Make text more formal and still sound like a person
You wrote it the way you talk, and now it has to go to a client, a professor, HR or a government office. This prompt has your todo.is agent make the text more formal: full sentences, no slang or contractions where they do not fit, polite requests, and a proper opening and closing, without turning it into stiff legal language.
The prompt
- Make this text more formal: [YOUR TEXT]. It is going to [RECIPIENT] as [TYPE OF MESSAGE]. Use a [FORMALITY LEVEL] level of formality. Replace slang, emojis and abbreviations, write full sentences, turn demands into polite requests, and add a suitable greeting and sign-off. Keep it clear and plain: no "herewith", "kindly be advised" or long words where a short one works. Keep every fact, date and request. Give me the formal version, then a short list of the main changes, and point out anything in the original that might be inappropriate for this reader.
What to change
- [YOUR TEXT]: Paste the casual email, message or paragraph.
- [RECIPIENT]: e.g. "a professor", "a new client", "the HR department", "a city council office".
- [TYPE OF MESSAGE]: e.g. "an email", "a cover letter paragraph", "a complaint", "a report section".
- [FORMALITY LEVEL]: "business formal" (most emails), "very formal" (official letters, legal or government), or "polite but relaxed".
Example result
- Original
- hey! so i won't make it to class thurs, got a dentist thing i cant move. can u send me the slides? also is the essay still due mon or did that change lol. thx
- Formal version
- Dear Professor Alvarez,
- I am writing to let you know that I will not be able to attend Thursday's class because of a dental appointment that I was unable to reschedule.
- Could you please share the slides from that session? I would also like to confirm whether the essay is still due on Monday.
- Thank you for your time.
- Kind regards,
- Mia Thompson
- HIST 210, Section 3
- Main changes
- • "hey!" became "Dear Professor Alvarez,"
- • "won't" and "can't" became "will not" and "was unable to" (full forms read as more formal)
- • "thurs" and "mon" written out in full
- • "can u send me" became "Could you please share"
- • "lol" and "thx" removed; "Thank you for your time" added
- • Added your full name and course section, so the professor knows who you are
- Watch out
- • "a dentist thing" was vague. "A dental appointment" is enough; you do not need to give medical details.
- • If your syllabus asks for notice before an absence, mention that you are giving notice in advance.
- Formal writing checklist
- • Greeting with title and last name when you know it
- • One topic per paragraph
- • Requests as questions ("Could you...") rather than orders
- • No emojis, slang or text-speak
- • Sign-off and full name
How to do it with todo.is
- Copy the prompt, paste your text and say who it is for.
- Send it from the Today screen in todo.is, or forward the draft to your agent on WhatsApp or Telegram.
- Copy the formal version. Ask for "a bit less formal" or "shorter" if it feels too much.
- Tell your agent to remember your name, title and signature so it fills them in every time.
Tips for a better result
- Formal does not mean long. The best formal emails are short, polite and clear.
- Use the reader’s title and last name ("Dr. Chen") until they sign off with their first name.
- Contractions like "I’m" are fine in most business emails. Remove them for official letters, applications and academic writing.
- Put your request in the first two lines. Busy readers may not read further.
make text more formal: FAQ
- How do I make writing more formal? Use full sentences, avoid slang, emojis and abbreviations, write out contractions in very formal writing, use polite requests and add a proper greeting and sign-off.
- Should I use contractions in a formal email? In everyday business email they are usually fine. For applications, official complaints, legal or academic writing, write them out in full.
- What is a formal way to say "let me know"? "Please let me know", "I would appreciate it if you could let me know" or "I look forward to hearing from you" all work, depending on how formal you need to be.
- Can it do the opposite and make text more casual? Yes. Change the prompt to ask for a friendly, casual tone and your agent rewrites it the other way.
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