The Language of Hedging
Advanced hedging — softening claims in speech and writing. Jess, a journalist, explains why 'Everyone knows that…' is the most dangerous sentence in journalism, and why hedging is sophistication, not weakness.
📖 Reading: The Art of Not Being Certain
Jess is a journalist. Over the years, she has developed what she calls "a finely tuned allergy to overconfidence."
"The most dangerous sentence in journalism," she told Maya once, "is one that begins with 'Everyone knows that…'"
"Why?" asked Maya.
"Because it tends to be followed by something that isn't true. Or that is only partially true. Or that was true once but isn't anymore."
"So what do you do instead?"
"I hedge. I write: 'Research would suggest that…' or 'It appears that…' or 'This arguably reflects a broader shift in…'"
"Doesn't that make you sound uncertain?"
"It makes me sound accurate," said Jess. "There's a difference. Uncertainty is not knowing. Hedging is knowing the limits of what you know."
Maya thought about this for a long time.
"Is that a journalist thing?" she asked finally.
"It's a thinking thing," said Jess. "Scientists do it. Lawyers do it. Good managers do it. Anyone who has to make claims about the world and be held accountable for them tends to hedge."
"And bad managers?"
"Say 'obviously' and 'clearly' a lot," said Jess. "Usually before something that is neither obvious nor clear."
🔑 Vocabulary Box
Eight key words and phrases from this lesson.
| Word | Meaning | Note |
|---|---|---|
| hedge | To soften a claim to avoid absolute commitment; the act of doing so | v./n. — Jess hedges her journalistic claims carefully. |
| accountable | Required to explain and justify your actions or statements | adj. — She is accountable for everything she publishes. |
| presumably | Used to say something is probably true based on available evidence | adv. — Presumably, most readers will agree. |
| arguably | It can be argued that; used to introduce a debatable claim | adv. — This is arguably the most important point. |
| partial | Not complete; relating to only part of something | adj. — The claim was only partially true. |
| allergy | A strong dislike or aversion to something (figurative) | n. — She has an allergy to overconfidence. |
| credibility | The quality of being trusted and believed | n. — Overconfidence can damage your credibility. |
| claim | A statement asserting something as true; to make such a statement | n./v. — She hedges her claims carefully. |
📚 Key Verbs & Structures in This Lesson | |
tend to + verb | Research tends to show that... / People tend to assume... |
appear to / seem to + verb | It appears to suggest... / This seems to indicate... |
would suggest / might indicate | The data would suggest that... / This might indicate a shift. |
arguably / reportedly / apparently | Arguably, this reflects... / Reportedly, the trend is growing. |
📚 Grammar Focus
📚 Hedging Verbs — Degrees of Certainty | |
Strong hedge | This would appear to suggest that coffee improves focus. |
Moderate hedge | Research tends to indicate a correlation. |
Weak hedge | It seems that there may be some benefit. |
Pattern | Subject + hedging verb + that-clause OR hedging verb + infinitive |
Hedging Adverbs and Phrases
📚 Hedging Adverbs and Phrases | |
arguably | Arguably, this is the most significant development. |
apparently / reportedly | Apparently, the trend is accelerating. / Reportedly, sales have fallen. |
presumably | Presumably, most readers will be familiar with the concept. |
it would appear that | It would appear that the situation is more complex than first thought. |
Hedging Adjectives and Nouns
📚 Hedging Adjectives and Nouns | |
possible / potential / likely | There is a possible link between X and Y. |
a tendency / a suggestion / an indication | There is a tendency to oversimplify. |
evidence suggests | The available evidence suggests a moderate benefit. |
🎭 Dialogue: Is That a Fact?
Maya brings Jess a sentence she's drafted. Jess teaches her how to take an unsupportable claim and turn it into a precise, hedged version that's actually more believable.
Jess, I wrote: "Social media is making people lonelier." Is that too strong?
Much too strong. How do you know? Who says?
There's research… I think.
Then write: "Research would appear to suggest a correlation between heavy social media use and reported feelings of isolation."
That's so long.
It's accurate. Which is better?
OK. What about: "Social media arguably contributes to social isolation in some contexts"?
Much better. You've hedged the claim, specified the scope, and kept it readable.
Practice Exercises
3 questionsNew exercises to reinforce what you learned. Different from the lesson material.
What does Jess call 'the most dangerous sentence in journalism'?
What distinction does Jess make between uncertainty and hedging?
According to Jess, who tends to use hedging language?
Practice Exercises
3 questionsNew exercises to reinforce what you learned. Different from the lesson material.
Rewrite with a hedge: 'Coffee is good for cognitive function.'
Rewrite with a hedge: 'Everyone uses social media too much.'
Rewrite with a hedge: 'Remote work reduces productivity.'
🎭 Now It's Your Turn — Role Play
Practice with a partner. Use the dialogue as a model and extend it.
- Student A: Make 4 strong, unhedged claims about any topic (health, technology, society, language).
- Student B: Challenge each one and suggest an appropriate hedge.
- Together: agree on a final, well-hedged version of each claim.
- Use: arguably / tends to / would suggest / appears to / seemingly / reportedly.