Hedging 2
Hedging 2
Hedging Language
Emma Jake
TASK 1
Emma and Jake have different ways of writing and speaking. Emma is very
subjective and usually over-generalises but Jake is more objective when
looking at things. Who do you think wrote these statements?
TASK 2
What do you think about Emma’s sentences?
Are they really true?
How did Jake make his statements less over-general?
Why are his statements better?
Hedging Language 1
Sabanci University Writing Fall 2005
TASK 3
The hedging language in the box can be used in speaking or writing and will help
you to avoid over-generalising. It is now recognised that an important feature of
academic writing is the concept of cautious language, often called "hedging" or
"vague language". In other words, it is necessary to make decisions about your
stance on a particular subject, or the strength of the claims you are making.
Read the table below. Which ones do you already know?
2. Certain lexical
verbs e.g. believe, assume, suggest
Hedging Language 2
Sabanci University Writing Fall 2005
TASK 4
Change these sentences of Emma’s using hedging language in parenthesis and
take out any over-general language
TASK 5
The sentences are taken from the paragraphs about student stress and
psychological well-being.
1. Families and teachers always force the students to study more. (usually)
____________________________________________________
2. Parental pressure is an important reason for students’ stress. (modal)
____________________________________________________
3. Especially in Turkey, parents want their children to have popular jobs. (many)
____________________________________________________
4. 40% of young people in Turkey are not satisfied with the education they have.
(Research suggests that…)
____________________________________________________
5. People who have close relationships have are more successful than other
people. (be believed to …)
____________________________________________________
Hedging Language 3
Sabanci University Writing Fall 2005
http://www.ceu.hu/writing/sfaccess.html
3. Weismann suggested that animals become old because, if they did not,
there could be no successive replacement of individuals and hence no
evolution.
Weismann proved that animals become old because, if they did not,
there could be no successive replacement of individuals and hence no
evolution.
4. Yet often it cannot have been the case that a recalcitrant trustee
remained in possession of the property entrusted to him.
Yet a recalcitrant trustee did not remain in possession of the property
entrusted to him.
5. Recent work on the religious demography of Northern Ireland indicates
a separating out of protestant and catholic, with the catholic population
drifting westwards and vice versa.
Recent work on the religious demography of Northern Ireland shows a
separating out of protestant and catholic, with the catholic population
drifting westwards and vice versa.
6. By analogy, it may be possible to walk from one point in hilly country to
another by a path which is always level or uphill, and yet a straight line
between the points would cross a valley.
By analogy, one can walk from one point in hilly country to another by a
Hedging Language 4
Sabanci University Writing Fall 2005
path which is always level or uphill, and yet a straight line between the
points would cross a valley.
7. There are certainly cases where this would seem to have been the only
possible method of transmission.
There are cases where this would have been the only possible method
of transmission.
8. Nowadays the urinary symptoms seem to be of a lesser order.
Nowadays the urinary symptoms are of a lesser order.
Hedging Language 5
Sabanci University Writing Fall 2005
http://home.ku.edu.tr/~doregan/Writing/Hedging.html
Hedging Language 6