am writing in response to your advertisement." What advertisement? For what position? Where was the ad published? When? It could be that the company has placed many ads, in several publishing venues). (In many ways, Americans are more strict when it comes to specificity. Why? Because they are less patient; they don't want to spend 25 minutes figuring out what you're trying to say. If they can't figure out your message fast, it will likely end up in the circular file, also known as a garbage can, dust bin, containeri.)

6. Avoid direct and rhetorical questions. (Americans are less likely to ask a rhetorical question in a formal letter and would find it quite odd, indeed, and off-putting. However, an appropriate, REAL well-phrased question would not be out of line.)

7. Use formal linking words, such as nevertheless (instead of "but"), therefore (instead of "so"), in addition (instead of "and"), and parenthetically (instead of "by the way"). (In the U.S., it depends on the level of formality. It is doubtful that the recipient would be terribly offended if you used "but" instead of "nevertheless." If the letter is intended for a distinguished person that you do not know personally, then a higher level of formality would be required. When in doubt, use formal linking words, which are never out of line.)

8. Use passive voice whenever possible. (Whenever possible, Americans prefer active voice sentences, even in formal letters. They tend to view passive voice as "stuffy," "conceited," "snooty," and "dodgy.")

9. Avoid exclamatory expressions and intensifiers, such as "incredible" or "incredibly." If you must use an adjective or adverb, use more muted terms, such as "very." (SAME AS BRITISH.)

See what I mean when I toss around the expression that Britain and the U.S. are two countries divided by a common language? It's a well-worn cliche, but so true.

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