Page 90 - Grammar for Great Writing B

Common Error 6.3 Do you hedge correctly?

could cause
Skipping breakfast causes students to perform poorly in school.

Praise may motivate
I think praise motivates children more than criticism.

RemembeR: Academic writers often use may, might, can, and could to hedge. They avoid
conversational expressions such as I think or maybe.

ACTIVITY 7 Common Error 6.3

Restate these sentences with the hedging modals in parentheses.

1. I think some house plants are a dangerous addition to your home, especially if you have small children
or pets. (may)

2. Standing desks are becoming more and more popular, but many people with back pain are causing
themselves problems by using them incorrectly. (could)

3. The box jellyfish is the most poisonous fish in the ocean. (might)

4. Though research connecting cell phone use with cancer shows little need for concern at this time,
using a handset whenever possible is a good safety precaution. (may)

5. Studies show that chewing sugar-free gum after eating helps to prevent tooth decay. (could)

6. Facial recognition technology in airports is the best way to keep everyone safer and speed up
the process of airport security. (may)

7. Acupuncture helps children who have chronic pain. (could)

8. While spending too much time playing video games is not healthy, video games are effective
educational tools. (may; could)

80 Unit 6 Using Modals in Sentences

Copyright 2018 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s).
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