Read the passage.

The game of lacrosse continues to increase in popularity, though it has evolved significantly from its origin in American Indian culture. The game was mostly played by Eastern Woodlands American Indians and by some groups of Plains Indians. Some of the differences between traditional lacrosse and the game as it is played today include the game's purpose, its length, and the number of players.

Which features make this passage formal?

Select each correct answer.

contractions
impersonal tone

first-person point of view

expression of subjective feelings

third-person point of view

complex sentences

incomplete sentences

Formal articles or essays tend to present the characteristics above. In the case of the passage we are analyzing here, there is no subjectivity. We cannot tell how the author feels about the game or the way it is played. The author is simply informing the readers about the history of the game. In texts that have that purpose - offering information -, the best technique to use is to avoid the first-person point of view and subjective feelings. As for grammar and structure, formal texts tend to employ more complex sentences, connecting ideas via prepositions and conjunctions, using longer structures - such as adverbial phrases - instead of shorter ones - such as an adverb alone. Unnecessary contractions are also avoided in formal texts.