Writing: Academic & Professional Style
C1 Lesson 2: Using Hedging & Boosting Language
Controlling Your Certainty
In advanced writing, how you state a claim is as important as the claim itself. A masterful writer controls the level of certainty in their language.
Hedging (Expressing Caution) 🤔
Hedging shows that you are not 100% certain. This is not weakness; it is the mark of a careful, critical thinker.
Example: "Increased tourism could lead to environmental strain."Boosting (Expressing Confidence) 💪
Boosting shows confidence in your statement. Use it to assert a point strongly or state a widely accepted fact.
Example: "This was undoubtedly a major turning point in history."Your Writer's Toolkit 🛠️
The Hedging Toolkit
- Modal Verbs: may, might, could → "This might be a potential solution."
- Cautious Verbs: suggest, indicate, seem, appear → "The evidence suggests a link..."
- Adverbs of Probability: probably, likely, possibly → "This is likely a significant factor."
The Boosting Toolkit
- Strong Verbs: demonstrate, prove, establish → "The research demonstrates the need for action."
- Adverbs of Certainty: certainly, undoubtedly, clearly → "This was undoubtedly a major turning point."
- Adjectives: a clear example, a significant factor → "This is a significant achievement."
When to Hedge vs. Boost:
Hedge when you are interpreting results or discussing other people's research. Your conclusion should not be stronger than your evidence.
Boost when you are stating widely accepted facts or presenting your main thesis statement with confidence.
Hedge when you are interpreting results or discussing other people's research. Your conclusion should not be stronger than your evidence.
Boost when you are stating widely accepted facts or presenting your main thesis statement with confidence.
Practice & Application 🎯
Quiz: Hedge or Boost?
Choose the word or phrase that best fits the academic context.
- "The data is not fully conclusive, but it _______ that there is a positive correlation." (proves / suggests)
→ Answer: suggests (Hedging is appropriate for inconclusive data.) - "It is _______ that the preservation of Angkor Wat is vital for Cambodia's tourism industry." (possible / undeniable)
→ Answer: undeniable (This is a widely accepted fact, so a booster is appropriate.) - Which sentence is a better example of academic hedging?
a) Climate change caused the decline of the civilization.
b) Climate change may have been a contributing factor in the decline of the civilization.
→ Answer: b. It uses a modal verb ('may have') and cautious phrasing.
Your Writing Mission ⭐
Writing Task: Adjust the Certainty
For each neutral statement, rewrite it twice: once with hedging language and once with boosting language.
- Neutral Statement: The new law will have an effect on the economy.
Hedged Example: The new law could have a significant effect on the economy.
Boosted Example: The new law will undoubtedly have a major effect on the economy. - Neutral Statement: The research shows a link between diet and health.
Hedged Example: The research seems to indicate a possible link between diet and health.
Boosted Example: The research clearly demonstrates a conclusive link between diet and health.
Key Vocabulary
- Hedging The use of cautious or vague language to make claims that are not absolute.
- Boosting The use of confident language to assert a claim strongly.
- To Assert To state a fact or belief confidently and forcefully.
- Conclusive Proving something, and leaving no doubt or question.