Hedging: it would appear that we tend to agree – hedging language exercises for C1 students

Q: What is hedging language?

Hedging language is wording that makes a claim more careful , such as The study suggests in place of The study proves . Its main tools are seem , appear , tend to , may , It would appear that… and adverbs like apparently . Hedging: it would appear that we tend to agree is a C1 drill lesson on edio.ai with 46 self-checking exercises on them.

Q: What is hedging in academic writing?

In academic writing, hedging limits a claim to what the data shows : a small or narrow study suggests rather than proves , and its findings may not apply elsewhere. The digest in Hedging: it would appear that we tend to agree on edio.ai does exactly that: All of the participants were volunteers, and there were no large cities in the sample, so the findings may not apply everywhere.

Q: What do hedging language exercises practice?

Hedging language exercises practice the forms that make a claim more careful : the right infinitive after seem and appear , tend to , It would appear that… and words such as apparently . In Hedging: it would appear that we tend to agree on edio.ai, they start from lines like Prices appear to be rising again and Teenagers tend to sleep late on weekends , then put them to work around a research digest about commuters.

Q: Is it “seems to agree” or “seems to be agree”?

It's seems to agree : a plain verb after seem to needs no be . Use to be before an adjective, an -ing form or a past participle: She seems to be tired. He seems to be working. The problem appears to be caused by a loose wire. Likewise, it's appears to be upset , never appears being upset . The scheme of Hedging: it would appear that we tend to agree on edio.ai lists this as its first mistake.

Q: Do you say “there seems to be” or “there seem to be”?

Both, depending on the noun that follows : There seems to be a problem with the Wi-Fi , but There seem to be two ways to solve this. In careful English, a singular or uncountable noun takes seems and a plural takes seem , and There tends / tend to be works the same way. Hedging: it would appear that we tend to agree on edio.ai drills the choice in chapter 2 with clearly singular and plural nouns.

Q: Is it “apparently” or “presumably”?

It depends on how you know: apparently means you heard or read it , and presumably means you assume it from what you know: Apparently, the café is closing next month. Tom isn't answering: he's presumably still asleep. A third word, arguably , means you could argue it with good reasons. Chapter 4 of Hedging: it would appear that we tend to agree on edio.ai sorts sentences into heard it, assume it and argue it.

Q: How do I use hedging language exercises with C1 students?

Begin with claims students can't prove : a rumor, a guess, a small survey. Each kind of doubt gets its hedge: apparently for the rumor, presumably or seems to have for the guess, suggests and tend to for the survey. Hedging: it would appear that we tend to agree on edio.ai drills the forms first, then the meanings, and puts both into a research digest about commuters.

Q: What's a good activity for practicing hedging?

Play “Headline doctor” : pairs get overclaiming headlines ( Coffee causes stress! , All teenagers hate mornings! ) and rewrite them as careful claims, then read both versions aloud for the class to judge. The first sort in Hedging: it would appear that we tend to agree on edio.ai, too sure or hedged, makes a good warm-up.

Q: Which hedging language exercises make good homework?

The best homework exercises check the form and the judgment : the right infinitive after seem , tend to with the right verb, and a choice between a careful and a too-sure claim where the context decides ( We asked only five people, so… ). The homework of Hedging: it would appear that we tend to agree on edio.ai checks itself and includes a teacher's report and a café review.

Q: How do you practice hedging one-to-one?

Retell a short news story about a study together: the student reports it carefully ( The researchers seem to have found… , People tend to… , It could be argued that… ), then the teacher overclaims and the student softens it. Between classes, the chat in Hedging: it would appear that we tend to agree on edio.ai needs no partner: Torben shares a silly headline, and the student sets it straight.

This C1 drill lesson gives 46 self-checking hedging language exercises, from tend to and seems to have left to It would appear that…, apparently and arguably.

Grammar: Seem and appear + every infinitive (seems to work, appears to have left), There seem(s) to be, tend to, It could be argued that…, may, to some extent, apparently, arguably and presumably.
Topic: An invented study of commuters who ignore a faster route: a university research digest, a campus radio interview, the abstract, seminar notes and a friend's texts.
Activities: Gap-fills, choices, sorts, matches, word order, tables, meaning quizzes, short texts, a chat and a final test.

What's inside

Chapter 1The rule
- PictureUnlock
- Study the scheme: hedgingGrammar schemeTry it
- Is the sentence correct? Mark true or falseTrue or falseUnlock
- Sort the sentences: too sure or hedged?Sort into columnsTry it
- Choose the right formChoose the optionUnlock
- Fill in the gaps: seem, appear and tendFill in the gapsUnlock
Chapter 2Seems to have been…
- Choose the right form: now or earlier?Choose the optionTry it
- Fill in the gaps: seem / appear + the right infinitiveFill in the gapsUnlock
- Choose the right verb: there seem(s) to be…Choose the optionUnlock
- Read the office mystery and drag the words into the gapsDrag and dropUnlock
- Fill in the table: say it with seem or appearFill in the tableUnlock
- Find the mistake and choose the right wordsQuizUnlock
- Put the words in the right order: seem and appearUnjumbleUnlock
Chapter 3Tend to, it would appear
- Choose the right words: It seems that… and tend toChoose the optionUnlock
- Write the sentences again: It seems that…Fill in the gapsTry it
- Fill in the gaps: tend toFill in the gapsUnlock
- Match the beginnings and the endingsMatchUnlock
- Read the club newsletter and drag the words into the gapsDrag and dropUnlock
- Choose the careful claim for each situationQuizUnlock
- Put the words in the right order: It would appear that…UnjumbleUnlock
Chapter 4Apparently, arguably, may
- Match the words and their meaningsMatchTry it
- Choose the right meaningQuizUnlock
- Choose the right form: hedging wordsChoose the optionUnlock
- Choose the right words: the context decidesChoose the optionUnlock
- Fill in the gaps: careful wordsFill in the gapsUnlock
- Sort the sentences: heard it, assume it or argue it?Sort into columnsUnlock
- Find the mistake and choose the right words: careful wordsQuizUnlock
Chapter 5Real life: the commuter study
- Read the research digestReal-life documentUnlock
- Read the summary again: true or false?True or falseUnlock
- Read the radio interview and choose the right formsChoose the optionUnlock
- Read the abstract and fill in the gapsFill in the gapsUnlock
- Read Callum's seminar notes and drag the words into the gapsDrag and dropUnlock
- Choose the right replies: Torben texts youChatTry it
- Test yourself: choose the right answerQuizUnlock
Chapter 6Homework
- Choose the right form: everyday lifeChoose the optionUnlock
- Fill in the gaps: seem or appear + toFill in the gapsUnlock
- Fill in the gaps: habits and careful claimsFill in the gapsUnlock
- Read the teacher's report and drag the words into the gapsDrag and dropUnlock
- Put the words in the right order: careful sentencesUnjumbleUnlock
- Find the matching pairs: two ways to say itMemory gameUnlock
- Find the mistake and choose the right words: at home and at workQuizUnlock
- Sort the sentences: correct or incorrect?Sort into columnsUnlock
- Fill in the table: make the claim more careful with seem, appear or tendFill in the tableUnlock
- Choose the right words: careful or too sure?Choose the optionUnlock
- Read the café review and fill in the gapsFill in the gapsUnlock
- Is the sentence correct? Mark true or false: everyday EnglishTrue or falseUnlock
- Unscramble the words: careful EnglishAnagramUnlock
- Choose the right form: now, in progress or earlier?Choose the optionUnlock
- Choose the correct sentenceQuizUnlock

Grammar: hedging: seem, appear, tend to and careful words

Hedging means claiming no more than you know. The study proves that every driver is lazy overclaims; The study suggests that many drivers tend to use one road says what the data can carry. A good hedge matches the evidence, which is why research summaries, reports and careful speakers lean on seem, appear, tend to, may and a few adverbs.

Hedging: it would appear that we tend to agree

Careful speakers and writers don't claim more than they know: they use seem, appear, tend to, may and words like apparently.

Seem to…: now, in progress or earlier?

The infinitive after seem or appear carries the time: seems to know (now), appear to be rising (in progress), seems to have lost (earlier) and seems to have been opened (passive, earlier). The negative has two right forms: doesn't seem to care and seems not to care.

seem / appear / tend + to + verb

subjectseem / appear / tendto + verb

The results seem to show a clear pattern.

Most drivers appear to prefer a road they know.

Teenagers tend to sleep late on weekends.

seem to …: now, in progress or earlier?

Form	When?	Example
seem / appear to + verb	now, or in general	She seems to know everyone here.
seem / appear to be + -ing	in progress now	Prices appear to be rising again.
seem / appear to have + past participle	earlier	Tom seems to have lost his keys.
seem / appear to have been + -ing	earlier, for some time	He's out of breath: he seems to have been running.
seem / appear to be + past participle	the passive: now	The problem appears to be caused by a loose wire.
seem / appear to have been + past participle	the passive: earlier	The letter seems to have been opened.
doesn't seem to / seems not to	the negative: both are correct	He doesn't seem to care. · He seems not to care.

Two ways to say it: It seems that…

Each personal hedge has an impersonal twin: She appears to have left = It appears that she has left. After There seem(s) to be, the noun decides the verb: There seems to be a problem, but There seem to be two problems.

Personal	Impersonal: It seems / appears that…
The plan seems to work.	It seems that the plan works.
She appears to have left.	It appears that she has left.
There seems to be a problem.	It seems that there is a problem.
There seem to be two problems.	It seems that there are two problems.
Prices would appear to be falling.	It would appear that prices are falling.

Tend to, may and other careful frames

Tend to + verb means usually: Old houses tend to be cold. It would appear that… is more careful than It seems that…, and It could be argued that…, There is some evidence that… (never evidences), may + verb and to some extent soften a claim further.

seem / appear + adjective works too: She seems (to be) tired. (appear is more formal than seem.)
tend to + verb = usually, as a rule: Old houses tend to be cold. Negative: don't tend to or tend not to. There tends / tend to be + noun.
It would seem / appear that… is more careful and formal than It seems that…: It would appear that the trip was a success.
It could be argued that… = some people could say: It could be argued that the test was too easy.
There is some evidence that… = some facts point that way: There is some evidence that the plan works. (evidence has no plural)
may / might / could + verb in a claim: This may explain the result. The effect might be smaller in big cities.
to some extent / to a certain extent = partly: The plan worked to some extent.

Apparently, arguably, presumably

These adverbs name your grounds: apparently, you've heard or read it; arguably, you could argue it with good reasons; presumably, you assume it from what you know. They aren't interchangeable: Apparently, the café is closing next month passes on news.

Word	Meaning	Example
apparently	I've heard or read it; it seems so	Apparently, the café is closing next month.
arguably	you could argue it, with good reasons	It is arguably the best album of the decade.
presumably	I assume it, from what I know	Tom isn't answering: he's presumably still asleep.
possibly / probably	maybe / very likely	The flight was probably delayed by fog.

Too sure, and common mistakes

Proves, always and definitely claim more than you can back up; suggests, tend to and may be claim less. Mind the form too: seems to agree, not seems to be agree; appears to be upset, not appears being upset; tend to eat, not tend eating; never It is seemed.

Too sure or careful?

Too sure: claims you can't back up

The study proves that every driver is lazy.
Teenagers always go to bed late.
This is definitely why prices rose.

Hedged: careful claims

The study suggests that many drivers tend to use one road.
Most teenagers seem to go to bed late.
This may be why prices rose.

Common mistakes

He seems to be agree with us.
He seems to agree with us.
seem to + base form; to be only before an adjective, -ing or a past participle
She appears being upset.
She appears to be upset.
seem and appear + to, never + -ing
People tend eating late here.
People tend to eat late here.
tend + to + base form
It is seemed that he left.
It seems that he left.
seem and appear are never passive

Examples

My new glasses seem to help with my headaches.seem to + verb: now, in general
The bus driver appears to have taken a wrong turn.earlier: to have + past participle
There seem to be fewer birds this spring.There seem + a plural noun
It would appear that the road is open again.It would appear that…: careful and formal
Small children tend to ask a lot of questions.tend to: usually
Apparently, the bridge will be closed all summer.apparently: I've heard it

Try the hedging language exercises

Try them yourself: these are the same exercises your students do in edio.

What's in the lesson

41 auto-checked exercises
5 games
1 real-life document
1 grammar scheme
1 picture

The main objectives of this lesson are to:

choose the infinitive by time after seem and appear: The neighbors seem to have left very early this morning.
make There seem(s) to be and There tend(s) to be agree with the noun: There tends to be a long line at the post office on Mondays.
say one claim two ways: Tom seems to have left. It seems that Tom has left.
tell apparently (I've heard it), arguably (you could argue it) and presumably (I assume it) apart
fit the claim to the evidence: Only twelve people answered the survey, so the results suggest that most customers like the new menu.

Hedging: it would appear that we tend to agree is lesson 11 of English Grammar Practice · C1, on the English grammar page. Before it comes lesson 10, Advanced participle clauses: weather permitting; after it, lesson 12, Alternatives to if: supposing they say no? Built as pure practice without a vocabulary list, it works alongside any C1 or academic English course.

The rule chapter gives the scheme, then a true-or-false check, a sort of too-sure and hedged claims, a form choice and gaps. Chapter 2 drills seem and appear with every infinitive, including an office mystery and a table; chapter 3 adds tend to, It would appear that… and a plant club's newsletter; chapter 4 turns to apparently, arguably and may, with meaning tasks and choices the context decides. In chapter 5, students read a research digest about an invented commuter study, then a radio interview, the abstract and seminar notes, talk Torben out of a silly headline in the chat and take a final test.

Fifteen homework tasks, all self-checking, take the hedges into everyday life: form choices, gap-fills, word order, a memory game of two ways to say it, a find-the-mistake quiz, a correct-or-incorrect sort, a table of careful claims, true or false, an anagram and a closing quiz. A teacher's end-of-term report and a café review give the forms a setting.

Grammar:: hedging · seem / appear + to-infinitive · tend to · It would appear that · apparently / arguably / presumably
Topic:: grammar practice · academic English · research · commuting · careful claims

Teaching tips

Start with an overclaim: write Science proves drivers are lazy!, the headline Torben sends in chapter 5, on the board and let students soften it step by step with seem, tend to and may.
Draw a timeline for the infinitives: mark now with seems to work and seems to be working, and the past with seems to have worked. Students place chapter 2's sentences on it before choosing.
Ask “How do you know?” after every claim: heard it means apparently, assume it means presumably, can argue it means arguably. It sets up the three-column sort in chapter 4.
Read the digest twice: first for the findings (78 percent, the weekly email), then for every hedge. Students rewrite three hedged lines as overclaims and discuss why the writer avoided them.

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The whole course: English Grammar Practice · C1

English Grammar Practice · C1 has 16 drill lessons on advanced grammar, one point each: inversion, cleft sentences, the subjunctive, advanced passives, ellipsis, nominalization, hedging, fronting and concession. Each has the rule as a scheme, 43 to 47 exercises that check themselves, 15 of them for homework, and no new words.See the course

Questions about this lesson

What is hedging language?

Hedging language is wording that makes a claim more careful, such as The study suggests in place of The study proves. Its main tools are seem, appear, tend to, may, It would appear that… and adverbs like apparently. Hedging: it would appear that we tend to agree is a C1 drill lesson on edio.ai with 46 self-checking exercises on them.

What is hedging in academic writing?

In academic writing, hedging limits a claim to what the data shows: a small or narrow study suggests rather than proves, and its findings may not apply elsewhere. The digest in Hedging: it would appear that we tend to agree on edio.ai does exactly that: All of the participants were volunteers, and there were no large cities in the sample, so the findings may not apply everywhere.

What do hedging language exercises practice?

Hedging language exercises practice the forms that make a claim more careful: the right infinitive after seem and appear, tend to, It would appear that… and words such as apparently. In Hedging: it would appear that we tend to agree on edio.ai, they start from lines like Prices appear to be rising again and Teenagers tend to sleep late on weekends, then put them to work around a research digest about commuters.

Is it “seems to agree” or “seems to be agree”?

It's seems to agree: a plain verb after seem to needs no be. Use to be before an adjective, an -ing form or a past participle: She seems to be tired. He seems to be working. The problem appears to be caused by a loose wire. Likewise, it's appears to be upset, never appears being upset. The scheme of Hedging: it would appear that we tend to agree on edio.ai lists this as its first mistake.

Do you say “there seems to be” or “there seem to be”?

Both, depending on the noun that follows: There seems to be a problem with the Wi-Fi, but There seem to be two ways to solve this. In careful English, a singular or uncountable noun takes seems and a plural takes seem, and There tends / tend to be works the same way. Hedging: it would appear that we tend to agree on edio.ai drills the choice in chapter 2 with clearly singular and plural nouns.

Is it “apparently” or “presumably”?

It depends on how you know: apparently means you heard or read it, and presumably means you assume it from what you know: Apparently, the café is closing next month. Tom isn't answering: he's presumably still asleep. A third word, arguably, means you could argue it with good reasons. Chapter 4 of Hedging: it would appear that we tend to agree on edio.ai sorts sentences into heard it, assume it and argue it.

How do I use hedging language exercises with C1 students?

Begin with claims students can't prove: a rumor, a guess, a small survey. Each kind of doubt gets its hedge: apparently for the rumor, presumably or seems to have for the guess, suggests and tend to for the survey. Hedging: it would appear that we tend to agree on edio.ai drills the forms first, then the meanings, and puts both into a research digest about commuters.

What's a good activity for practicing hedging?

Play “Headline doctor”: pairs get overclaiming headlines (Coffee causes stress!, All teenagers hate mornings!) and rewrite them as careful claims, then read both versions aloud for the class to judge. The first sort in Hedging: it would appear that we tend to agree on edio.ai, too sure or hedged, makes a good warm-up.

Which hedging language exercises make good homework?

The best homework exercises check the form and the judgment: the right infinitive after seem, tend to with the right verb, and a choice between a careful and a too-sure claim where the context decides (We asked only five people, so…). The homework of Hedging: it would appear that we tend to agree on edio.ai checks itself and includes a teacher's report and a café review.

How do you practice hedging one-to-one?

Retell a short news story about a study together: the student reports it carefully (The researchers seem to have found…, People tend to…, It could be argued that…), then the teacher overclaims and the student softens it. Between classes, the chat in Hedging: it would appear that we tend to agree on edio.ai needs no partner: Torben shares a silly headline, and the student sets it straight.

Are there interactive hedging language exercises?

Yes. This page plays five parts of Hedging: it would appear that we tend to agree, a C1 drill lesson on edio.ai, without an account: a sort into too-sure and hedged claims; a now-or-earlier choice after seem and appear; rewrites that start It seems that…; a match of hedging words and their meanings; and Torben's chat about a silly headline. The rest needs an account.

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