Article: to find better word choices. The best starting point for writing more formally is building a larger vocabulary. If you learn more words, you can replace nondescript words like "good" and "bad" with more formal alternatives like "negative." This avoids repetition and makes formalizing your writing much easier. Reading widely is a great way to improve your vocabulary. Look for upper-level publications like The Atlantic or Foreign Affairs for articles with more advanced language. College-level books also have a wide selection of potential new words for you to learn. Consider signing up for a "word of the day" app or website. These resources help you learn at least 1 new word every day. Contractions are combinations of 2 words. For example, "don't" is a combination of "do not." People use contractions when they speak all the time because it's faster, but formal writing should have few or no contractions. Whenever you write, proofread to find any places where you used contractions and convert them to use the full words. Some other common contractions are "can't," "won't," "isn't," and "aren't." Replace these words with "cannot," "will not," "is not," and "are not." Formal writing is concise and clear. Extra filler words make your tone sound less professional and precise. Go through your writing and find any broad or general words. Either replace them with more exact words or eliminate them altogether. Some imprecise words or phrases are "a lot," "very," or "totally." Replace "a lot" with a more precise figure, like "12%." "Very" and "totally," in most cases, can be eliminated entirely. Adverbs like "really" or "clearly" are usually filler words that don't add much detail to your writing. Reduce your use of adverbs to eliminate unnecessary words. A phrasal verb is a combination of a verb and a preposition that creates a phrase with a different meaning. These phrases are usually less formal than other words, so replace them with other words that convey the same message more specifically. For example, in the sentence "John put down the conclusions in last month's study," the phrasal verb "put down" makes the sentence sound informal. Writing "John dismissed the conclusions in last month's study" instead makes the sentence more formal. This is a case where building your vocabulary is very helpful. With a larger vocabulary, you can quickly replace phrasal verbs with more formal alternatives. Use a thesaurus or dictionary if you need help coming up with different words to replace phrasal verbs. in most situations. Generally, formal writing doesn't use "I," or "We." Rather, write in the third person. This means avoiding terms like "I" or "We." Instead, refer to "the team" or "this company." This language keeps your writing fact-based and doesn't make it seem like you're inserting your opinions into it. One exception to this rule is in a cover letter or personal statement. In these documents, you should be writing about yourself specifically. Slang refers to very informal language that people commonly use around their friends. While it's fine to use in conversations, do not use any slang language in formal writing. Words like "cool," "chill out," or "hyped" don't belong in your writing. Replace them with more professional substitutes. Never use "textspeak" like "lol" or "omg." If you aren't sure about using a particular phrase, consider if it's something you often say when hanging out with your friends. If it is, then it's probably an informal slang term. Replace it, just to be safe. For example, if you were writing a professional review of an amusement park, don't use slang language like, "Everyone had a really cool time." Instead, say "The group had an enjoyable experience at the park." There are many more slang terms and phrases, and the list grows every year. Try searching for a phrase you're considering using to see if it's been added to a list of slang terms.

What is a summary?
Improve your vocabulary Spell out words instead of using contractions. Avoid nondescript filler words. Replace phrasal verbs with more precise words. Write in the third person Avoid using slang words and phrases.