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# formal

adjective (formal, more formal, most formal)

«formal» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. Formal means serious and following proper rules, used in important or official situations. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/formal/#m1)
2. Formal clothes are smart clothes worn for special events. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/formal/#m2)
3. Formal language is polite and careful, not chatty or slangy. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/formal/#m3)
4. Formal can mean official, done in the proper way. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/formal/#m4)

### In the lessons

In writing lessons, formal letters use «Dear Sir or Madam», no slang and full words; informal letters to friends are chattier. In maths, a «formal method» is the written column method. In manners lessons, formal events need smart clothes and polite words. Phrases: «formal letter», «formal dress», «formal method», «formal event».

### Examples

- We wrote a formal letter to the council about the park. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/formal/#x1)
- The wedding was very formal. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/formal/#x2)
- He wore a formal suit and tie. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/formal/#x3)
- Use formal language when you write to the head teacher. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/formal/#x4)
- Use the formal written method for long multiplication. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/formal/#x5)
- We got a formal invitation to the school concert. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/formal/#x6)
- «Hello» is more formal than «Hiya». [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/formal/#x7)

### Note

Opposite: «informal», «casual». Adverb: «formally». Noun: «formality». Do not confuse with «former» (earlier). In maths, the «formal method» is the column method for adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «formal» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/formal/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«formal» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/formal.html) on Mova free.