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Hedges

Used to soften what we say or


write. They are an important part
of polite conversation. They make
what we say less direct.
Most common forms of hedging
involve tense and aspect, modal 2

expressions including modal


1. use an 2. use
intentionally evasive or
noncommittal deliberately
or ambiguous
5. use verbal
vague
statement; and adverbial language;
expressions
(e.g. can,
4. be perhaps, may, 3. avoid
confidently suggest) which fulfilling or
uncertain; deals with answering a
4
and degrees of question
probability. completely;
“ In order
distinguish
to

between facts
and claims,
writers often use
tentative
language such as
it seems likely 5
“ Hedging
crucial
is
in
academic
discourse, and
hedge words
account for
approximately 1 6
7
Reduce the risk of Ways of being more
opposition precise in reporting
This position results
associates hedges with Hedging may present
scientific imprecision the true state of the
and defines them as writers' understanding
linguistic cues of bias and may be used to
which avoid personal negotiate an accurate
accountability for representation of the 8
statements. state of the knowledge
Positive or negative Established writing
politeness style in English
strategies A certain degree of
Hedging is a rational hedging has become
interpersonal strategy conventionalized.
which supports the
writer's position builds
writer-reader
relationships and 9
guarantees a certain
 Types
 Examples
 As used in a
sentence

1
0
A B C

Such a measure might be


may, might, can,
Modal auxiliary more sensitive to
1 could, would,
verbs changes in health after
should
specialist treatment.

1
1
A B C

to seem, to appear
Modal lexical (epistemic verbs), to
verbs doubting believe, to assume, In spite of its limitations, the
and evaluating to suggest, to study appears to have a
2
rather than estimate, to tend, to number of important
merely think, to argue, to strengths.
describing indicate, to propose,
to speculate

1
2
A B C

Probability possible, probable,


3 It is likely to result in failure.
adjectives un/likely

assumption, claim,
We estimate that one in five
4 Nouns possibility, estimate,
marriages end in divorce.
suggestion

1
3
A B C

perhaps, possibly,
There is, perhaps, a good
probably, practically,
5 Adverbs reason why she chose to
likely, presumably,
write in the first person.
virtually, apparently
approximately,
Approximators
roughly, about,
of degree,
often, occasionally, Fever is present in about a
6 quantity,
generally, usually, third of cases.
frequency and
somewhat,
time
somehow, a lot of
1
4
A B C

believe, to our
Introductory knowledge, it is our We believe that there is no
7
phrases view that, we feel simple explanation.
that

If true, our study contradicts


the myth that men make
8 “If” clauses if true, if anything
better managers than
women.

1
5
A B C

Such compound hedges can


be double hedges (it may
suggest that; it seems likely
that; it would indicate that;
this probably indicates);
Compound seems reasonable, treble hedges (it seems
9
hedges looks probable reasonable to assume that);
quadruple hedges (it would
seem somewhat unlikely
that, it may appear
somewhat speculative that)
and so on. 1
6

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