Which press release is more formal?
On Nov. 19, musicians from all over town will battle it out in the fourth annual Jam-a-thon, happening at the amphitheater. On November 19, the Lanberry Amphitheater will host area musicians vying for top honors in the fourth annual Jam-a-thon.
Informal writing is typically used in casual situations or when communicating with someone you know well. Informal language often expresses familiarity and tends to sound more like speech. It uses more conversational language, such as slang, idioms, abbreviations, imprecise language, and contractions.
Formal writing is typically used in academic and business writing or when writing directly to an authority figure. It tends to be more courteous and impersonal, avoiding overly familiar or conversational language.
Compare the following sentences.
Informal: Yeah, ostriches can't fly, but I think they're awesome.
More formal: Ostriches may be flightless, but they're remarkable runners.
Most formal: Though flightless, ostriches are remarkable runners.
The first press release is more formal. It uses more elevated language (area musicians, top honors). The other press release uses idioms (battle it out) and abbreviations (Nov.).