Hedging & Opinion Adverbs
Sound more natural giving opinions with adverbs like arguably, presumably, undoubtedly, and seemingly.
How do you want to practice?
Flashcards
Flip each card and rate how well you remembered it. That is how we learn when to show it to you again.
Learn
A quiz that adapts to your pace: multiple choice that progresses to typing the answer.
Write
Listen to the word and type it. Great for practicing spelling and pronunciation.
Match
Match the words against the clock. A fun, low-pressure way to review.
Terms in this deck
- arguablyused to say something is probably true, though not proven
- presumablyused to say you think something is probably true
- undoubtedlywithout any doubt, certainly
- seeminglyappearing to be true based on what you can see
- allegedlysaid to be true, though not proven
- ostensiblyapparently true, though maybe not actually true
- supposedlyaccording to what people say, though maybe not true
- apparentlybased on what you have heard or seen, though not certain
- evidentlyclearly true based on the evidence available
- admittedlyused to accept that something is true, especially something negative
- undeniablyimpossible to argue against, clearly true
- inevitablycertain to happen, unavoidable
- conceivablypossible to imagine or believe
- plausiblyin a way that seems reasonable or likely to be true
- theoreticallyaccording to theory, though maybe not in practice
- technicallyaccording to the exact facts or rules
- essentiallyin the most important or basic way
- fundamentallyin the most basic and important way
- notablyespecially, in particular
- predominantlymainly, mostly
- increasinglymore and more, as time passes
- invariablyalways, without exception
- inherentlyexisting as a natural or basic part of something
How to study this deck
These adverbs soften a statement or show that you are not completely sure: arguably, presumably, apparently, allegedly. They are very common in academic and journalistic writing, where absolute certainty is avoided. Practice rewriting blunt sentences with one of them.
The trickiest words
- allegedly: it means it is claimed but not proven. Very common in crime news.
- apparently: it means according to what I heard or saw. It is close to "seemingly".
- undoubtedly: it means without doubt. It is the opposite of hedging adverbs like "arguably".
Examples in context
She is arguably the best player in the league.
It was undoubtedly the right decision.
The meeting was ostensibly about budgets, but really about layoffs.
She was evidently upset about the news.
Prices will inevitably rise.
Theoretically, the plan should work.
The approach is fundamentally different.
Remote work is increasingly common.
Mini dialogue
- A: Apparently, the store closed last week.
- B: Presumably because sales were low.
- A: The owner allegedly owed a lot of money.
- B: Arguably it was inevitable.