hedging in essay

What Is Hedging in Academic Writing?

In academic writing, precision and clarity in language is important. Ensuring a nuanced balance between certainty and caution can only be achieved by the strategic use of language; also called as hedging.

What is Hedging

Hedging is the use of linguistic devices to express hesitation or uncertainty as well as to demonstrate politeness and indirectness. It holds significance in academic writing because it is prudent to be cautious in one’s statements so as to distinguish between facts and claims.

What is the Use of Hedging

People use hedged language for several different purposes but perhaps the most fundamental are the following:

• To minimize the possibility of another academic opposing the claims that are being made
• To conform to the currently accepted style of academic writing
• To enable the author to devise a politeness strategy where they are able to acknowledge that there may be flaws in their claims

Types of Hedging

Following are a few hedging words and phrases that can be used to achieve this.

• Introductory verbs – seem, tend, look like, appear to be, think, believe, doubt, be sure, indicate, suggest
• Certain lexical verbs – believe, assume, suggest
• Modal Adverbs – possibly, perhaps, conceivably
• That clauses – It could be the case that…, it might be suggested that…, there is every hope that…

Here are some examples to understand the purpose of hedging.

Consider the following hedging language examples:

• It may be said that the commitment to some of the social and economic concepts was less strong than it is now.
• The lives they chose may seem overly ascetic and self-denying to most women today.

In the first statement, the commitment to some of the social and economic concepts was less strong than it is now while in the second one, the lives they chose seem overly ascetic and self-denying to most women today.

A crucial advantage in academia is that studies are often interpreted from multiple perspectives. This inherent openness leaves room for improvement and development in most fields of study.

Think you know what is hedging in academic writing and how to use it? Share your knowledge in the form of blog posts or opinion pieces at Enago Academy’s Open Platform .

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Hedging Using cautious language

Hedging, or 'being cautious', is an important component of academic style . This section explains what hedging is , then looks at different ways to hedge, namely using introductory verbs , modal verbs , adverbs , adjectives , nouns , and some other ways such as adverbs of frequency and introductory phrases. There is as an example passage so you can see each type of hedging in an authentic text, and, at the end, a checklist so you can check your understanding.

What is hedging?

For another look at the same content, check out YouTube or Youku , or the infographic .

Hedging, also called caution or cautious language or tentative language or vague language , is a way of softening the language by making the claims or conclusions less absolute. It is especially common in the sciences, for example when giving a hypothesis or presenting results, though it is also used in other disciplines to avoid presenting conclusions or ideas as facts, and to distance the writer from the claims being made.

The following is a short extract from an authentic academic text, with the hedging in blue (the full article is available here: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.j5855 ).

Although duration of smoking is also important when considering risk, it is highly correlated with age, which itself is a risk factor, so separating their effects can be difficult; however, large studies tend to show a relation between duration and risk. Because light smoking seems to have dramatic effects on cardiovascular disease, shorter duration might also be associated with a higher than expected risk.

Hedges can be contrasted with boosters (such as 'will' or 'definitely' or 'always'), which allow writers to express their certainty. These are less commonly used in academic writing, though tend to be overused by learners of academic English in place of more cautious language.

Introductory verbs

Check out the hedging infographic »

There are various introductory verbs which allow the writer to express caution rather than certainty in their writing. The following is a list of some of the most common ones. Some of these are linked to cautious nouns , adverbs or adjectives , in which case these are also given.

• tend to ➞ tendency (n)
• assume ➞ assumption (n)
• indicate ➞ indication (n)
• estimate ➞ estimate (n)
• seem to ➞ seemingly (adv)
• appear to be ➞ apparently (adv)
• doubt ➞ doubtful (adj)

Modal verbs

Another way of being cautious is to use the modal verbs expressing uncertainty, in place of stronger, more certain modals such as will or would . The following are modals which express uncertainty.

There are many adverbs which can be used to express caution. Some of these are associated with cautious adjectives or nouns , in which case these are also given. The adverbs can be divided into two types: modal adverbs, which are related to the possibility of something happening, and adverbs of frequency, which give information on how often something happens.

• probably ➞ probable (adj), probability (n)
• possibly ➞ possible (adj), possibility (n)
• seemingly ➞ seem to (v)
• apparently ➞ appear to be (v)
• conceivably

The following adjectives can be used to express caution. Again, some of these are associated with other word forms, in which case these are also given.

• probable ➞ probably (adv), probability (n)
• possible ➞ possibly (adv), possibility (n)
• likely ➞ likelihood (n)
• doubtful ➞ doubt (v)

The following nouns can be used to express caution. Some of these are associated with other word forms, in which case these are also given.

• probability ➞ probably (adv), probable (adj)
• possibility ➞ possibly (adv), possible (adj)
• likelihood ➞ likely (adj)
• assumption ➞ assume (v)
• tendency ➞ tend to (v)
• indication ➞ indicate (v)
• estimate ➞ estimate (v)

Other phrases

There are three other ways to express caution. The first is to use words or phrases to show frequency, degree, quantity and time.

• occasionally
• approximately

The second way is to use introductory phrases, such as the following.

• It is generally agreed that
• In our opinion
• In our view
• It is our view that
• We feel that
• We believe that
• I believe that
• To our knowledge
• One would expect that

The final way is to use if clauses.

• if anything

Example passage

Below is an example passage. It is taken from the Limitations section of an article in the BMJ (formerly British Medical Journal). It is used to give examples of different types of hedging in an authentic academic text (use the buttons to highlight different types of hedging). The full article, published on 17 July 2019, is available here: https://www.bmj.com/content/366/bmj.l4786 .

This study has a few limitations. Firstly, we excluded 25% of the households from analysis because of missing information on either income or BMI. It is unlikely that such missing information is related to price elasticity or purchase behaviour [...] however, it may have resulted in some bias for the pooled values across groups. [...] Secondly, the baseline daily energy purchase estimates are sample average estimates that do not consider age or sex of the household members who could have different energy requirements. [...] Thirdly, we used a static model for weight loss based on changes in energy consumption, which might not fully reflect actual mechanisms of weight change. [...] Fourthly, the study does not reflect on the substitution of nutrients alongside changes in energy. For example, reduction in energy from high sugar snacks could lead to substitution of other foods that are lower in energy content but perhaps higher in other nutrients of concern, such as saturated fats or salt. The health impacts of such substitutes should be further analysed and considered in the decision making process around food price policies. Furthermore, the satiety index of sugary snacks can vary greatly: some high sugar snacks could reduce overeating at meals, hence the overall impact of reduced consumption of high sugar snacks would be partly cancelled out by consumption of larger portions during mealtimes. Studies of sugary drinks only would be prone to this phenomenon, as the satiety effect of sugar sweetened beverages is generally low. 50 Fifthly, we assumed that all food purchased was consumed, which is unlikely , and some food will inevitably be waste. However, although the link between purchasing and consumption is far from perfect, it is strong (eg, 51 ), and our estimates on the effect of price rises on change in energy purchased is likely to be similar to that on consumption even if absolute values differ.

Bailey, S. (2000). Academic Writing. Abingdon: RoutledgeFalmer

Hyland, K. (2006) English for Academic Purposes: An advanced resource book . Abingdon: Routledge.

Hyland, K. (2009) Academic Discourse: English in a Global Context . London: Continuum.

Jordan, R.R. (1997) English for Academic Purposes: A guide and resource book for teachers . Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

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Below is a checklist. Use it to check your understanding.

I know .
I know different which can be used for hedging (e.g. ).
I know how can be used for hedging.
I know some which can be used for hedging (e.g. ).
I know some which can be used for hedging (e.g. ).
I know some which can be used for hedging (e.g. ).
I am aware of , i.e. phrases to show frequency, degree, quantity and time (e.g. ), introductory phrases (e.g. ), and if clauses ( ).

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Read more about describing data in the next section.

Previous section

Go back to the previous section about transition signals .

• Transitions

Author: Sheldon Smith    ‖    Last modified: 03 February 2022.

Sheldon Smith is the founder and editor of EAPFoundation.com. He has been teaching English for Academic Purposes since 2004. Find out more about him in the about section and connect with him on Twitter , Facebook and LinkedIn .

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Problem-solution essays are a sub-type of SPSE essays (Situation, Problem, Solution, Evaluation).

Transition signals are useful in achieving good cohesion and coherence in your writing.

Reporting verbs are used to link your in-text citations to the information cited.

What is hedging language and why is it important?

This is the first of three chapters about Hedging Language . To complete this reader, read each chapter carefully and then unlock and complete our materials to check your understanding.   

– Introduce the overall concept of hedging language in academia

– Provide examples of hedging language to guide the learner

– Discuss the importance of including hedging language

Chapter 1: What is hedging language and why is it important?

Chapter 2: What are the different types of hedging language?

Chapter 3: Which academic hedging language is most useful?

Before you begin reading...

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During your time as an academic, you’re likely to encounter the concept of hedging language , as this type of language is very common in both academic writing and speech. Anyone that wishes to succeed in publishing or completing a bachelor’s or master’s degree will have to become quickly familiar with what this language is, what it looks like, and why it’s used. This chapter therefore covers those topics precisely, with Chapters 2 and 3 discussing the many different types of hedging language that can be used in academic assignments .

What is hedging language?

In an academic context, such as when writing an essay , participating in a group discussion , or conducting a presentation , the writer or speaker of those assignments will be required to provide ideas, opinions, facts, arguments and evidence to support their research – as would the author of an academic textbook or journal article. To do this, every writer or speaker should be able to inform the audience of the certainty of their claims. While facts may be said with confidence, claims (opinions or arguments) which may be proven wrong by others, should be delivered in a more cautious manner, such as in the examples below:

Do you notice the difference between the fact and the claim in the above? The fact ‘humans live on Earth’ cannot be proven wrong and so does not require hedging language , while the claim ‘humans will likely destroy the planet’ could (in the distant future) be disproven. It is the hedging adjective ‘likely’ in this claim that provides caution, protecting the speaker or writer from being wrong. Hedging language, therefore, offers a type of modality  that allows the speaker or writer to indicate their degree of confidence or certainty when delivering an idea or claim.

However, although the previous claim that ‘humans will likely destroy the planet’ uses some hedging language , this claim still isn’t easy to disprove because there’s no time limitation to that statement. Because we don’t know when humans may or may not destroy the planet, the writer or speaker may sound fairly confident when claiming this (using ‘likely’) without fear of being easily disproven. But is this true for the following two claims? 

Which claim do you think is more certain, and which claim could be more easily disproven? A or B? Clearly, in claim A, the hedging adverb ‘probably’ indicates some degree caution, but this is not as cautious as the hedging phrase ‘it is possible that’ in sentence B. And is this any surprise? While claim B could be disproven today, it would take 150 years to disprove the speaker in A (which is beyond anyone’s lifetime). Clearly then, different hedging words and phrases like ‘probably’ or ‘it is possible that’ may be used to demonstrate varying degrees of caution and certainty.

Why is hedging language important?

As well as allowing a speaker or writer to provide softer and more cautious statements and claims, hedging language allows for the delivery of politeness strategies and for that speaker or writer to be indirect about the information they provide. But why would it be necessary to do this in an academic context? There are four primary reasons that an academic would choose to use hedging language:

1. To conform to academic standards of speech and writing.

2. To reduce the possibility of being proven wrong by other researchers, peers, or academics (such as your tutor). Remember that one of the primary purposes of academic research is to prove or disprove previously existing research.

3. To demonstrate accuracy and critical thinking when reporting research, showing that a study’s methodology may not be 100% accurate or its results completely trustworthy.

4. To use politeness strategies to concede to the reader or listener that there may be flaws in the information being provided.

Before moving on to Chapter 2 in which the different types of hedging language are discussed, let’s look at one more example:

Does this sentence have any hedging language , and is its claim true? By adding hedging language, we can make this claim more accurate and cautious by highlighting to the reader that it isn’t always the case that students get higher grades. Instead, we can show that there’s merely a tendency for this to be true:

To reference this reader:

Academic Marker (2022)   Hedging Language. Available at: https://academicmarker.com/academic-guidance/vocabulary/hedging-language/ (Accessed: Date Month Year).

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What is Hedging in Academic Writing?  

In academic writing, researchers and scholars need to consider the tonality and sweep of their statements and claims. They need to ask themselves if they are being too aggressive in trying to prove a point or too weak. If you’ve ever struggled to ensure your academic writing sounds confident yet acknowledges the inherent complexities of research, Hedging is a technique that can help you achieve just that.  

Hedging is a linguistic strategy that helps soften the claims and express the degree of uncertainty or certainty that an author wants to convey based on their research and available evidence. In this blog post, we’ll explore what hedging is and why it’s important in academic writing. We’ll also provide practical tips on how to use hedging effectively, including avoiding common mistakes and recognizing the role of context.   

Table of Contents

• What is the importance of hedging in academic writing?  
• How to use hedging in academic writing?  
• Understand context and appropriate usage 
• Use precise and accurate language 
• Provide supporting evidence and justification 
• Seek feedback and peer review 

What is the importance of hedging in academic writing?

The element or degree of uncertainty in academic knowledge and science cannot be overlooked. Hence, making absolute claims in educational and research writing can run counter to the traditional understandings of science as tentative. By employing hedging, academic writers and researchers acknowledge the possibilities for alternative perspectives and interpretations. In doing so, researchers and scholars accept the fact that their statements are open to discussions and debates. Hedging also lends credibility to their claims.  

Consider the following statements:  

‘Eating more than four eggs a day causes heart disease’ or  

‘People who rise early remain alert throughout the day.’  

These statements sow seeds of doubt or lead to many questions among readers. However, they can be made more flexible and open to discussion by adding words like ‘probably’ and ‘could.’  

Let’s review the modified sentences again:  

‘Eating more than four eggs a day could cause heart disease’ or  

‘People who rise early probably remain alert throughout the day.’ 1         

How to use hedging in academic writing?

While hedging in academic writing is inevitable, it should not be overused. Researchers must know how to hedge and develop this skill to deliver credible research. The writer can utilize specific hedging devices to make a well-reasoned statement.   

These include the use of grammatical tools like:   

• Verbs such as suggest, tend to seem to indicate. For example, ‘Earlier studies indicate…’  
• Modal auxiliaries such as may, might, can, and could. For example, ‘Industries can make use of …’  
• Adjectives such as much, many, some, perhaps. For example, ‘within some micro-credit groups.’  
• Adverbs such as probably, likely, often, seldom, sometimes.  
• ‘That’ clauses: for example, ‘It is evident that…’  
• Distance – it is helpful to distance oneself from the claims made. For example, you present it in the following ways: ‘Based on the preliminary study…’, ‘On the limited data available…’.  

A combination of such devices may be used to balance the strength of your claims. For example, in double hedging, the statement can be: ‘It seems almost certain that…’.  

However, overuse of hedging can dilute the impact of your arguments. Ideally, hedging should enhance clarity and foster a space for discussion, not create unnecessary ambiguity. 

Edgar Allan Poe, the renowned American writer, encapsulated the essence of doubt with his insightful words: ‘The believer is happy, the doubter is wise.’ This sentiment aptly captures the advantages of employing hedging in academic writing. While robust evidence and data may be the basis of an argument, the practice of hedging ensures that ideas are presented not as overconfident assertions but as credible and considerate viewpoints. Through cautious language, academic writers create an atmosphere of respect and openness. This approach not only acknowledges varied perspectives but also signals to readers that the author is receptive to counterthoughts and alternative viewpoints. It promotes a more prosperous and more inclusive scholarly discourse. Here are some tips for the effective use of hedging in academic writing.   

Tips to leverage hedging in academic writing

Hedging in academic writing isn’t just about softening claims; it’s about strategically conveying the strength of your evidence and fostering a nuanced discussion. Here are some key tips to help you leverage hedging effectively: 

Understand context and appropriate usage

Employing hedging solely for the sake of it can disrupt the flow and result in counterproductive outcomes, potentially inviting unnecessary critique and doubts regarding the credibility of the work. 2 The very purpose of hedging is to balance the tone of your claims such that it does not appear overconfident or too weak, so you need to be conscious of the context and hedge appropriately. So, how do you use a cautious tone through hedging? To express a balanced tone in the claims, you need to use a mix of hedging devices to convey low to high certainty about your claims. For example, for low certainty, words used can be ‘may, could, might’; for medium certainty, words such as ‘likely, appears to, generally’; and high certainty words such as ‘must, should, undoubtedly.’ It all depends on the evidence you have at hand.  

Use precise and accurate language

The use of precise and accurate language is critical, particularly the use of the right strength of the hedging device based on the evidence you have. Be careful that the claims are not presented as too weak such that they defeat your main argument and idea. It is important to remember that hedging requires refined linguistic skills. For instance, when employing hedging words such as ‘possibly’ and ‘probably,’ it is crucial to understand their subtle distinctions. ‘Possibly’ should be reserved for situations where an outcome is within the realm of feasibility – ‘The weather data shows that it will likely rain tomorrow.’ On the other hand, ‘probably’ indicates a higher likelihood, albeit without absolute certainty – ‘The latest weather data shows it will probably rain next week.’   

Provide supporting evidence and justification

When you provide supporting evidence and justification, you will be able to express the degree of certainty more clearly and also recognize what is less specific. Be careful not to generalize or make categorical statements without any supporting evidence. Neglecting the responsibility to substantiate statements with information dilutes their impact. Embracing data not only imparts accuracy and precision to claims but also bolsters their credibility. Further, the use of hedging in academic writing helps communicate the claim clearly based on evidence at the time of doing research and writing. It acknowledges that situations can change, and discoveries may be made at a later date.   

Seek feedback and peer review

It is always recommended to have your work read thoroughly by a third person or a colleague/faculty member. Outside feedback and a peer review process can highlight specific areas in your work that may require a certain degree of improvement or refinement. By actively seeking feedback, a distinct message is conveyed – the willingness to expose ideas to the crucible of critical assessment. This proactive approach not only signals a receptivity to constructive insights but also exemplifies scholarly integrity that places value on the collective pursuit of knowledge. In embracing this feedback loop, the practice of hedging not only upholds the ethos of academic rigour but also creates an ecosystem of continuous improvement and growth.  

Hedging is a linguistic tool that reflects a willingness to embrace diverse perspectives in the pursuit of knowledge. As academicians navigate their respective fields, hedging emerges as an ally, facilitating a nuanced discourse that pushes the boundaries of scholarship forward.  

References:   

• IELTS Task 2 essays: formal writing (hedging) – https://ieltsetc.com/2020/12/hedging-in-academic-writing/   
• Hedging in academic writing: Some theoretical problems, Peter Crompton (1997) – https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S088949069700007   

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Hedging language  refers to how a writer expresses certainty or uncertainty. Often in academic writing, a writer may not be sure of the claims that are being made in their subject area, or perhaps the ideas are good but the evidence is not very strong. It is common, therefore, to use language of caution or uncertainty (known as  hedging language).

Hedging verbs

The verbs  appear and  seem may be used to express uncertainty.  Appear and  seem can be used with existential clauses (the verb  to be ) to indicate caution.

• There appears to be a correlation between social class and likelihood of getting to university,  
• It seems to be  the case that non-native speakers of English rely more on the mother tongue.

The verbs  appear  and  seem  may also be followed by the  subordinating conjunction

• It appears as if/though  they had been working together
• It seems as if/though  expeditions to Mars will be possible in the future.

Appear and  seem can also be used with  that + clause

• It seems that the scope of the native speaker in Korea is narrow and limited in the sense that the Americans are believed to be an absolute image of a native speaker.

A writer may also use reporting verbs to express uncertainty about a claim:

• Other studies suggest that using L1 supports the development of language acquisition. 
• Larsen-Freeman and Long (1991) argue that input alone is not enough for language acquisition.
• Liu et al. (2004) claim that around a number of students are expected to drop out of their  course early. 

Modal Verbs

A writer can also hedge their claims by using modals of uncertainty (may/might, could, can) :

• Advocacy groups may ask an institution such as judges, politicians or scientists, to take on, highlight or, in the best case, show support towards their particular stance.
• A policy image might be fit  into one venue better than another.
• In the 1950s, the American Government put forward a positive image of nuclear power as a new source of cheap and endless energy that could help reduce the dependence on imported oils.
• Policy actors can make use of scientific evidence to increase the legitimacy for their stance.

That  Clauses

Writers may also express uncertainty using a number of  that clauses. For example:

• It is clear that ...
• It is apparent that ...
• It may be perceived that ...
• It has been suggested/argued/claimed that ...
• It seems evident that ...

Adverbs may be used to express uncertainty. Note that these adverbs often go just before the main verb in a sentence. For example:

• All teachers were fully aware of the class being recorded, so they probably spoke more English than they usually would. 
• She argues that strategies of expansion do not necessarily have to involve authoritative institutions only. 
• There are always a number of issues which could potentially get onto the agenda.

A writer may also use a combination of structures:

• Research on the experiences of university students  appears to indicate that  social class is a determiner of participation in student societies.
• Early reports  seem to suggest that  a deal between the US and Iran may be signed before midnight.
• It appears that it may not be possible for all participants to be interviewed.

Rewrite the sentence using the prompts.

1. Students benefit most from relationships outside the classroom (John and Edwards, 2007)

John and Edwards (2007)  JXUwMDM5JXUwMDEzJXUwMDE1JXUwMDEyJXUwMDEw JXUwMDJjJXUwMDFjJXUwMDA5JXUwMDE1 students benefit most from relationships outside the classroom.

2. Students live in student accommodation.

Students JXUwMDJjJXUwMDExJXUwMDBiJXUwMDBh JXUwMDJjJXUwMDFi live in student accommodation.

3. Listening skills improve through classroom activities and interaction outside the classroom.

It JXUwMDM5JXUwMDExJXUwMDAwJXUwMDE1JXUwMDA0JXUwMDEzJXUwMDAx JXUwMDM5JXUwMDEy if listening skills improve through classroom activities and interaction outside the classroom.

4. A lot of international students mix well with domestic students.

It JXUwMDMxJXUwMDFh JXUwMDNkJXUwMDEzJXUwMDFmJXUwMDBkJXUwMDAxJXUwMDBiJXUwMDFh JXUwMDJjJXUwMDFjJXUwMDA5JXUwMDE1 many international students mix well with domestic students.

5. Students don't need to translate words from Chinese to English.

necessarily

Students JXUwMDNjJXUwMDBi JXUwMDM2JXUwMDAxJXUwMDFi JXUwMDM2JXUwMDBiJXUwMDA2JXUwMDA2JXUwMDE2JXUwMDAwJXUwMDEyJXUwMDEzJXUwMDFiJXUw MDA1JXUwMDE1 need to translate words from Chinese into English.#

6. Regular IELTS practice has a positive effect on listening skills.

It may JXUwMDNhJXUwMDA3 JXUwMDI4JXUwMDE1JXUwMDE3JXUwMDExJXUwMDBhJXUwMDBjJXUwMDEzJXUwMDEzJXUwMDAx JXUwMDJjJXUwMDFjJXUwMDA5JXUwMDE1 regular IELTS practice has a positive effect on listening skills.

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IELTS Task 2 essays: formal writing (hedging)

By ieltsetc on December 17, 2020

Hedging is a really important feature of academic writing.

But what is hedging and how can you use it in your Task 2 essays?

This lesson teaches you 10 ways to 'hedge' and includes an interactive practise exercise.

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Reader Interactions

October 11, 2022 at 10:24 pm

Impressive ideas. Thanks for this exceptional article. I will practice this from now on. Stay Blessed and Keep it up. 😀

November 16, 2022 at 9:05 am

Thanks Umair – same to you. Best wishes Fiona

October 2, 2021 at 3:42 am

I mean definition of hedging in academic writing

October 7, 2021 at 6:11 pm

Hi Chibuzor. The definition is explained in the article above. Best wishes Fiona

August 22, 2022 at 12:21 pm

August 18, 2021 at 2:52 pm

I am confused that if the hedging words will make our article less persuasive and make my stance less steady?

August 28, 2021 at 11:00 pm

Hi Eitan and thanks for your message. I understand why you might think this, but I hope you can see from the examples in the article, that hedging simply allows you to be more cautious with making claims that may be opinion or may not have any evidence to support them. Best wishes Fiona

July 13, 2021 at 4:15 pm

I am confused about a sentence given in this website. It would be great if you could just help me out with it.

Video games make (makes)people violent Just wanted to confirm which one is the right.

July 13, 2021 at 5:46 pm

Hi Alphonsa! Thank you so much – it was a typo! Please don’t hesitate to let me know if you find any typos. Sometimes I just don’t see them. All the best with your studies! Best wishes and thanks again, Fiona

August 9, 2022 at 8:45 am

Hello Alphonso right sentence is video games make people violent(Because here you use plural form and with plural form( video games) so plural verb should be in sentence). If I am wrong then please clarify

August 22, 2022 at 12:18 pm

Hi Alphonsa Yes, ‘video games’ is plural so I use the plural form ‘video games make people violent’, Best wishes Fiona

August 22, 2022 at 12:20 pm

• Translation

Hedging: Making claims of appropriate strength in Academic Writing

By charlesworth author services.

• 19 October, 2022

In academic writing, when you talk about the findings of your research, you should be careful and  make claims of ‘appropriate strength’ . This language, which softens claims, is called hedging.

Purpose of hedging in academic writing

Textbooks tend to deal with facts. However, in an academic paper, you need to explain your findings and interpret them in light of the literature. A claim too strong could make others doubt or attack it. Meanwhile, a claim that is too weak is meaningless. This is because the size of the data source available to you and the limitations inherent in the scope of your study naturally impose restrictions on the nature and ambit of the claims that you can make. In academic writing, hedging is important for expressing the credibility of claims made based on the evidence presented. This article discusses effective hedging through examples from different sections of the paper. But before we dive in, a note…

Note : Naturally, there are differences across disciplines , with some harder sciences being able to make stronger claims as a result of their experiments, and the social sciences often being less able to make claims with certainty. Therefore, to showcase hedging better, this article uses examples from a social science paper (available here ).

Hedging in the Introduction section

Hedging can be used when reporting previous work (in the literature review part of the Introduction). In an extract from the paper used for this article, notice the highlights to understand how hedging has been used:

The concept of perceived threat occupies a key role in the study of authoritarianism (Cohrs et al., 2005a, 2005b; Doty et al., 1991; Kossowska et al., 2011; Rickert, 1998; Roccato et al., 2014). One of the central issues in the literature concerns what kinds of threats are involved in authoritarianism (Duckitt, 2013, p. 2). While several studies contend that threats to normative social order activate authoritarian pre-dispositions (Doty et al., 1991; Feldman, 2003; Feldman & Stenner, 1997; Rickert, 1998; Roccato et al., 2014), others suggest that perceived threats to personal health or well-being are more consequential (Asbrock & Fritsche, 2013; Hartman et al., 2021; Hetherington & Suhay, 2011; …

Hedging in the Results section

Hedging can also be used when reporting results. In other extracts from the same article, note the highlights for examples of hedging:

 …There was some support for the conditional effect…

… but the conditional effects of primes were generally stronger for Republicans than for Democrats...

Hedging in the Discussion / Conclusion section

Hedging is particularly important when asserting what the results signify. Thus, it can be used in the Discussion or Conclusion section (or both, where the two sections are separate) when drawing the broader implications of your results.

Notice the use of hedging in the Discussion section from the same article:

In addition, no moderating effect of threat primes on anti-immigration attitudes in the AZ-FL-TX sample was observed. There is some evidence from previous studies showing that public opinion on immigration or refugees remained unchanged in the aftermath of some terror attacks, suggesting that there may be limits to the influence of traumatic events, especially concerning attitudes that are already relatively stabilized (Silva, 2018; Van Asscheh & Dierck, 2019). In addition, high salience of threats observed among respondents in the sample may also be the reason for the lack of empirical support for the moderating effect of threat on anti-immigration attitudes (but also see Hartman et al., 2021).

Hedging in the Conclusion section can be seen below:

The results contribute to the literature that underlines the importance of the authoritarian dynamic and threat perceptions in predicting support for extraordinary policies during the COVID-19 pandemic. They also present empirical evidence that both high and low authoritarians may be likely to support tough law and order policies and to some extent harsh punishments toward noncompliers depending on what types of threat are most salient to them.

Words and phrases to help you use hedging

As you can see, hedging typically employs certain words and phrases. Here is a list, though not exhaustive.

	chance, likelihood, possibility, probability : Is also often used with ‘strong, good, some, slight...’ ·         Usage: (There is a good) chance...
	appear, seem, tend
	likely, unlikely, probable, possible…
	very, quite, rather, highly
	usually, generally, as a rule, in the majority of cases
	could, may, might, must
	based on the (limited) data available, according to the interviewees, within this period
	It is a fact (that)…, It is certain (that)…, It is definite (that)…
	except for, with the exception of, apart from

Hedging may be employed in different sections of an article. The main issue is how certain one can be of the claim being made. Try to strike a balance without making the claim too bold (especially if not strongly substantiated) or too unconvincing!

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Curriculum and Student Achievement

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Author/Creation:  Amy Hatmaker, January 2010. Summary:  Introduces readers to hedging as a mechanism in academic writing to manage tone and attitude. Provides two techniques for writers to employ hedging. Learning Objectives:  To define hedging.  To identify reasons that writers can employ hedging techniques.  To identify when a writers’ own work might need to use hedging.  To hedge statements using the two techniques described.

Hedging is one mechanism that you can use to manage the tone, attitude, and information within your document.  In academic writing, hedging involves using language that is tentative or qualifying in nature to enable you to maintain an attitude of objectivity; academic readers often associate objectivity (among other things, like quality research) with the writer’s credibility.  Hedging is truly an art: the art of hedging comes in discerning when to use hedging or when to avoid using it.  Using hedging inappropriately or too much might make your paper sound nebulous or ambiguous.   

Hint: The more you read in your field, the better sense you’ll get of how to employ hedging in your writing.

This handout will help you understand hedging and its uses in academic writing as well as help you discern when it is necessary to hedge. 

What are the reasons for hedging?

Research is a process in which you, as a writer, review the works of experts regarding your topic and then formulate your own argument in relation to the work of others.  This can be done in two ways.  You can present the expert’s argument in a manner that demonstrates its corroboration of your view.  Or, you can dispute the expert’s findings, showing how the work does not hold up when viewed in connection with other studies in the field or perhaps discussing a flaw in the study that undermines the outcomes or results of the study. 

When presenting your argument, you can use hedging for a variety of reasons. 

Reasons Related to the Source

All writers, including you, have a position within an academic field.  At the moment, you’re most likely a graduate student, entering your field and learning its discourse (through reading professional and academic journals and perhaps attending conferences hosted by leading organizations in your field).  

As you write your academic papers, eventually working toward publication in your field, it is important for you to remember your position in relation to others in your academic field.  Most individuals who are publishing in the field will be those who have doctorates and/or other advanced degrees.  Some of these individuals will have considerable power in the field, will be recognized as authorities on sub-topics within the field, and so on.  Again, reading in your field is important: the more you read in your field, the more you’ll know about who has power in your field.

Keeping this in mind, there are a couple of reasons why hedging should sometimes be used.

• To show a recognition of the power relationship.  In other words, hedging shows that you recognize the status of the researcher by presenting your argument respectfully, modestly, and with courtesy, even if the researcher’s work corroborates your own.
• To show a recognition of the author’s status in their particular field.  In other words, those who produce seminal studies on a subject would have more authority than a recently graduated Ph.D. would.  Further, the producer of a seminal work will have several other scholars who will have referenced that work.  A slight to the higher authority could be seen as a slight to the others as well.
• To soften or qualify disagreements or disputes, again showing that you recognize the power relationship. The academic community is a rather small one.  If you misrepresent an expert’s work or present yours as superior, you could alienate yourself from your chosen scholarly field.

Reasons Related to the Audience of the Document

All documents have an audience.  Even if the paper is destined only to be read by the instructor, he or she is still an audience to consider.  Further, for academic works at the graduate level, the instructor is a member of the field that you will be joining and, most likely, is a researcher in the field.  And, if you’re working toward publication, members of your audience may include those individuals who you are citing.

The audience factors into hedging in the following ways.

• To protect yourself, as the researcher and writer, in presenting material that you are unsure how the audience will respond to.  For example, hedging should be used if the information is potentially inflammatory or could offend the reader.
• To prevent misleading the audience when there is a lack of solid, consistent research on a topic, or there is disagreement in the field about that issue.
• To show you understand the expectations of courtesy in your field.

Reasons Related to the Writer

As the writer, you should be careful to hedge for the following reasons.

• To keep from appearing biased or opinionated.  Prevents making absolute statements or overstatements that subject your work to criticism or make the research seem simplistic.
• To acknowledge the limitations of your work.
• To protect yourself if you are not sure that the information is correct.
• To divert opinion away from you, particularly if the information is troublesome or potentially inflammatory.
• To convey a level of modesty as well as to show courtesy to your readers and to other researchers.  In other words, hedging reflects an awareness of your position within the field.

How do I know if my work needs hedging?

As you read academic articles in your field, you’ll pick up the many subtle ways that authors use hedging within their work.  We’d like to mention four specific situations in which authors often employ hedging: to avoid absolute statements, to distance themselves when the subject is controversial, to distance themselves from the evidence if it doesn’t have consistent support in the field, and to distance themselves from the evidence if it (or its author) is well-respected in the field and they want to disagree with it. Let’s discuss each of these situations more fully.

Consider Using Hedging to Avoid Absolute Statements

Generally, the first things to look for in your academic paper to determine if you need to use hedging are absolute statements, overstatements, or broad sweeping generalizations. 

An absolute statement makes a direct claim about an issue, idea, or event that may or may not be true, when an issue is a matter of opinion rather than a hard fact.  Absolutes are words like all, none, everyone, no one, always, never , etc.  They are absolute claims because they imply the statement must be true all of the time, no exceptions.

For example, “everyone should conserve water” is an absolute statement because it makes the absolute claim that everyone should do it.  It is also something that the author believes, but that not everyone may agree with.  However, the “chemical formula for water is H 2 O” is a hard fact which no one can dispute.

The reason that absolute statements and generalizations are a problem in writing is they open the door to challenges.  Unless you have read every piece of research that has ever been done on a given subject, you probably cannot speak with the authority that using an absolute demands.  Even respected authors in the field who make absolute claims should probably be treated with some degree of skepticism.  

Further, statements of unqualified opinion could make your reader question the objectivity of your methods.  In other words, they may question whether you researched the subject thoroughly and analytically or only looked at material that supported your ideas on the subject.  Additionally, many absolutes have the potential to offend a reader because they seem to make the writing questionable by coming across as biased or they run counter to the beliefs or knowledge of the reader.

Let’s look at an example.

The current economic problems can be traced to the greed of corporate CEOs, who are more concerned about their own wealth than the wellbeing of others.

While there are many people who may agree with the above statement, the truth is that the issue is much more complicated than this statement would have the reader believe.  The sentence seems to make the absolute claim that all CEOs are greedy which could easily offend the reader. Also, most individuals familiar with economic trends would know that the causes of economic issues are complex, so this statement is easily contested.  Additionally, the lack of hedging creates a tone that is one of superiority, which only emphasizes the feeling that this statement may not be based on credible research but is an expression of the writer’s own resentment or bias.  For a better way to present this information, see the next section.

Consider Using Hedging if the Subject is Controversial

A second thing to consider is whether or not the subject is particularly controversial.  Some subject matter will be contested, sometimes hotly, in a given field, and writers often have to pick a side.  You need to make sure that the fallacies or limitations of the side you are disputing are adequately presented in a way that focuses on their limitations.  Your work should be presented in a manner that points out the logic of your argument rather than just the negatives of the other side.  Again, this is as much a matter of knowing your place and your role in your field as a recognition of the power relationships inherent in academia, which gives rise to another reason for hedging in this situation: you may want to distance yourself from inflammatory arguments or opinions.

Consider Using Hedging if the Evidence doesn’t have Consistent Support

Another instance where hedging would be encouraged is when you lack solid, consistent evidence.  While it is not uncommon to find dissenting voices in any field of scholarly work, unless the subject is one that has generated a major debate, most works will tend to have fairly consistent support.  If for some reason you encounter a subject matter that does not have widespread, consistent support in the field, it is best to hedge.  Generally, this would occur if there is a newer piece of scholarship on a subject or a revisiting of an older one. 

Consider Using Hedging if You’re Contesting Evidence that is Well-Respected in the Field

Finally, if you are contesting a long-standing or well-respected piece of scholarship, it is best to hedge.  This is an issue of modesty.  There is nothing wrong with challenging certain pieces of work, but if you do it in a way that does not give credence to the authority of the work, you have the potential to alienate yourself from the field.  This is important particularly when dealing with certain historical or theoretical frameworks.  For example, almost all historical works dealing with the post-Civil War South will refer in some form to

C. Vann Woodward’s Origins of the New South.   While they may not all backup or correspond to Woodward, they at least refer to or build on his thesis.  If a writer would suddenly attack or dispute Woodward, the writer not only separates himself or herself from that author, but also all of those who have supported him.

What is hedging and how does it work?

To hedge in writing is to temper the statement. There are two ways you can do this. 

One way is to use words that reduce the absolute value of the statement.  The other option is to divert the opinion away from the writer. 

Using the same example (“The current economic problems can be traced to the greed of corporate CEOs, who are more concerned about their own wealth than the wellbeing of others.”) as the one in the prior section, let’s consider these two methods.  Look at this first revision.

CEOs, who seem to be more concerned about their own wealth than the wellbeing of others, may share some of the blame for the current economic problems.

This first sentence uses the tempering method.  By using the words may and seem, it no longer places all the blame on corporate leaders. 

Since there is a negative connotation to this sentence and since most readers of business research are business people, this may be one of the claims that is best diverted away from you as the writer.  One way to do this is to cite a specific expert if available.

Jones (2007) implies that CEOs who appear to be more concerned about their own wealth than the wellbeing of others share some of the blame.

By using the name of an author who expresses this opinion, you move the claim away from yourself as the writer, limiting the potential to offend the audience.  In other words, the reader will connect Jones with the negative remark rather than you directly.

Be careful not to change the meaning of your sentence when you use methods of diversion in particular.  For example,

In these current economic times, it would be easy to assume that CEOs who appear to be more concerned about their own wealth than the wellbeing of others share some of the blame.

The error that occurs here is that while the claim is diverted from the author by stating “it would be easy to assume” the entire meaning has been changed because of the nuance of the phrase.  Now instead of simply diverting the claim, a new one has been created that implies that the assumption is incorrect and that the rest of the paper will discuss the fallacies of this assumption.

How do you know which method to use?

Deciding which method to use depends on the intent of the statement and the audience for the paper.  If the audience has a great deal of knowledge on the subject, it may be best to use the diversion method if the statement is not 100% supportable or if it has the potential to offend the audience.  Consider this example.

            The period of Republican Reconstruction was an absolute failure.

This period of history did have its problems, but a lot of good occurred as well, which most historians recognize.  Therefore, it would be best to divert this opinion away from the writer and place the statement on the source that it came from.

In the past, many Southern writers, such as Ramsdell (1964) and Dunning (1907), saw the period of Republican Reconstruction as an absolute failure.

You will want to use tempering when you feel the statement should be made, but cannot make the claim under another’s authority.

            Children who do not have parental support will always do poorly in school.

This statement could anger or offend some readers.  A tempered version that does not make such a broad sweeping statement would show better audience awareness.

Children without parental support may not do as well in school as those whose parents are actively involved in their education.

You can also use tempering when there is a lack of solid, consistent support.  When dealing with a new piece of scholarship, for example, you could use a method that implies that this is important, but that it is still new. 

This method of managing culturally diverse teams, though not tested in a vast array of businesses, shows promise for future applications.

Here, the sentence acknowledges that the research is limited, but expresses the view that it seems to be a good method. 

Practice Exercises

Each of the sentences below is an absolute statement.  Rewrite the sentence using one of the methods of hedging.

• Female managers, due to their nurturing nature, avoid confrontation and delegation of duties.
• The standardized method of testing is ineffective for indicating student success.
• Corporations operating overseas do so to avoid environment regulations and other methods of corporate governance.
• Play therapy is the best option when working with children.
• Poststructuralist theory can only be seen as destructive since it questions other epistemological frameworks without providing alternatives.
• The use of cultural dialect in The Complete Tales of Uncle Remus is insulting and demeaning to African Americans.
• Sex education always leads to promiscuity in young people.
• Graduate schools consider GPA above all other elements when determining a student’s admission.
• The only way to help alleviate the pain from this disorder is through physical therapy.
• Managers will be unable to initiate changes within an organization if they do not have the support of their employees.
• Never use that font for this style of writing.
• That structure has a shoddy design and shows terrible workmanship.
• Only female nurses will be able to develop an empathetic relationship with the patient.
• Exercise between activities is the only way to keep children focused during the day.
• Graft and corruption are rampant in today’s workplace.

Note that the answers here are just one option.  There may be other ways to rewrite these sentences.  Try more than one strategy and consider the difference in meaning between them.  Also, be aware that if you use diversion, you may need to provide names of researchers who say that (see questions 1, 5, 7, and 13).

• Some claim that female managers avoid confrontation and delegation of duties because women are more nurturing.
• The standardized method of testing may not be the most effective method of indicating student success.
• Some of the corporations operating overseas do so to avoid environmental regulations and other methods of corporate governance.
• Play therapy can be an effective option when working with children.
• Many philosophers claim that poststructuralist theory can only be seen as destructive since it questions other epistemological frameworks without providing alternatives.
• The use of cultural dialect in The Complete Tales of Uncle Remus is sometimes considered to be insulting and demeaning to African Americans.
• Critics maintain that sex education can lead to promiscuity in young people.
• Graduate schools consider several elements, including GPA, when determining a student’s admission.
• To date, physical therapy has been the most effective method of alleviating pain with this disorder.
• Managers who do not have the support of their employees will have a more difficult time initiating changes within their organization.
• Style guides discourage the use of a font other than one with a serif for this style of writing.
• That structure appears to have been poorly designed and the workmanship seems questionable.
• Studies suggest that patients see female nurses as more empathetic than their male counterparts.
• Children who have some movement between educational activities appear to be able to focus their attention better.
• Unethical behavior appears to be more common in today’s workplace.

Hedging in academic writing

If you read a lot of academic papers, you will have noticed lots of might , appear ( s ) to , and possibly ’s. perhaps you will have wondered why rigorous research sounds so tentative. but these and other similar terms, called hedging, have their use in academic writing..

What is hedging Hedging can be defined as the expression of the degree of certainty of a statement. Hedging language encompasses a broad range of terms and phrases; mainly verbs, but also adverbs, nouns and ‘that’ clauses. The following are very common.

-Hedging verbs: appear , seem -Modal verbs: may , might , could , can -'That' clauses: it is clear / apparent / likely / probable that …, it has been suggested that …

Combinations of the above are also frequent, e.g. It appears that a fast solution method may be needed .

Why is hedging often used in papers The point of research is to provide answers to questions. But in most scientific fields, providing clear and definite answers is difficult. Findings can be said to be true under certain experimental conditions (method, sample or participants used) only. They cannot be generalized unless replicated by studies using different conditions, and may even be refuted in the future. So there is a need to express various degrees of certainty when reviewing literature or discussing findings.

How to use hedging in your paper The following tips will help you find the right words and phrases to express caution and uncertainty in your academic text.

• Understand nuances and gradations of meaning between different hedging terms. Some express more certainty than others (e.g. probably > possibly ; can > could ). Don’t be afraid to dig out old dictionaries and grammar textbooks to be sure.
• Assess the degree of certainty of claims and findings. Are you reporting preliminary results, or results from a replication study? How confident are you in the reliability of your method? Answers to such questions will inform your word choice.
• Notice hedging patterns in papers you read. What words or word combinations are commonly used in your field? In which section(s) does hedging feature most? Even better, check out Writefull’s Language Search for examples of use in context. Or browse the Sentence Palette for template sentences containing hedging.
• Variety is the spice of academic writing. Make use of hedging through different strategies, such as a mix of those listed above. But don’t overdo it! There’s no need to use hedging when reporting established facts or theorems.

Read more about heading here .

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On Hedging in Teaching Academic Writing

• Conference paper
• First Online: 07 May 2020
• Cite this conference paper

• Irina Avkhacheva   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-6599-7783 10 ,
• Irina Barinova   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0003-1852-4091 10 &
• Natalia Nesterova   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-9064-6742 10  

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Networks and Systems ((LNNS,volume 131))

Included in the following conference series:

• Proceedings of the Conference “Integrating Engineering Education and Humanities for Global Intercultural Perspectives”

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The article addresses the issues associated with teaching academic writing to Master students, post-graduate students as well as researchers and professionals with non-linguistic background. The problem is considered in the framework of the concept of Context and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) approach to foreign language acquisition. The distinctive feature of this approach is that the content of the subject is subordinate to the languages-related goals. To achieve these goals a language instructor has to accomplish a number of tasks to provide language and stylistic adequacy associated with the avoidance of categorical and straightforward judgements. The phenomenon known as hedging or understatement is recognized as an essential characteristic of scientific discourse. However, until recently, little attention was given to developing students’ skills to tone down when formulating hypotheses, sharing their ideas and standpoints, reporting results and commenting on other authors’ opinion. The present article focuses on the following aspects of teaching academic writing: the role of hedging in scientific discourse, the language resources used to express authors’ “confident uncertainty” and the typical contexts and situations where hedging is a must. It presents the information about the experimental study into students’ awareness of hedging and their ability to realize hedging techniques when producing research papers. Based on the research done, general approach to developing the required skills is suggested, along with the recommendations concerning some teaching techniques and forms of training.

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Dzhioeva, A.A., Ivanova, V.G.: Understatement kak otrazhenie anglo-saksonskogo mentaliteta [Understatement as reflection of Anglo-Saxon mentality]. Engl. Humanit. Theory Pract. 3 , 5–29 (2009). (in Russian)

Ivanova, V.G.: Lingvisticheskie aspekty izucheniya understatement v sovremennom anglijskom yazyke [Linguistic aspects of understatement in modern English]. MGIMO Bull. Phil. 5 (32), 253–260 (2013). (in Russian)

Shchukareva, N.S.: Sposoby vyrazheniya nekategorichnosti vyskazyvaniya v anglijskom yazyke [Ways of expressing non-categorical statements in English (on the material of scientific discussions)]. In: Functional Style of Scientific Prose. Issues of Linguistics and Methods of Teaching, Moscow, pp. 198–206 (1980). (in Russian)

Vetrova, O.: The culture of scientific communication: hedging in academic discourse. In: Pavlov, V. (ed.) The XXV International Scientific and Practical Conference and the II Stage of Research Analytics Championship in Pedagogical Sciences, Psychological Sciences and the I Stage of the Research Analytics Championship in the Philological Sciences 2012, London, pp. 120–121 (2012)

Wallwork, A.: English for Writing Research Papers. Springer, London (2011)

Garwood, C.: The teaching of English to the non-English-speaking technical students. Engl. Lang. Teach. 2 (24), 107–112 (1970)

Shcherba, L.V.: Yazykovaya sistema i rechevaya deyatel’nost’ [Language System and Speech Activity]. Nauka, Leningrad (1974). (in Russian)

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Avkhacheva, I., Barinova, I., Nesterova, N. (2020). On Hedging in Teaching Academic Writing. In: Anikina, Z. (eds) Integrating Engineering Education and Humanities for Global Intercultural Perspectives. IEEHGIP 2022. Lecture Notes in Networks and Systems, vol 131. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-47415-7_52

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5.     Hedging

While you want to convince the reader that your arguments are valid, be careful not to use overly strong language. Expressing opinions or making claims in overly strong language leaves you open to attack by critical readers. Such statements will often be doubted by readers thereby reducing your power and authority as a writer. To avoid such a situation, when stating ideas, you should use tentative rather than assertive language. This is known as hedging.

Below is a list of common hedging techniques.

1.  Use hedging verbs

The following ‘hedging’ verbs are often used in academic writing :

suggest         indicate         estimate         imply                    

E.g. The results indicate that social networking sites can enhance the cohesion of communities.

The verb appear is used to ‘distance’ the writer from the findings (and therefore avoid making a strong claim and be subject to criticism from readers). 

E.g. On the evidence of the research findings, it would appear not all students can benefit equally from online learning. 

Note that the writer also ‘protects’ himself or herself by using the phrase on the evidence of . The following expressions are used in a similar way: according to , on the basis of , based on .        

2.  Use modal verbs

Another way of appearing ‘confidently uncertain’ is to use modal verbs such as may , might and could . 

E.g. In the case of students from low income families, they may feel disadvantaged by not having a stable Internet connection to follow online lessons.

3.  Use adverbs

The following adverbs are often used when a writer wishes to express caution.

probably           possibly             perhaps            arguably      

        apparently        seemingly        presumably       conceivably 

E.g. As well as being divisive, the existence of fraudulent information is arguably a threat to the very principles of an egalitarian society.

4.  Use adjectives

Another technique is to use an adjective.

        probable        possible      arguable     unlikely      likely

E.g. A possible solution to address students’ Internet addiction is that universities can extend their intervention programmes to the management of student stress levels.

E.g. With timely intervention, it is likely that students will be able to handle their stress more effectively.

5.  Use nouns

The following nouns are often used to hedge:

probability     possibility     evidence  likelihood      indication    

                       

E.g. The evidence suggests that undergraduates could benefit from more face-to-face social interaction on campus.

E.g. There is some indication in the research literature that online gaming could lead to Internet addiction.

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What this handout is about

This handout will explain what qualifiers are and how you can use them wisely.

Introduction

Qualifiers and intensifiers are words or phrases that are added to another word to modify its meaning, either by limiting it (He was somewhat busy) or by enhancing it (The dog was very cute). Qualifiers can play an important role in your writing, giving your reader clues about how confident you feel about the information you’re presenting. In fact, “hedging” (as it is sometimes called) is an important feature of academic writing, because academic writers need to clearly indicate whether they think claims are certain, likely, unlikely, or just false. But excessive use of qualifiers can make you sound unsure of your facts; it can also make your writing too informal.

Qualifiers can be your friends

Qualifiers are often necessary, such as when your evidence or your claim is open to doubt. In such cases, using a qualifier allows you to present your findings with what we can call “confident uncertainty,” which reflects a need to be cautious and critical about the data you’re presenting. Sometimes you may be required to present your ideas before you have had a chance to fully interpret your research findings. At other times, you may want to remind readers of the limitations of your particular research.

Here are some words and phrases that can help you indicate uncertainty:

It’s also very important to distinguish between absolute or universal claims (in which you are asserting that something is true always and everywhere) and more particular claims (in which you are asserting something but recognizing that your claim has limits). Let’s take a look at some absolute words and some more qualified alternatives:

ABSOLUTE	QUALIFIED
Will	May, might, could
Forms of “be” (am, is, are, was, were)	May be, might have been, may have been
All	Many, most, some, numerous, countless, a majority
Every	(Same as “all”)
None/no	Few, not many, a small number, hardly any, a minority
Always	Often, frequently, commonly, for a long time, usually, sometimes, repeatedly
Never	Rarely, infrequently, sporadically, seldom
Certainly	Probably, possibly
Impossible	Unlikely, improbable, doubtful

How much doubt do you want to create?

In most academic writing, you make an argument to support a thesis. To make a strong argument, you’ll need to convince readers of your points. Consider these two sentences:

President Nixon probably resigned as a result of the Watergate cover-up.

President Nixon resigned as a result of the Watergate cover-up.

The first sentence makes your reader doubt the conclusion you’ve arrived at; the latter sentence leaves no doubt about your argument for the causes of Nixon’s resignation. How can you know which sentence to choose? You’ll need to think about the impact your choices will have on your reader.

Qualifiers express doubt; they leave your reader wondering if you know what you’re talking about. Constructions like it appears that and it seems likely that diminish the strength of your claims. Sometimes that’s exactly what you want, when you don’t want to overstate your case and cannot justify making a stronger, more direct claim. But if you are confident of your evidence, using strong qualifiers like these can lead your reader to doubt whether you know what you are talking about or to think that you are not willing to take responsibility for your ideas.

Consider the two examples below. Does the writer sound confident in her understanding of the theories of Freud and Weber?

It appears that Freud believed the unconscious played a significant role in behavior.

Max Weber seems to argue that capitalism arises partly out of Protestant values.

Does Freud in fact think that the unconscious affects people’s behavior? Does Weber really think capitalism arises from Protestant values? If so, the writer should probably just make those claims, without the qualifiers. Here are some examples of words to keep an eye on (in addition to the qualifiers already listed above):

• Essentially

Qualifiers and your writing style

Writing that contains too many qualifiers can sound unclear and wordy. We often rely on qualifiers—especially intensifiers—because we either don’t know or don’t take the time to find the appropriate word. Instead we construct our meaning by employing a not-quite-right word with a qualifier added to strengthen or to tone down a noun or verb.

Anna Karenina is a somewhat admirable character. Better: Anna Karenina is a sympathetic character.

December in Moscow is really cold. Better: December in Moscow is freezing .

The theme of community is very important in Russian literature. Better: The theme of community is central in Russian literature.

In each of the above examples, the second sentence employs a word with a more precise meaning and is more concise.

“She was very happy” doesn’t capture the nuances that can be expressed by “overjoyed,” “thrilled,” or “ecstatic.” Pay special attention to these commonly overused intensifiers:

The qualifier habit

Using lots of qualifiers can become a habit. Sometimes it carries over from the way you speak—perhaps you are a dramatic storyteller who uses lots of intensifiers to express your strong feelings. Sometimes it reflects your relationship to writing, or to your readers—perhaps you feel that you are a “bad writer” and cannot write with confidence, or perhaps you are writing for an intimidating audience, and you are using qualifiers to make your claims as humble as possible in hopes of avoiding criticism or disagreement. While you can certainly compensate for a habit of overusing qualifiers by adding another stage to your editing process (as we’ll discuss in a moment), it may also be worth thinking about how to change your attitudes and practices. If you are using qualifiers to try to create interest and drama, perhaps you could explore other strategies that would be more appropriate for academic writing, like using stronger verbs and including more interesting details. If you are using qualifiers because of a lack of confidence, ask yourself: do I need to do more research to feel confident of my claims? Do I need to talk with my regular readers and let them know more about the kinds of feedback that are, and are not, helpful for me? Do I need to practice getting feedback from some “friendly” readers in order to feel more comfortable with that aspect of the writing process?

Suppose you’ve realized that you use the words on the above lists too often and have resolved to cut back. But how? One method is to read through your paper and circle all the adverbs and adjectives. Then examine each one and see whether it accurately and concisely conveys your intended meaning.

It proved to be very hard to overturn  Plessy v. Ferguson. Better: It proved to be difficult to overturn  Plessy v. Ferguson.

In recent years the Electoral College has become very controversial. Better: In recent years the Electoral College has become controversial.

The House Ways and Means Committee is basically one of the most powerful congressional committees. Better: The House Ways and Means Committee is one of the most powerful congressional committees.

We hope that this handout will help you make confident, appropriate choices about using qualifiers in your writing!

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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Unit 6: Argumentative Essay Writing

Good writers should be aware of how their arguments sound. Are they too strong? Not strong enough? Certain words can help control the tone of your argument. This next section will introduce the concept of “hedging” which will be further expanded upon in ESL 118.

What is hedging?

Simply put, “hedging” is the use of cautious language in order to express your claims in a more neutral tone and to acknowledge a degree of uncertainty in your claims. It is especially important when you’re explaining/interpreting evidence you cite and discussing its implications. Consider the two examples below:

No hedging language	Hedging language
that in order to feel happier and less homesick, international students with friends from the host country than their home countries.	that in order to feel happier and less homesick, international students with friends from the host country than their home countries.

Why is hedging important?

• Hedging is important to appear more credible and not too overconfident. As a writer, you should be more cautious about the language you use and more critical about the claims you make because your points are based on a very limited number of sources you have read on your topic, and therefore, there may be flaws in your argumentation. When you use hedging, you show your readers that you are aware of these flaws, which will reduce the possibility of your arguments being criticized.
• Similarly, using hedges makes it much more difficult for someone with an opposing view to argue with a statement. For example, “People prefer black clothing to red clothing” is an overstatement, and it is easy to find someone who likes red clothes better. Yet if the statement is changed to “In general many people seem to prefer black clothing to red clothing” there will be less disagreement.
• The use of hedging also conforms to the conventions of academic writing.

Hedging Types

Modal verbs		While it true that people have eaten meat for a long time, the number one killer of Americans now is…
Verbs of moderation		The data that the test scores are increasing as programs implement blended learning.
Adverbs		High acceptance rates mean that…
Adjectives		It is that the consumption of large amounts of animal fat can cause heart disease.

Tips for Hedging

1. ADD hedges to the base form of lexical verbs:

• Children living in poverty do poorly in school. ⇒ Children living in poverty tend to do poorly in school.
• The data collected from this study show that… ⇒ The data collected from this study seem to show that…
• The number of students interested in online learning will increase. ⇒ The number of students interested in online learning will probably increase.

2. REPLACE non-hedged language with hedged language; Common non-hedged language to avoid: be (in different forms), will, absolutes:

• Inflation is the cause of… ⇒ Inflation may be the main cause of…
• A blended mode of learning will solve this problem. ⇒ A blended mode of learning is likely to solve this problem.
• Without asynchronous courses, students always have to take classes at midnight. ⇒ Without asynchronous courses, students often have to take classes at midnight.

Watch this introductory video from Engago:

Sources consulted

https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/english_as_a_second_language/esl_students/tips_for_writing_in_north_american_colleges/reasonability.html

http://www.cambridge.org/grammarandbeyond/grammar-practice-activities/2016/07/teaching-the-importance-of-hedging-language-in-writing-courses

https://writingcenter.gmu.edu/guides/hedges-softening-claims-in-academic-writing

Academic Writing I Copyright © by UW-Madison ESL Program is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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e.g. believe, assume, suggest

e.g. often, sometimes, usually

e.g. certain, definite, clear, probable, possible

e.g. assumption, possibility, probability

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The Importance of Hedging Language

Posted by David S. Wills | Jun 19, 2023 | IELTS Tips , Writing | 0

Today, I want to tell you about hedging language and why it is important in IELTS and other forms of academic writing. In this lesson, I’ll show you what hedging language is, why you need it, and how to use it effectively.

What is hedging language?

The term hedging language refers to a range of words and phrases that can be used to make our language more accurate . These include verbs, modals, and adverbs.

Look at these two sentences and ask yourself, “Which one is more accurate?”

• Teenagers fight with their parents.
• Many teenagers fight with their parents.

I hope that you said “The second one is more accurate” because that’s a far better sentence.

If you say “Teenagers fight with their parents,” then you are effectively claiming that 100% of teenagers do this, but of course it’s not true. Not all teenagers are such monsters!

In the second sentence, I used “many” to modify the meaning and make the statement clear and precise. We could have fixed this in other ways:

• Teenagers often fight with their parents.
• It is common for teenagers to fight with their parents.
• It sometimes seems as though all teenagers fight with their parents.

As you can see, each of these presents a meaning that is more truthful than the first sentence. These sentences use various forms of hedging language in order to convey an accurate and fair meaning.

Why do we need hedging language?

As you saw in the previous examples, hedging language makes our sentences more accurate and truthful. We can use it to avoid generalisations, inaccuracies, and stereotypes. Each of these could prove very problematic in academic writing.

Let’s say you want to talk about young people and social media . You might be tempted to say something like this:

• Young people love watching short videos on TikTok.

Is this true? It certainly seems to be true! However, not all young people feel this way and so it is not very accurate.

In casual conversation with a friend, you might get away with talking like this, but in academic writing you should not make such generalisations. You need to be more careful than that. Instead, you ought to say something like this:

• A lot of young people love watching short videos on TikTok.

As the chart above shows, we could also use “majority” here:

• The majority of young people love watching short videos on TikTok.

Again, there are other ways to modify it and make it accurate but the point is to convey a meaning that is truthful and does not accidentally send the wrong message – i.e. that 100% of young people feel the same way.

In IELTS, this is particularly important. In the band descriptors for task 2 , it clearly says that you will not score above band 7 for Task Response if your essay includes over-generalisation. That means that you have said something that is true because your language is not specific enough.

Thus, if you want to do well in IELTS, you will likely need to use hedging language to avoid this big mistake.

How to use hedging language

As we have seen already, there are different types of hedging language. We can use verbs, adjectives, adverbs, modals, and so on to provide a more specific meaning.

There are two things to remember:

• You need to present an accurate meaning.
• You need to write grammatically.

Let’s take another example of a sentence lacking in hedging language and then see how we could fix it:

• Old people are not good with technology.

Again, this is something that is unfair because it is not always true. Certainly, a lot of old people are bad with technology but we should not engage in lazy stereotyping. Thus, we can modify the sentence using hedging language:

• Many old people are not good with technology.
• A lot of old people are not good with technology.
• Old people often struggle with technology.
• It is sometimes said that old people are not good with technology.
• Old people sometimes struggle with technology.
• Some people think that old people are not good with technology.
• It could be argued that most old people are not good with technology.

I could go on, but you see the point. Each of these sentences now contains a word or phrase that modifies the original meaning to make it more accurate. Just make sure that you use these grammatically so that you get a good score for Grammatical Range and Accuracy .

Hedging language examples

There are various types of words that can be used as hedging language, as you can see below.

• sometimes, often, probably

Determiners

• many, a lot of, some, most
• could, might, may, can
• appear, seem, suggest, argue

When you employ these carefully in a sentence, they can make your meaning far more precise, so use them whenever necessary to avoid generalisations and inaccuracies.

About The Author

David S. Wills

David S. Wills is the author of Scientologist! William S. Burroughs and the 'Weird Cult' and the founder/editor of Beatdom literary journal. He lives and works in rural Cambodia and loves to travel. He has worked as an IELTS tutor since 2010, has completed both TEFL and CELTA courses, and has a certificate from Cambridge for Teaching Writing. David has worked in many different countries, and for several years designed a writing course for the University of Worcester. In 2018, he wrote the popular IELTS handbook, Grammar for IELTS Writing and he has since written two other books about IELTS. His other IELTS website is called IELTS Teaching.

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The Roehampton Estate, now called the Dover House Estate, in southwest London. Photo supplied by the author

Falling for suburbia

Modernists and historians alike loathed the millions of new houses built in interwar britain. but their owners loved them.

by Michael Gilson   + BIO

As a seven-year boy, John Edwin Smith was taken by his father to see paradise. Living in a cramped tenement in Lewisham, southeast London, he had hitherto considered the high street’s clock tower the very edge of the universe. But one Sunday morning, a year after the end of the First World War, John was taken on an open-top bus ride for the first time. The journey took father and son through Catford and into the beginnings of what was then called the countryside: you’d have to travel a further 30-odd miles to find it today. Arriving at the bottom of Bromley Hill, ‘all very rural’, his father walked him through the mud and potholes of a building site to a house on the corner of Sandpit Road. ‘I was told that it was going to be my new home.’

Construction on the Downham Estate in 1925. Photo © The London Metropolitan Archives

The Smiths had arrived on the Downham Estate, one of eventually 13 ‘cottage estates’ built by the London County Council in the interwar years as part of a huge social and economic transformation of Britain, partly fuelled by the demands of those back from conflict that they not return to the terrible inner-city living conditions they’d left behind. A little more than 100 years ago, the scale of poverty and deprivation in London’s inner-city slums was dramatic. Scarlet fever and TB claimed many lives, and 25 people died of starvation every year in the East End in the run-up to war. The prime minister David Lloyd George, looking over his shoulder at the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution in Russia, believed new houses and (something often overlooked by historians) attendant gardens could be the emollient to soothe potential uprisings: ‘Britain would hold out against the dangers of Bolshevism, but only if the people were given confidence, only if they were made to believe that things were being done for them.’

The winner of the London County Council Front Garden Competition at 1, Keedonwood Road, Downham Estate. Photo © The London Metropolitan Archives

Lloyd George’s ‘Homes Fit for Heroes’ campaign would eventually lead to the building of 5 million new homes, more than 3 million in the private sector and more than 1 million in the public, before the outbreak of the Second World War. The majority of these came with approximately 400 square yards of something new householders and tenants had rarely had before… open space outside. And while this might seem a ‘nice add-on’ today, it was certainly not thought so at the time. The housebuilding campaign was primarily driven by disciples of the Garden City movement, which held that access to open space and land was vital for the health, physical and spiritual, of the population. New garden cities could bring people back to Mother Earth, a connection lost during two centuries of grinding industrialisation, while also protecting Britain’s rural idyll from overdevelopment.

B efore we lose sight of them, let’s return briefly to Sandpit Road, six months after that bus trip, to see the Smiths in their newly situated land of milk and honey. Young John tells how he watched in amazement as his father, a bricklayer whose leisure time was extremely scarce, went to work on their tiny corner of this new Britain with gusto. In common with millions of others, what really motivated Mr Smith was creating a garden. And it was a particular kind of garden, one that would forever be snobbishly ridiculed and become associated with negative connotations that still haunt British suburbia. While the London County Council builders created small homes that new residents hitherto could only have dreamed about, what they also left outside was bare clay littered with building waste material. New dwellers of these cottage garden estates were thus confronted with an enormous new challenge. It did not deter them.

Here’s John again:

I remember him making a circular flower bed and ringing it with lumps of old stone and concrete that had been found among the building materials. I think my father took a few cuttings from the privet hedge and put them each side of the path leading to the front door, so that we had continuous privet hedge all round.

The privet hedge of suburbia had become a symbol of a curtain-twitching, dull new breed of Briton

The reaction of the Smiths and millions of other working-class families to their new suburban environments rarely surfaced at the time. John’s quotes above were recorded almost 70 years later as he looked back fondly on that momentous move. And yet this transformation of Britain and the way people lived was a contemporary prime-time, if very one-sided, debate in a manner arguably not seen since. Cultural commentators, Modern Movement architects, preservationists and Left-wing writers filled the airwaves with their damnations of the new spread of suburbia. Here’s the town planner Thomas Sharp with a, by no means extreme, view of the time:

Tradition has broken down. Taste is utterly debased… The town, long since degraded, is now being annihilated by a flabby, shoddy, romantic nature worship. That romantic nature worship is destroying also the object of its adoration, the countryside.

For Sharp and scores of middle-class theorists, the privet hedge of suburbia had become a symbol of a small-c conservative, curtain-twitching, dull new breed of Briton. The chance of real social change, the reimagining of a new country full of bold new high-rise cities populated by community-minded citizens, which also served to preserve rurality, was being trampled underfoot by the march of the suburban standard tea rose and garden gnome.

In the interwar years, it is estimated that a total of half a million acres of new garden were created. By the outbreak of the Second World War, around 80 per cent of English households were involved in some form of gardening activity. So for all the widespread criticisms, this was the real birth of the reputation of Britain as a ‘land of gardeners’. This was a time when the world war-weary, grey nation was being colourfully transformed, inch by hard dug inch. The spirit-uplifting nature of the humble flower was used as a weapon to raise horizons when the concept of beautification was twisting its way, like honeysuckle, into the thinking of another network of grassroots radicals fighting for a more egalitarian nation.

T hese new gardens, then, were contested spaces. Perhaps a metaphorical war of the roses is a good way into one strand of the argument. In the early 1920s, the standard tea rose together with a new breed of rambling rose became the popular go-to flower for the new suburbanites. These new breeds gloried in names like Betty Uprichard and Mrs Sam McGredy for the teas and Dorothy Perkins for the rambler. The former were tall and bold, exuding vibrant colour. But for the gardening cognoscenti, the early 20th-century country house-garden disciples of the designer Gertrude Jekyll, they were simply ubiquitous, blousy, vulgar even. A particularly popular wild rose with this upper-class horticultural set was a delicate aristocrat from the century before. She was called Madame Louis Lévêque and was set up in direct comparison to brash tea roses. It was a horticultural debate with clear class connotations, as even the names denoted. The Francophile gardening upper classes would be unlikely to invite brash Betty into their gardens but the demure Madame often held pride of place.

And yet, horticultural snobs had missed the point. Betty was bred for the gardens because she was hardy as well as beautiful; she was able to withstand brutal inner-city and suburban pollution. Madame would have stood little chance. Betty also helped these new gardeners create what became known as labour-saving gardens. Like Mr Smith, these new gardeners had very little time to indulge their new passions, working overtime just to pay rents for their new homes. Their gardens quickly became typical of the time and, actually, the bedrock of many British small gardens today.

Order and compartmentalisation were important; here came the ubiquity of crazy paving, which added to the rigour of the garden, necessitating straight lines and delineated spaces, helped by rows of those tea roses or a simple archway draped with Dorothy Perkins. And, yes, the odd garden gnome and statuary began to appear. Originally imported from Germany as matchbox holders, gnomes were first used in the garden by the eccentric landowner Sir Charles Isham in 1847. Sir Charles used them to represent ‘earth spirits’ and they were wildly successful. Some 70 years later, though, and transferred to the suburban garden, they had taken on a very different meaning. The writer George Orwell led the charge against ‘rock-gardens with concrete bird baths and those red plaster elves’. Set among picturesque country estates, they were things of mystery and charm. But reproducing like rabbits across suburbia and exuding a sense of purpose, whether that be fishing, digging or pushing wheelbarrows, they were simply laughably vulgar. Despite this ridicule, these gardens were clearly an assault on a postwar dull grey world, with clean lines and bright, primary colours as weapons of transition.

There were genuinely held concerns that the suburbs were in danger of destroying Britain’s rural idyll

Orwell was not alone in this assault on the new suburbs. Writers and poets such as D H Lawrence and John Betjeman, leading town planners like Sharp and architects such as Clough Williams-Ellis and Bill Howell, many of them Modern Movement disciples of Le Corbusier and his vision of high-rise communities reaching far into the sky, lined up to damn this new way of living. It’s worth quoting another one of many fervent views from this loose collective to remind readers just how strong anti-suburban sentiment was among the intellectual class. Here’s Williams-Ellis in his book England and the Octopus (1928) – meaning the spread of the suburbs – describing suburbia as full of ‘mean and petty houses that surely none but mean and petty little souls should inhabit with satisfaction’.

The concerns were multifaceted. For some preservationists, there were genuinely held concerns that the suburbs, especially ribbon developments following road and rail lines out of London and other big cities, were in danger of destroying Britain’s rural idyll, even if it was arguable that this Elysium had never been available to the majority of new suburbanites anyway. For others, the problem was suburbia itself. For some Leftist architects and cultural theorists, the heroes of the First World War had failed to flex their political power to demand radical societal change and instead, within a few short years, had become shrunken in their suburban gardens, safe behind their privet hedges, ‘a modest, garden-concerned and common-sensical suburban male’, as David Matless puts it in Landscape and Englishness (1998). Modern Movement architects wanted Le Corbusier -influenced high-rise bold housing developments in cities, where people had a real sense of community involvement and whose space-saving natures meant rurality could return right into the heart of urbanity. Gardens simply didn’t count in this town-and-country reckoning.

Bill Howell, a Modern Movement architect who helped to design the Alton Estate in southwest London, perhaps the closest Britain ever got to Le Corbusier’s unrealised ideal of Ville Radieuse, explained his thinking behind his work thus:

We felt this would turn the tide back from the suburban dream … this is what we must do; we don’t want to rush out and live in horrid little suburbs and semi-detached houses.

Frankly, there was never any danger that the Marlborough College-educated son of a diplomat was ever going to have to live in suburbs nor, for that matter, his own tower block creation at Alton, which has had, at best, a chequered history full of stories of unhappy residents and unrealised regeneration plans.

B ut being on the wrong side of history as Howell, Williams-Ellis and their cohorts have been – while, one by one, their tower blocks have been demolished or drastically altered – does not change the fact that the sound and fury they created still resonates. Although more than 75 per cent of Britons live in suburbs today, those curtain-twitching, dull stereotypes still exist. What they also do is obscure the real origin story of the interwar suburban garden as hinted at earlier. For this story, a forgotten figure in early 20th-century garden and landscape history serves as a perfect conduit.

Richard Sudell showing how to cut a typical circular bed in lawns for tea roses or pansies, sweet peas or snapdragons. Courtesy the author

Born in Lancashire in the northwest of England in 1892, Richard Sudell was a working-class gardener from the age of 14. He was a remarkable character: briefly a Kew Gardens trainee, he was imprisoned as a First World War conscientious objector and would, against the odds, go on to play a leading role in the foundation of professionalised landscape architecture. A Quaker socialist, Sudell promoted suburban gardens both deep down in the real soil of practice and as a prolific journalist. Despite his relative lack of education, he built an audience of millions in magazines and newspapers (he was gardening editor of the working-class newspaper the Daily Herald , which was then, with 2 million readers a month, the biggest newspaper in the world). He wrote 47 books serving an almost unquenchable thirst for new suburban gardeners to be told in plain, practical, language how to create their new plots, understand the rhythms of the seasons, and discover which flower, shrub, tree or vegetable worked best in which soil.

As importantly, in contrast to Howell and Co, he would join with other nonconformist Christians, radicals and politicians to form a different network that was determined, with or without the government of the day, to help alleviate the crushing levels of poverty that were blighting the nation’s inner cities. New homes were one weapon, advances in healthcare were another but so too, with equal billing, was fresh air, open space, exercise and gardens. Given his war record, it might be thought ironic that, after prison, Sudell moved into the Roehampton Estate, another of London County Council’s garden suburbs built under the government’s Homes Fit for Heroes subsidies but, once there, his evangelical belief in the power of horticulture was unstoppable.

The annual London Garden Championships was as successful as the upmarket Chelsea Flower Show

Sudell formed the Roehampton Estate Garden Society as soon as he moved in with his first wife Emily, and spent the next two years turning his neighbours – many still suffering the health effects of inner-city slum living – into a fearsome gardening army. He was by that time already the secretary and driving force of a now little-known but then hugely influential organisation called the London Gardens Guild (LGG). Within a short space of time, virtually every borough of London had an associate branch of the LGG. Tens of thousands of inner-city and suburban garden members could take advantage of cut-price seeds and communal lawnmowers, and enter competitions for best garden, street, window box and so on.

A basic labour-saving garden design from Sudell’s book The Town Garden (London, 1950). Courtesy the author

By the outbreak of the Second World War, some 50,000 entries were submitted for what was now called the annual London Garden Championships, set up by Sudell less to encourage competition than to motivate householders to play their part in beautifying their neighbourhoods. Subsequently, it was decided to showcase winners of this championship in an annual exhibition in which the best gardens would be recreated in miniature. It became so popular that huge queues formed every year. At the time, it was as successful as the upmarket Chelsea Flower Show, now a worldwide horticultural behemoth. But the championships have since been forgotten, and the LGG became the National Gardens Guild before the outbreak of war.

In the Guild, Sudell formed a strong bond with a remarkable woman called Ada Salter who, together with her husband Alfred, conducted a decades-long campaign to lift the people living on the fetid dockside streets of Bermondsey in southeast London out of abject poverty. The Salters were Quaker socialists and local politicians: Alfred was a brilliant doctor who ran a free surgery for residents, and served as the MP for Bermondsey for many years; and Ada was the first ever female mayor in London. One of Ada’s innovations was the establishment of a Beautification Committee that had as much power as any other on Bermondsey Council. With Sudell’s advice, this committee planted cherry trees and flowers wherever they could, moved old gravestones to the edge of churchyards so children could have somewhere to play, and promoted garden competitions. The Salters’ campaigning cannot be separated from the motivations of supporters of suburban gardens of the period. They are all part of the same movement, its ethos and philosophy lost in time, drowned out by other narratives.

N ot content with these, almost literal, grassroots campaigns, Sudell was also the key founder of the Institute of Landscape Architects (now the Landscape Institute), working alongside key British figures such as Geoffrey Jellicoe, Sylvia Crowe and Brenda Colvin to position landscape architecture at the centre of the reimagining of Britain after the wars. That this hope was forlorn, as attempts to create a national planning policy were consistently thwarted by successive disinterested governments, did not stop Sudell and others constantly lobbying for landscape architecture to be placed at the centre of big postwar reconstruction projects.

One such defeat was the complete omission of landscape architects from the planning of the first stages of the M1 motorway heading from London to Leeds in the north of England. Without landscape architects, Britain’s first motorway stretched along brutal straight lines with no acknowledgement of the countryside through which it passed. Its clumsy bridges were viciously attacked by critics who compared the road unfavourably with German autobahns being built at the same time, which smoothly followed the contours of the land.

The residents of this new suburbia are still missing from the history of the time

Nevertheless, until his death in 1968 at the age of 76, Sudell clung to the belief that gardens and landscape were the crucial foundation stones of a more civilised, egalitarian society, long after he must have known that such hopes for a new postwar beginning had vanished. For Sudell, the poorest members of society – not just those who could afford it – had the right to escape from what he described as the ‘turmoil of the day’ or their ‘exclusion from the world’ in however small an open space. For Sudell, it was as simple as the language in his books:

Beauty is one of the greatest forces in the world, it is the power which can move mountains and in striving after beauty, we are striving after the sublime. Let us then turn to our gardens both to seek freshness of mind and to add beauty to the world.

Given that we have seen how the residents of this new suburbia were largely missing from the debate and are still missing from the history of the time, perhaps it is fitting that we should travel a short distance further east from Downham to witness the testimony of Joyce Milan. As a teenager, she’d moved with her parents to the Page Estate in Eltham, south London shortly after the First World War. Her mother never again travelled far from that London County Council cottage estate, considering ‘she always felt she had her own bit of country’ there. Almost 70 years later, Joyce could still marvel at the enthusiasm with which her parents began carving out their new lives and almost catch the faint scent of her mother’s rambling rose, a breed derided by the cognoscenti but loved by the suburbanite:

My parents set about developing a garden, something they had never known but longed for. Mum was mainly in charge of the operation and it was remarkable what she achieved over the years. There was a large area of ground, so firstly a crazy-paving path was laid from broken pieces of plaster from the walls of the First World War hutments being demolished. Halfway along, a rustic arch was erected, which later supported huge bunches of Dorothy Perkins roses in the summer. In the right-hand centre was a circular rose-bed with fragrant blooms of every colour.

Behind the Privet Hedge: Richard Sudell, the Suburban Garden and the Beautification of Britain (2024) by Michael Gilson is published by Reaktion Books.

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