Hedging 2

 

Sabanci University

Writing

Fall 2005

Hedging Language

 

Emma

Jake

TASK 1  Emma and Jake have different ways of writing and speaking. Emma is very sube!tive and usua""y over#genera"ises  but  but Jake is more obe!tive when "ooking at things. things. $ho do you think wrote these these statements% A"" Turkish pop singers sing about "ove. &t is said that the earth'uake was !aused by the weather. (enera""y) the ho"iday was great. Eating fish and yoghurt wi"" sure"y "ead to stoma!ha!he. *ogs often prote!t their owners. Eng"ish peop"e a"ways drink tea with mi"k. High"y inte""igent !hi"dren tend to misbehave due to t o boredom. Everyone knows how to read and write. TASK +  $hat do you think about Emma,s senten!es% Are they rea""y true% How did Jake make his statements "ess over#genera"% $hy are his statements better%  -hoose

the best answer A)  or -

Hedging Language is useful because it helps you to: A sound mo more re int intelligent elligent B be more objective C avoid telling the truth

Hedging Language

1

 

Sabanci University

Writing

Fall 2005

TASK /  The hedging "anguage  in  in the bo0 !an be used in speaking or writing and wi"" he"p  you to avoid over#genera"ising. over#genera"ising. &t is now re!ognised that an an important feature of a!ademi! writing is the !on!ept of !autious "anguage) often !a""ed hedging or vague "anguage. "anguage. &n other words) it is ne!essary to make de!isions about your stan!e on a parti!u"ar sube!t) or the strength of the !"aims you are making. 2ead the tab"e be"ow. $hi!h ones do do you a"read a"readyy know% Language used in hedging3

1. Introductory verbs: +. Certain lexical verbs /. Certain modal verbs: 4. Adverbs of frequency

e.g. seem) tend) "ook "ike) appear to be) think) be"ieve) indi!ate) suggest

e.g. be"ieve) assume) suggest e.g. wi"") must) wou"d) may) might) !ou"d

e.g. often) sometimes) usua""y) hard"y ever e.g. probab"y) possib"y) perhaps) !on!eivab"y)

4. Modal adverbs 5. Modal adjectives e.g. probab"e) possib"e

6. Modal nouns

7. That clauses

e.g. assumption) possibi"ity) probabi"ity

e.g. &t !ou"d be the !ase that 8 e.g. &t might be suggested that 8 e.g. 2esear!h suggests9indi!ates that 8 e.g. &t is possib"e that8

:. To-clause + adjective

e.g. &t may be possib"e to obtain 8 e.g. &t is important to deve"op 8 e.g. &t is usefu" to study 8

9.

e.g. ;ost 9 ;any 9 Some 9 Severa" 8

uantifiers

Hedging Language

2

 

Sabanci University

Writing

Fall 2005

TA!" # -hange these senten!es of Emma,s using hedging "anguage in parenthesis and take out any over#genera" "anguage 

1. A" A""" pe peop" op"e e aare re aafra fraid id ooff sn snake akes. s. $many%