關(guān)于正式英語和非正式英語的特征，可以從網(wǎng)上查閱更多資料。

多數(shù)中國的譯者在把漢語翻譯為英語時，對文體的敏感性不高，往往在該使用口語表達方式時，使用書面語；在該使用書面語時，使用口語。 

例如，本單元屬于個人敘事，應(yīng)當使用非正式英語，譯者卻使用了過于正式的表達方法。

原文：

放學回家，有時家中無人，鄰居大嬸總是招呼到他們家，坐在飯桌前，一切都是那么自然。

原譯：

Sometimes nobody was at home when I went back from school, but the neighboring aunt would always invite me to her house for dinner. Sitting at the table with their family, everything seemed so natural to me.

改譯：

If there was no one home when I came back from school, the aunt next door would call me over and we would have supper together. It all seemed quite natural.

Invite me to her house for dinner就過于正式；較隨意的表達方法是： ask me over for a meal 或 call me over for a bite together。

原文：

我們都知道，國家在大力發(fā)展農(nóng)村經(jīng)濟，我也期待家鄉(xiāng)環(huán)境的改善。

原譯：

We all know that China is striving to develop rural economy. I hope that economy in my hometown will grow more quickly.

改譯：

The government is vigorously developing the rural economy, and I too expect improvements in my village.

Strive to develop就過于正式。有些英語詞典（如朗文當代英語詞典） 標出了單詞的語域，如formal, informal還是old-fashioned，可以作為翻譯或?qū)懽鞯膮⒖肌?/p>

原文（非本文例子）