Formal vs Informal Congratulation

Understanding the formal conversational text in daily life context and involving speech: expressing congratulations formally and informally.

Lesson

In this lesson, you will learn to understand formal and informal expression of congratulation.

Formal vs Informal Congratulation

To congratulate someone’s achievement, you may express it in various ways. For example, when one of your relatives has a newborn baby, you may give a congratulations card or present. When your friends just won a competition, you must praise their achievement too.

       Congratulation is an expression of happiness which aims to show our care and appreciation on someone's special moment. Commonly, people express it by giving something such as presents or cards or saying it directly.

Formal Congratulations

Formal situation can happen in several places such as at work or at school. This context is usually used to appreciate older people. For example, when your teacher has a newborn baby, you could use formal expression. When you want to congratulate someone formally, you can congratulate them by saying the following phrases:
Please accept my warmest congratulations.
I’d like to be first to congratulate you.
I’d like to congratulate you on…..
I must congratulate you on ….
May I congratulate you on….
Congratulations on ….

Informal Congratulations

Informal situation can happen almost anytime, anywhere. You can use informal expression to your friends, or your siblings. There are several phrases to congratulate others in informal context. You can use the following phrases:
Congratulations!
Well done!
Good Job!

Responding to congratulation

When you want to respond to expression of congratulation, you can say the following phrases:
Thank you very much for saying so.
It’s very good of you to say so.
I’m glad you say so.
Thank you so much.
Oh, thanks.
Thank you.

Do You Understand?

To understand how to use the expression of congratulation formally, read the conversation below.

(Situation: Your teacher has a new born baby)

You: I’d like to be the first to congratulate you on your new born baby.
Teacher: It’s very kind of you.
You: She is very beautiful and cute.

To understand how to use the expression of congratulation informally, read the conversation below.

Nanda: How was your SNMPTN test?
Ayunda: I'm so glad, I passed the test.
Nanda: That’s awesome. Congratulations, you did well!
Ayunda: Thank you very much.

Key Points

Here are things you should remember about expressing congratulation:
* Should pay attention to the context because it has two context; formal and informal.
* Use phrases that showing politeness when we speak to elders.
* Use these phrases informally: congratulations, well done, good job.

Formal vs Informal Compliment

Learning Objectives

In this lesson, you will learn formal compliment and how it differs from the informal one.

Lesson

In the lesson under the topic giving informal compliments, you have learned about complimenting a person in a casual way. Here, you will learn how to compliment a person in a more formal way. The following dialogue is based on the following setting.

Settings:
Mr Simon and Mr Jan meet in a party at their friend’s house. Mr Simon comes with his wife who is wearing simple yet elegant black nightgown.
Note: Pay attention to the parts in bold.

Mr Yaya: Hello, how are you?
Mr Simon: Fine, thank you. How are you?
Mr Yaya: Very well, thanks. Nice party, isn’t it?
Mr Simon: Yes nice. However, nothing compares to how my wife looks tonight.
Mr Yaya: Oh yes, of course. Mrs Simon, you are looking wonderful in your gown.
Mrs Simon: Thank you. That’s a nice compliment. My husband gave this as a present for my birthday.
Mr Simon: You deserved it, my dear. (Mr Simon says to his wife)

In the dialogue, the expressions in bold are the way people give compliments. The dialogue also shows how to respond to a compliment formally. It is important to remember, when people say polite things to you, you should respond them politely, too.

Here, Mr Yaya is complimenting Mrs Simon who is wearing simple but elegant gown by saying “You are looking wonderful in your gown.” Getting this compliment, Mrs Simon thanking Mr Yaya by saying “That’s a nice compliment.”

You can use the above compliment or you can choose one of the following formal compliments expressions:

You are looking beautiful today.
May I be so bold as to compliment your blue outfit
May I pay you a compliment? You really look elegant today.
I hope you don’t mind, but you are looking great today.

Tips

The above compliments are used when you want to show your admiration to a person’s appearance in a formal way. When it is a person’s skills or possessions to admire, you can choose the following expressions.

Complimenting someone’s skills

I admire your ability to sew.
My compliments on your cooking.
You are a fine writer.
I must say you really know how to sketch.
You can really subtitle.
If you don’t mind my saying, you are an incredible artist.
What an amazing singer you are!
I wish I could draw as well as you!

Complimenting possessions

What an interesting view you have from your bedroom.
I couldn’t help but notice your beautiful hair.
What a lovely smile you have!
You have such an obedient monkey.
You have such a cozy house.
I have to admit I’m jealous of your achievement.

Key Points

So, what are the differences between informal and formal compliment?
* Formal compliment is longer than the informal one.
* Formal compliment is used to compliment a person that you don’t know very well, while an informal compliment is delivered to a person that has a close relation to the speaker.

Introducing Yourself in Polite and Casual Ways

Objectives

1. Comprehend the expressions that are used to introduce yourself by identifying polite and casual ones.
2. Introduce yourself in polite and casual ways appropriately.

Learn about it!

In the previous lesson, you have already learned how to greet others in polite and casual ways. So, after you greet someone you just meet for the first time, what’s next? Of course, you do not stop there and say goodbye directly because it will be really awkward. Also, remember why did you greet them in the first place?

Link Video Self Introduction Click Here!

Introduce Yourself

The first thing to do when you meet someone that you do not know is to introduce yourself. In this lesson, you will learn how to do it in polite and casual ways. Now, pay attention to the dialogue below.

Based on the given situation in the text above, we know that Aldo and Dion did not know each other before. So, Aldo introduces himself first by saying, “Hi, my name is Aldo”. While Dion introduces himself to Aldo by saying “Hi, I’m Dion.” The conversation happens in a casual way and the expressions used are also the ones that are usually used for introducing yourself in a more casual way.

Take a look at another example below.

The above example is slightly different from the first example. In this case, Jeni introduces herself in front of her classmates. She greets them first by saying, ““Good morning everybody”“. This is a formal and polite greeting. After that, she introduces herself politely by saying ““Allow me to introduce myself, my name is Jeni.”“ The situation is rather formal; she has to introduce herself in front of the whole class including her teacher. Therefore, Jeni introduced herself in a more polite way.

Do you understand?

More examples for you

Mr. Fatah : Good morning, students.
Students : Morning, Sir.
Mr. Fatah : Before we start our lesson today, let me introduce myself. My name is Abdul Fatahilah, you can just call me Mr. Fatah. I am going to be your English teacher for this semester.
Antonio : Hi, I’m the person in charge here. My name is Antonio. You can call me Tio.
Safa : Hi, Tio. I’m Safa. Good to see you.

Keypoints

Some tips for you when you want to make an introduction:

• Consider the situation, whether it is formal or informal.
• Consider the person you are talking to. So, you know whether you should use more polite or casual language.