Hedging and distancing expressions
C1 AdvancedHedging and distancing expressions allow speakers to avoid direct commitment to a statement, softening claims or attributing information to external sources.
Overview
Hedging and distancing are essential strategies in academic and professional English. They serve to reduce the speaker's responsibility for the truth of a claim or to acknowledge that information may not be 100% certain. These forms are frequently used to maintain a polite, objective, and cautious tone.
Common Structures
It + passive verb + that-clause / Subject + seem/appear + to-infinitive
Distancing often utilizes impersonal it-constructions with passive reporting verbs or modal lexical verbs like seem and appear. Hedging frequently employs adverbs of probability or tentative verbs.
Direct vs. Distanced Claims
The distanced versions sound more professional and leave room for error or alternative interpretations.
| Direct Statement | Distanced/Hedged Statement |
|---|---|
| The economy is shrinking. | It would appear that the economy is shrinking. |
| Profits will fall next quarter. | Profits are suggested to fall next quarter. |
| The data is incorrect. | The data seems to be somewhat inconsistent. |
Examples
Common mistakes
It seems that they to be late.
It seems that they are late.
When using 'It seems that', follow with a full clause. Use 'They seem to be late' for the infinitive structure.
The report is said that it is accurate.
The report is said to be accurate.
Passive reporting verbs like 'said' or 'thought' take a to-infinitive when the subject is the topic of the sentence.
Practice
Rewrite the following for a more cautious tone: 'The strategy failed because of poor leadership.' (Use: It would seem...)
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It would seem that the strategy failed because of poor leadership.
Answer:It would seem that the strategy failed because of poor leadership.
Why:Using 'It would seem that' distances the speaker from the assertion, making it a tentative observation rather than a blunt fact.
Change this sentence to use a passive distancing structure: 'People think the CEO will resign.'
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The CEO is thought to be resigning.
Answer:The CEO is thought to be resigning.
Why:The structure 'Subject + passive reporting verb + to-infinitive' is a standard way to report general beliefs without naming the source.
Which adverb best hedges this claim? 'The project is [certainly / arguably] the most expensive in the company's history.'
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arguably
Answer:arguably
Why:'Arguably' is a hedging adverb used to signal that a statement is an opinion that could be debated, whereas 'certainly' expresses total confidence.