Formal and Informal Verbs

It is often difficult to draw the line between formal and informal verbs, especially since the of introduction the so-called "semi-formal" register that is frequently used and accepted in many situations. However, here are some verb pairs that are more straightforward:


Informal      &       Formal Verbs
stand for
 represent
leave out
 omit
point out
 indicate
go up
increase
go against
 oppose
get in touch with
 contact
need require
start commence

You will notice that all the phrasal verbs are generally listed as informal, however, oftentimes they are accepted in semi-formal register as well.