Distancing

Distancing is the use of language that is vague or cautious. We use it when we’re not sure of the accuracy of what we’re saying, or if we want to soften our words, make them less direct, or limit or qualify our statements and claims.

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.
2. 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 …

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.
   • Verbs commonly used in this pattern are: agree, announce, believe, expect, hope, report, say, suggest, think, and understand.

2. subject + passive verb + to + infinitive.
   • Verbs commonly used in this pattern are: believe, expect, report, say, think, and understand.

3. There can also be used + passive verb + to + infinitive.
4. Compare:
5. It is said that there are more than five million people living in poverty in this country.
6. There are said to be more than five million people living in poverty in this country.

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.

2. We can use according to to specify where information has come from. We use it to attribute options to somebody else (NOT According to me …).

3. Using may / might also suggests that something is a possibility, but not necessarily true.