The document discusses hedging and tentative language in academic writing. It provides examples of how to distance claims from data using phrases like "based on limited data" or "in the view of some experts". It also discusses using tentative verbs like "tend" instead of definite claims, and qualifying generalizations by using phrases like "many children" instead of "all children". The document also covers choosing weaker verbs like "contributed to" instead of "led to". Finally, it discusses combining different hedging techniques but not overusing them.

1. Hedging and tentative language / pronouns and
antecedents
PowerPoint for week 9

2. Pronouns
• Pronouns usually refer to other words,
called their antecedents
• An antecedent and a pronoun must refer
to the same thing.
• A pronoun's antecedent may be either a
noun or another pronoun.

3. Example
- The argument presented by Jones is
unclear because it focuses on a continent
rather than on a single country.
- Jones and McCarthy agree that the
research carried out by Jones is unclear.
In their analysis they point out that
focusing on a single country leads to a
better argumentation.

4. Tentative language:
Distance yourself from the data:
Based on the limited data available, …
In the view of some experts, ….
According to this preliminary study, …
Based on an informal survey of nine
department managers, …
Academic Language Centre

5. Tentative language:
 Qualify a generalisation:
Children living in poverty have a history of health
problems.
Children living in poverty tend to have a history of
health problems.
Many children living in poverty have a history of
health problems.
The majority of children living in poverty have a
history of health problems.
In most parts of the world children living in poverty
have a history of health problems.
Academic Language Centre

6. Tentative language:
Choose a weaker verb:
Unsound policies of the IMF led to the
financial crisis.
Unsound policies of the IMF contributed to
the financial crisis.
Academic Language Centre

7. Tentative language:
Combine several types of qualifications,
but do not overdo it:
It could be concluded that the majority of
studies seem to suggest that some of the
unsound policies of the IMF might have
led to the financial crisis.
Academic Language Centre

8. Pronouns
• Pronouns usually refer to other words,
called their antecedents
• An antecedent and a pronoun must refer
to the same thing.
• A pronoun's antecedent may be either a
noun or another pronoun.

9. Exercise: identify the hedging
expressions
1. There is no difficulty in explaining how a
structure such as an eye or a feather
contributes to survival and reproduction;
the difficulty is in thinking of a series of
steps by which it could have arisen.
Source for these examples:
http://www.uefap.com/writing/exercise/feature/hedgeex.htm

10. 1. There is no difficulty in explaining how a
structure such as an eye or a feather
contributes to survival and reproduction;
the difficulty is in thinking of a series of
steps by which it could have arisen

11. 2. There is experimental work to show that
a week or ten days may not be long enough
and a fortnight to three weeks is probably
the best theoretical period.

12. 2. There is experimental work to show that
a week or ten days may not be long enough
and a fortnight to three weeks is probably
the best theoretical period.

13. 3. Conceivably, different forms, changing at
different rates and showing contrasting
combinations of characteristics, were
present in different areas.

14. 3. Conceivably, different forms, changing at
different rates and showing contrasting
combinations of characteristics, were
present in different areas.

15. 4. It appears to establish three categories:
the first contains wordings generally agreed
to be acceptable, the second wordings
which appear to have been at some time
problematic but are now acceptable, and
the third wordings which remain
inadmissible.

16. 4. It appears to establish three categories:
the first contains wordings generally agreed
to be acceptable, the second wordings
which appear to have been at some time
problematic but are now acceptable, and
the third wordings which remain
inadmissible.