Language · Lesson 12 of 15

Qualified language

Use tend to, can, probably and many to make careful, reasonable claims, especially about people and society in Part 3.

40–50 minutes
Level B1+
4 exercises

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In this lesson you will

use qualified language so that your ideas sound careful and reasonable
avoid over-generalising about people and countries
give clear opinions in Part 3 without claiming too much
understand how speaking style differs from academic writing

Language

What is qualified language?

Qualified language makes a claim more careful. It shows that something is often true, but not always. It is especially useful in Part 3, when you talk about people and society in general.

✗ Everyone in my country loves shopping online.
✓ A lot of people in my country seem to prefer shopping online.

Tool	Useful in speaking	Example from our model answers
Verbs	tend to, seem to	People tend to open up more when it's just the two of you.
Modal verbs	can, might, may	A little politeness can go a long way.
Adverbs	probably, generally, usually, mostly	Generally, yes, because trying new things helps you broaden your horizons.
Quantity words	many, most, some, a lot of	Some people run small businesses on it too.
Opinion phrases	I'd say, it seems to me, as far as I know	I'd say adulthood is more boring.

Exercise 1

Find the qualifying words

These sentences come from our model answers. Click the word or phrase in each sentence that makes the claim more careful.

People tend to open up more when it's just the two of you.

Some people run small businesses on it too.

A little politeness can go a long way.

They're generally welcoming to newcomers.

My mother tends to hoard everything.

I think the habit is slowly fading away.

Exercise 2

Which sounds more reasonable?

Why do people follow fashion?
A All people follow fashion because they are insecure. B I'd say many people follow fashion because they want to fit in, especially when they're young.
Is fast food a bad thing?
A It can be, particularly if people eat it every day, because it tends to be high in fat and salt. B Yes, fast food always makes everybody ill.
Do you think people depend too much on their phones?
A Maybe, perhaps, it might possibly be, I don't really know. B Yes, I definitely think so, because a lot of people seem to feel anxious without them.

Exercise 3

Make it more careful

Type a more careful replacement for the words in bold. You can use: many, can make, tend to prefer, usually prefer.

All teenagers spend hours on social media.
Advertising makes children want expensive toys.
Older people prefer traditional shops.

Speaking and Writing

Speaking is not academic writing

Qualified language is useful in both, but the style is different. In the Writing course you learn to avoid informal language. In Speaking, natural idiomatic language can help your score.

Exercise 4

Speaking or Writing Task 2?

I'd say a lot of kids spend way too long on their phones.
Many children appear to spend an excessive amount of time using mobile phones.
Honestly, I reckon people just get carried away.
Consumers may purchase more than they require.

Speaking practice

Give careful opinions

Answer each question out loud. Give a clear opinion, then use at least two qualifying words or phrases.

Why are more people overweight today than in the past?
How has social media changed the way people communicate?
Should elderly people live with their children?
Does tourism have a negative effect on local communities?

Press Record, answer out loud, then listen back.

Model: “I'd say social media has made it much easier to stay in touch, especially for people who live far from their families. However, it can also make conversations more superficial, because many people seem to prefer sending a quick message to having a proper chat.”

Lesson written for Tips4IELTS. Examples come from our Speaking and Writing model answers.