Formal English Vocabulary

Greetings

100

Greeting People

Formal: Good Morning/Afternoon/Evening

Middle: Hello

Informal: Hi, Hey

200

Asking how someone is doing

Formal: How do you do?

Middle: How are you?

Informal: What's up?

300

Responding to "How are you?"

Formal: Very well, thank you

Middle/Informal: Good 

400

Closing a conversation

Formal: Have a nice day/morning/afternoon/evening

Middle: Goodbye

Informal: Bye, Bye see you/ya later!

500

Thanking someone for talking with you

Formal: It was a pleasure to see/meet you

Middle/Informal: Great seeing you/ya

Conversations

100

Apologising

Formal: My apologies

Middle: Sorry

Informal: My bad

200

Thanking Someone

Formal: I truly appreciate it, I'm so grateful for

Middle: Thank you. 

Informal: Thanks, you shouldn't have, I owe you one

300

Responding to "Thank you"

Formal: It was my pleasure

Middle: You're welcome

Informal: No problem

400

Making a request

Formal: Would you mind if I borrow that?

Middle: May I borrow that?

Informal: Can I borrow that?

500

Phrasal Verbs

Formal: Omit, research arrange

Informal: leave out, look into, set up

Professional/Business Emails

100

Email Greetings

Dear Ms./Mr./Prof./Dr. Surname

200

Friendly Opening

I hope everything is going well.

I hope you had a nice break, weekend, etc. 

300

Attachments 

Please find attached...

I have attached...

400

Making a Request

Could you please let me know if...

I was wondering if...

Would it be possible to...

500

Sign off

Yours Sincerely/Faithfully

Kind Regards

Informal -> Formal

100

Think of/Think about

Have you though about applying for graduate school?

Consider

Have you Considered applying to graduate school?

200

Bring up

Did you bring up the IT issues in that meeting?

Mention

Did you mention the IT issues in that meeting?

300

Find out

I found out how to top up my balance.

Learn/discover

I discovered how to top up my balance.

400

Problem

Many people have computer problems with online classes.

Challenge/difficulty/issue 

Many people have technical difficulties with online classes OR Many people have challenges with online classes. 

500

Work together

We worked together on a project.

Collaborate

We collaborated on a project.

Formal -> Informal

100

Yours Faithfully

Take care / TTYL / Cheers, etc.

200

Could you please consider some alternatives?

Can you think some other options?

300

I would like to address the IT team.

I want to talk to the IT team.

400

Would you mind lending me your pencil?

Can you lend me your pencil?

500

To whom does this sandwich belong?

Whose sandwich is this?