Hedges qualify your certainty and intensifiers increase your certainty (129). Hedges include words such as usually, almost, perhaps, many, might and appear (129-130). Intensifiers include words such as very, clearly, key, essential, prove and establish. An intensifier can include the absence of a hedge which makes the writing then appear more aggressive (131). While stressing these ideas in writing concisely, Williams also warn against becoming terse or abrupt (134). You do not want your reader to find your writing abrasive and difficult to read. Williams points out Goldilocks rule: not too much, not too little, but just right
Hedges qualify your certainty and intensifiers increase your certainty (129). Hedges include words such as usually, almost, perhaps, many, might and appear (129-130). Intensifiers include words such as very, clearly, key, essential, prove and establish. An intensifier can include the absence of a hedge which makes the writing then appear more aggressive (131). While stressing these ideas in writing concisely, Williams also warn against becoming terse or abrupt (134). You do not want your reader to find your writing abrasive and difficult to read. Williams points out Goldilocks rule: not too much, not too little, but just right