The Use of Formal and Informal English in Academic Listening Contexts: A Literature Review

Abstract

Listening in an academic setting necessitates that learners grasp spoken material that may fluctuate between formal and informal styles. Numerous English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students find such variations challenging, particularly in genuine lectures and discussions, where the register is vital for understanding meaning, audience, and communicative intent. This research offers a systematic literature review of studies published from 2020 to 2025, focusing on the usage and conceptualization of formal and informal English in academic listening scenarios and their impact on comprehension. Sources were gathered from primary scholarly databases and thematically analyzed. The findings reveal that formal English is characterized by academic vocabulary and complex syntactic structures, which increase cognitive load but are critical for success in academia, whereas informal English boosts familiarity, motivation, and incidental vocabulary development. Strategies such as register awareness, explicit teaching, and exposure to mixed-register materials are emphasized as essential pedagogical approaches. The review provides practical implications for EFL educators and encourages further experimental research to investigate the long-term effects of register training