Is it a good idea to use colloquial expressions in an English essay? Why or why not?

Answer 1

are you writing a Narative essay? If you are then that is fine. In a Narative you are supposed to write the way you would speak, and therefore a colloquial expression would work. I'd avoid it though if you're doing more formal types of writing.

Answer 2

Unless the colloquial expressions have some relevence to the topic at hand, then you should just stick to standard English. Even if you use these expressions, you have to provide a short explaination for the terms as you can't guarantee that the marker would understand them.

Answer 3

The danger is that what the expression means to you might have a different meaning to the reader. I wouldn't use a colloquial expression in a 'formal' (graded) piece. The only time I could see the proper use of that would be if the subject were to describe how a common phrase can have different meanings among different cultures, readers, etc.

Answer 4

Colloquial expressions, unless used for emphasis, when transcribing an interview, or in a narrative essay are considered informal, and thus innapropriate in academic writing.

Answer 5

Unless its a narrative essay, you should treat all essays as formal, meaning no slang, no colloquialisms, and writing out all numbers that don't have to be hyphenated (so, you'd write out "ten" but not "twenty-five")

Answer 6

Are the expressions "necessary" to the object of the essay? That's the litmus test... Do these "expressions" make it more "readable" or understandable, maybe even funnier?

Answer 7

The reason for not doing it is that your teacher will probably mark you down for it. I remember getting marked down just for using contractions like "can't" instead of "cannot" in essays.

Answer 8

only if it relevant