Level 4 — Upper Intermediate · Argument Writing
Task 28: Calibrating Certainty in a Written Claim
Write a short paragraph reporting a finding with hedging language that matches the evidence exactly — the writing side of Lesson 28's modality and stance skills.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this task, you should be able to:
- Choose a modal verb or certainty adverb that matches the actual strength of the evidence being reported
- Attribute a claim to its source clearly, rather than presenting a reported finding as the writer's own certainty
- Avoid letting a single study's language quietly strengthen into a stronger claim by the final sentence
Introduction
Lesson 28 taught you to read a paragraph's hedges and reconstruct exactly how certain the author really is. This task reverses the direction: you are given a piece of evidence, and you must choose your own modal verbs and evidence verbs so that your written claim is neither more nor less confident than what the evidence actually earns.
The Rule, for Writing
Core Concept
Match your verb to your evidence. If a single small study "suggests" something, don't write that it "proves" or "demonstrates" it — save those stronger verbs for well-replicated findings. Use modal verbs (may, could, is likely to) and adverbs (possibly, largely, to some extent) to mark exactly how far your evidence actually travels, and attribute a reported finding to its source ("the study found," "the report claims") instead of quietly adopting it as your own certainty.
Example
A single survey of one shipping company found that switching to digital manifests reduced paperwork errors. Written carelessly: "Digital manifests eliminate paperwork errors." Written with calibrated stance: "A survey of one shipping company suggests that digital manifests may reduce paperwork errors, though this finding has not yet been tested across the wider industry." The second version keeps the claim honestly tied to its one-company source.
Your Turn
Your Turn
Pick a finding you know something about (from work, a habit, or general knowledge) that is based on limited evidence — one study, one example, or one personal observation. Write a paragraph reporting it using at least one modal verb (may, could, might), one hedging adverb (possibly, largely, to some extent), and one attribution phrase (the report found, according to). Your final sentence must stay exactly as qualified as your first sentence — don't let the claim harden as the paragraph goes on.
Vocabulary in Context
hedgeverbformal
to soften a claim with a modal verb or qualifying word so it matches the evidence's real strength (উপশমিত করে বলা)
Often with hedge a claim, hedge appropriately, hedge with a modal
“The writer hedged the claim with 'appears to' because the data were limited.”
attributeverbformal
to name the source of a claim explicitly, instead of presenting it as the writer's own certainty (কৃতিত্ব দেওয়া)
Often with attribute a claim, attribute to a source, clearly attribute
“The article clearly attributes the figure to the port authority.”
Model Answer
Show a model answer
A recent internal review at one container terminal found that switching berth-scheduling staff to a shared digital board reduced missed handoffs during shift changes. This suggests that shared scheduling tools may help other terminals avoid similar errors, though the review covered only one site over a single quarter. According to the terminal's own report, the effect could partly reflect staff simply paying closer attention during a new system's first months, rather than the tool itself. A larger, longer study would be needed before the finding could be called reliable across the industry.
Self-Check
Self-Check
- Does your modal verb or adverb match the actual size of your evidence, rather than overstating it?
- Did you attribute the finding to its source instead of presenting it as your own certainty?
- Is your last sentence exactly as qualified as your first, with no quiet upgrade in confidence?
- Did you write this directly in English, without translating from Bangla first?
Next: Writing 29 — Cause, Explanation & Alternative Explanations: writing a causal claim that names its mechanism and owns up to at least one explanation it hasn't ruled out.