50 Formal and Informal Verb Pairs (with Examples for B2–C1 Learners)
Choosing between formal and informal verbs in English can completely change the tone of your writing. In this lesson, you will learn 50 common formal and informal verb pairs with clear meanings and examples. This guide is especially useful for B2 First and C1 Advanced learners who want to improve their vocabulary, writing style, and control of register.
Everyday Communication
| Assist | Help | give support | She assisted the elderly woman. / She helped the old lady. |
| Inform | Tell | give information | Please inform me of any changes. / Please tell me if anything changes. |
| Request | Ask for | express a desire for | He requested more time. / He asked for more time. |
| Respond | Reply / Answer | reply | She responded calmly. / She answered calmly. |
| Notify | Let someone know | formally inform | Please notify HR. / Let HR know. |
| Inquire | Ask | seek information | He inquired about the job. / He asked about the job. |
| Apologise | Say sorry | express regret | He apologised. / He said sorry. |
| Confer | Talk / Discuss | consult | They conferred privately. / They talked it over. |
Starting and Ending Actions
| Commence | Start | begin | The event will commence at noon. / The event starts at noon. |
| Initiate | Start / Begin | cause to begin | She initiated the discussion. / She started the discussion. |
| Resume | Start again | continue | He resumed his studies. / He started again. |
| Conclude | Finish / End | bring to a close | The meeting concluded at 4. / The meeting ended at 4. |
| Terminate | End / Stop | bring to an end | They terminated the contract. / They ended the contract. |
| Cease | Stop / Quit | bring to an end | Production ceased. / They stopped production. |
| Discontinue | Stop | end permanently | They discontinued the service. / They stopped the service. |
| Postpone | Put off | delay | The event was postponed. / The event was put off. |
| Delay | Put off | postpone | The flight was delayed. / The flight was put off. |
Living and Moving
| Reside | Live | have a home | He resides in London. / He lives in London. |
| Depart | Leave | go away | The train departs at 9. / The train leaves at 9. |
| Appear | Show up | become visible | He appeared unexpectedly. / He showed up unexpectedly. |
| Encounter | Run into | meet unexpectedly | I encountered problems. / I ran into problems. |
| Convene | Meet / Get together | gather | The board will convene. / The board will meet. |
Thinking and Understanding
| Consider | Think about | reflect on | I will consider it. / I’ll think about it. |
| Comprehend | Understand | grasp mentally | He couldn’t comprehend it. / He didn’t understand it. |
| Postulate | Assume / Guess | suggest as theory | He postulated a theory. / He guessed. |
| Clarify | Clear up | make clear | Let me clarify. / Let me clear it up. |
| Emphasise | Point out / Stress | give importance | He emphasised the issue. / He pointed it out. |
Creating and Building
| Construct | Build | make | They constructed a bridge. / They built a bridge. |
| Establish | Set up | create | The company was established in 1990. / They set up the company. |
| Fabricate | Make up | invent falsely | He fabricated the story. / He made it up. |
| Initiate | Start | begin | She initiated the process. / She started it. |
Work and Action
| Investigate | Look into | examine | Police are investigating. / Police are looking into it. |
| Examine | Check / Look at | inspect | The doctor examined him. / The doctor checked him. |
| Demonstrate | Show | illustrate | She demonstrated the method. / She showed how it works. |
| Illustrate | Show / Explain | clarify | Let me illustrate. / Let me show you. |
| Facilitate | Help / Make easier | assist | They facilitated the process. / They helped it along. |
| Collaborate | Work together | cooperate | They collaborated. / They worked together. |
| Participate | Take part | engage in | She participated. / She took part. |
| Contribute | Chip in | give help/money | He contributed £50. / He chipped in £50. |
Obtaining and Receiving
| Purchase | Buy | acquire | He purchased a laptop. / He bought one. |
| Obtain | Get | acquire | She obtained a visa. / She got a visa. |
| Receive | Get | be given | I received your email. / I got your email. |
| Discover | Find out | learn | She discovered the truth. / She found out. |
| Enhance | Improve | make better | This will enhance results. / This will improve things. |
| Utilize | Use | make use of | They utilised resources. / They used them. |
Solving Problems
| Resolve | Sort out / Fix | find a solution | They resolved the issue. / They sorted it out. |
| Require | Need | demand | This requires patience. / This needs patience. |
| Function | Work / Run | operate | The machine functions well. / It works fine. |
When Should You Use Formal Verbs?
Use formal verbs in:
- Academic essays
- Reports
- Business emails
- Formal presentations
- C1 Advanced writing tasks
Use informal verbs in:
- Conversations
- Messages to friends
- Speaking exams (depending on context)
- Informal emails
Common Exam Tip (B2–C1)
Examiners reward:
- Range of vocabulary
- Appropriate tone
- Awareness of context
Using assist in a text message sounds unnatural.
Using help in a formal report may sound too casual.
The key is control — not complexity.
Quick Practice
Rewrite these sentences in a more formal way:
- They set up the company last year.
- I got your email.
- We need more time.
- She made up the story.
- They put off the meeting.
(Answers: established, received, require, fabricated, postponed.)
Final Thought
English is not just about correctness — it’s about register. Learning formal and informal verb pairs allows you to shift tone confidently, whether you’re writing an academic essay or chatting with a friend.
That flexibility is what makes language powerful.
Related posts:
Advanced conjunctions in English
Linking words and phrases for concession
Synonyms to avoid repetition in writing
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