THE 7 MOST IMPORTANT FORMAL ASPECTS OF WRITING - LITERATURE - 2025

The formal aspects of writing are all the elements that are used so that a text can be understood more easily. In this way, rules used strictly in the written language are considered, necessary so that the message that the sender wants to transmit is properly received by the receiver.

Since writing is a form of communication, there are likely to be some issues in interpreting it. For this reason, various formal aspects of writing were established, such as spelling, punctuation or calligraphy. All of them dedicated to making the communication process easier.

Punctuation marks are one of the most important formal elements of writing, since their use allows you to make sense of a written text.

These elements indicate where to pause while reading a text and their use is essential at all times, especially when writing formal documents such as job letters and resumes.

10 formal aspects to keep in mind while writing

1- Order and structure

The order and structure of a text are one of the most important formal aspects that must be taken into account when writing. These aspects are what will give the final appearance of the text when it is printed.

The order is what gives the text the appearance, is what is seen with the naked eye and inspires the reader to approach the text and read it.

When the order is clear and legible, it will be easier for the recipient to understand the message encoded in the text, since the ideas will be exposed more clearly and the graphic appearance of the content will be more user-friendly.

The structure, on the other hand, comprises the way the text is arranged visually, that is, it refers to the way the information is hierarchized and presented visually. Here, the use of margins, indents, and spelling play a fundamental role.

2- Margins

All texts have four margins (top, bottom, right side and left side). These are spaces that are left blank and are located around the text, bordering the edge of the page.

They are generally clean spaces, where there is no type of inscription and they are arranged equidistant, that is, at the same distance from the text and the edge of the page.

Margins allow you to frame the text on the page. Its correct use is essential to give the text the appearance of order. They symbolize a respect for the rules of writing or formal aspects of a text.

3- Indents and capital letters

The indentation is that small white space that is located before the first letter of a paragraph.

It is useful to show the reader that a new paragraph has started. Another fundamental formal element used for the same purpose is capital letters.

Capital letters are used to indicate that a new paragraph or sentence has started. They are also used to denote that you are talking about a proper name.

4- Spelling

The spelling (from the Latin orthographia and from the Greek ὀρθογραφία orthographía 'correct writing') is the set of rules and conventions that govern the usual writing system established for a standard language.

This is one of the most important formal aspects of writing, since any misspelling can lead the reader to misinterpret the message encoded in the text.

As a fundamental rule, it is considered that misspellings take away the credibility of the text and at the same time make it difficult to understand it.

5- Punctuation marks

Punctuation marks are visual elements used to delimit sentences and paragraphs. Its use is essential to be able to structure a text correctly. Using them excessively or avoiding their use can make it difficult to read a text.

They are ideal for ordering information and prioritizing ideas. They are also the graphic representation of the pauses, changes in the tone of the voice and conclusion of ideas that are made in the spoken language.

Point (.)

The point is the visual representation of the long pause made in the spoken language. This indicates the completion of a phrase or idea. When the writer wants to change the subject, he will use a separate period and finish the writing of a paragraph.

However, when you want to conclude an idea, but you want to continue talking about the same topic, you use a period in a row.

There is a third type of point, used only when a text is concluded, it is called an end point.

Eat (,)

The comma is the graphic representation of a brief pause in spoken language. The formal rules of writing indicate that it should be used in the following cases:

1 - When a list is being listed: I like chocolate, strawberry, vanilla ice cream, etc.

2 - When you want to isolate the subject or vocative to give it greater emphasis: Juan, my neighbor above.

3 - When a sentence is interrupted or you want to delve into an idea: every day, even those who were not working, my boss called me furious.

4 - When you want to divide the grammatical elements of a sentence: The days of the week are: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

5 - To give order to the heading of a letter: Medellín, January 5, 2017.

Semicolon (;)

It is the graphic representation of a longer pause in verbal language. Normally, it is used to separate long sentences from shorter ones in which commas are already present.

Two points (:)

They are used before starting a list or enumeration of elements, to indicate that a verbatim quote is going to be made or after the heading or introduction of a letter.

Ellipsis (…)

They are used when you want to put a sentence on hold. In this way, the reader can interpret doubt or include a word that her imagination indicates to complete the sentence that has been incomplete.

6- grammar

Grammar is the part of linguistics that studies the structure of words and their accidents, as well as the way in which they are combined to form sentences; it includes morphology and syntax, and certain schools include phonology as well.

It is probably more important than geography and other formal aspects, since if the grammar is not correct and fluent it will not be pleasant to read a text.

7- Others

Among other punctuation marks that must be considered within the formal aspects of writing, we have the question marks (?) And exclamation marks (!), The parentheses (), the quotation marks (“”) and the hyphens (-).

References

1. Chuletas, P. (November 21, 2011). Xuletas. Obtained from Formal aspects of writing: xuletas.es.
2. COLLEGE, AC (2017). Online Writing Lab. Obtained from COMMA RULES EXPLAINED: aims.edu.
3. Rinehart, H., & Winston. (2009). Elements of Language Grammar, Usage, and Mechanics Language Skills Practice, Second Course. United States: Holt McDougal.
4. Tello, M. (February 10, 2017). Pitoquito. Obtained from KNOW WHAT THE FORMAL ASPECTS OF WRITING ARE FOR: panorama.com.ve.
5. Vita, MF (March 31, 2015). Graphology and Personality. Obtained from Formal Aspects of Writing: To write well it has been said !: grafologiaypersonalidad.com.