Certainty and uncertainty
Sometimes we make confident statements, while at other times we want to express some uncertainty. In this resource we will explore the expression of certainty and uncertainty. This is one of the areas of meaning we call modality.
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Certainty and uncertainty: Activity 1
Imagine that you are not sure about the following statements, and find ways to make them sound less certain.Write three different versions for each example.
- Amy has gone home.
- I will definitely have the essay written by tomorrow.
- This disease is caused by a virus.
- The British team will win this match easily.
Certainty and uncertainty: Activity 2
Rank the given examples in order from most certain to most uncertain, with most certain at the top and most uncertain at the bottom. Identify the words in the examples that help to convey certainty or uncertainty. Are they modal auxiliary verbs? Adverbs? Main verbs? What conclusions can you make about the way that individual word choices affect the certainty of expressions?
This may not be easy, and some examples may be debatable!
Compare your rankings with somebody else. Are there any areas of disagreement?