PREFACE
CHAPTER 2
CHAPTER 3
CHAPTER 4
CHAPTER 5
CHAPTER 6
Home > Chapter 1: What is Academic English?
Chapter 1: What is Academic English?
1b: General Features of Academic English
Academic texts are characterised by a specific style with the following four features:
i) formality
ii) objectivity
iii) precision
iv) technicality
ii) Objectivity
Hedging
In academic texts, in particular research studies and science reports, writers need to be cautious and critical about the claims and comments they make. Hedging or tentative language is thus used to put forward an argument or idea to avoid making over-generalisations or faulty assumptions.
Examples:
a. Identical twins have similar personalities.
b. Identical twins may/tend to/are more likely to have similar personalities.
(Sentence (a) assumes that all identical twins have similar personalities. In Sentence (b), the use of “may”, “tend to” and “likely” helps to soften the tone and avoid over-generalisation.)
Activity 4
Study the following sentences. Choose the sentences in which hedging language is used.
| Is hedging language used? | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1. a) | Based on the findings, social media are a crucial factor for the success of K-pop. |  |
| b) | Based on the findings, social media appear to be a crucial factor for the success of K-pop. |  |
| 2. a) | The vaccine may be effective in preventing people aged over 60 from getting the disease. | |
| b) | The vaccine is effective in preventing people aged over 60 from getting the disease. | |
| 3. a) | Boys are taller than girls. | |
| b) | Boys are generally taller than girls. | |
