Distancing PPT C1
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PabloDistancing PPT C1
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PabloDISTANCING
seem / appear
1 We often use seem and appear to give information without stating that we
definitely know it is true, and in this way distancing ourselves from the
information.
It seems / appears (that) there is a direct relationship between your position in
the family and your personality.
The new manager seems / appears to be quite friendly.
Excuse me. There seems to be a mistake with the bill.
• We can use It seems / appears + that + clause, or subject +
seem / appear + infinitive.
2 We use It would seem / appear + that + clause to distance us even further
from the information, and to make it sound less sure. This is more formal
than It seems / appears…
It would seem / appear (that) Mr. Hill had been using the company’s assets to
pay off his private debts.
DISTANCING
the passive with verbs of saying and reporting
Another way of distancing ourselves from the facts, especially in formal written
English, is to use the passive form of verbs like say, think, etc. to introduce them. We
can use:
1 It + passive verb + that + clause.
It is said that using a washing machine saves people on average 47 minutes a day.
It has been announced by a White House spokesman that the President has been
taken to the hospital.
• Verbs commonly used in this pattern are: agree, announce, believe,
expect, hope, report, say, suggest, think, and understand.
DISTANCING
the passive with verbs of saying and reporting
2 subject + passive verb + to + infinitive.
The company director is expected to resign in the next few days.
The missing couple is understood to have been living in Panama for the
last five years.
• Verbs commonly used in this pattern are believe, expect, report, say,
think, and understand.
3 There can also be used + passive verb + to + infinitive.
Compare:
It is said that there are more than five million people living in poverty in this country.
There are said to be more than five million people living in poverty in this country.
There are thought to be over a thousand species in danger of extinction.
DISTANCING
other distancing expressions: apparently, according to, may / might
1 We can use apparently (usually either at the beginning or the end of a phrase) to
mean that we have heard / read something, but that it may not be true. This is
very common in informal conversation.
Apparently, Maurice and Yvette have separated.
2 We can use according to to specify where information has come from.
We use it to attribute opinions to somebody else NOT According to me….
According to new research, the idea that we have to drink two liters of
water a day is a myth.
3 Using may / might also suggests that something is a possibility, but not
necessarily true.
Dinosaurs may have died out due to extremely rapid climate change.
There are rumors that the band, which broke up in the late 80s, might be
planning to get back together and record a new album.