Distancing expressions are used to indicate that information comes from an outside source rather than being stated definitively. They can be achieved through verbs like "seem" and "appear", the passive voice as in "it is said", and phrases like "apparently" or "according to". Common patterns include "it seems/appears that", "it is said/reported/believed that", and using the passive voice with verbs of saying and reporting. Noun phrases like "there is little/some/no doubt that" can also distance a claim.

1. Distancing NEFad 2B

2. “Itissaidthat …” Distancingexpressions are oftenusedto stress thattheinformationissecond-hand and comes from a specificsourceorsources, orwhen a writerisnotsureof thesources.

3. Verbs, passive, nounphrases, otherdistancingexpressions Distancing (orhedging) can beachievedwithsomeverbs (seem, appear…) Withthepassivevoice (itissaid, itisrecognized…) Withcertainnounphrases (thereislittledoubtthat, thereis no evidence of …) Withotherdistancingexpressions (apparently, accordingto, may/might …)

4. Verbs of saying and reporting: appear, seem Sentencepatterns: Itseems/appears + that + clause Itwouldseem/appear + that + clause We use thesecondtodistanceourselvesevenfurtherfromtheinformation, and tomakeitsoundlesssure. Itisalso more formal. Itseems/appearsthatthenewsreports are true I wouldseem/appearthatyou are avoiding me

5. The passivewithverbs of saying and reporting Sentencepatterns: It + passiveverb+ that + clause Subject + passiveverb+ to + infinitive There + passiveverb+ to + infinitive Itissaid/reported/believedthatthere are more than 5 millionpeope living in poverty More than 5 millionpeople are said/reported/believedtobeliving in poverty There are said/reported/believedtobemore than 5 millionpeople living in poverty

6. Otherdistancingexpressions Apparently Apparently, Maurice and Yvettehaveseparated Accordingto Accordingtonew research, thefuture of advertisingisonthe Net May/might Rumour has itthatthe band mightbeplanningto record a new album

7. Nounphrases You can also use thefollowingnounphrasestohedgearound a subject: Thereislittle/some/no (…) doubtthat Thereislittle/some/no (…) evidencethat Thereislittle/some/no doubtthatthe country can control itsinflation