Paraphrasing &Hedging
It's a kind of… · sort of · a bit like · I'd say it's…
Your level · You are here
Get Talking · Section 1
5 minStart the conversation
Describe a 'colander' to your teacher without using cooking words. What strategies did you use?
Is your first language direct or indirect? Do people add 'sort of' / 'kind of' / 'I think' to soften? Why?
Think of someone who comes across as confident vs someone who comes across as arrogant. What's the linguistic difference?
Grammar · Section 2
8–10 minParaphrase frames + hedging language
Don't stop when you lack a word — DESCRIBE it ('It's a kind of…' / 'It's the thing you use to…'). Don't make absolute claims — HEDGE them ('I'd say…' / 'roughly…').
- Two complementary strategies.
- (1) PARAPHRASE: when you don't know a word, describe it.
- Frames: 'It's a kind of X', 'It's a sort of X', 'It's a bit like X but…', 'It's the thing you use to + verb', 'It's what you call it when…'.
- Native speakers do this constantly, even in L1 — it's not failure, it's a skill.
- (2) HEDGING: softening claims to sound thoughtful, not pushy. 'I'd say', 'It seems to me', 'kind of', 'sort of', 'roughly', 'more or less', 'in a way', 'I suppose', 'arguably'.
- KEY DISTINCTION: hedging in English signals openness, not weakness — over-direct speakers ('It's THIS, not that') sound aggressive to British/Australian/Canadian ears.
- WARNING: don't over-hedge ('I sort of kind of think it might possibly be…') — pick ONE hedge per sentence, not three.
- Paraphrase: when you can't recall a word — describe shape, use, category, or comparison.
- Hedge: when stating an opinion that someone might disagree with.
- Hedge: when giving a rough estimate ('roughly fifty', 'more or less an hour').
- Both: in a presentation when you want to sound thoughtful, not bossy.
e.g. It's a kind of small spoon you use for measuring coffee.
| Too direct | Hedged & natural |
|---|---|
| It's bad. | I'd say it's not great, honestly. |
| You're wrong. | I see it slightly differently, actually. |
| It costs fifty. | It's roughly fifty, give or take. |
| He's lazy. | He's kind of taken his foot off the gas a bit. |
It's a kind of brush you use for cleaning bottles — I don't know the English word.
It's sort of like jazz, but slower and with more electronics.
I'd say it's the best film of the year, but I haven't seen them all.
It's more or less what you'd expect — nothing surprising.
It's the thing you use to drain pasta — those holes? A colander, that's it.
Not this
I sort of kind of think it might possibly be slightly difficult.
Say this
I'd say it's kind of difficult.
ONE hedge per sentence is plenty. Stacking three or four sounds nervous, not thoughtful.
Memory tip
Stuck for a word? Run 'It's a kind of [category] you use for [purpose]'. That sentence rescues 90% of vocabulary gaps.
Natural English
British/Aus/NZ English hedges way more than American English. If you're learning UK English, sound less certain, not more.
Question 1.You don't know the word 'colander'. Which is BEST?
Question 2.Which is APPROPRIATELY HEDGED for an opinion?
Question 3.Which is OVER-HEDGED?
Question 4.Which paraphrases a 'spanner' (wrench) best?
Build the sentence → spot the natural chunks → say it aloud → reply like a real conversation.
1.Rebuild the sentence — then say it aloud.
2.Rebuild the sentence — then say it aloud.
3.Rebuild the sentence — then say it aloud.
4.Rebuild the sentence — then say it aloud.
Quick check 1.Best response when you forget a word mid-sentence:
Vocabulary · Section 3
5–7 minWords & phrases to learn
A kind of / sort of
an approximate category
In context
"It's a kind of soup, but thicker."
Now try it yourself
Describe one food from your country starting with 'It's a kind of…'
It's like X, but…
compare to a known thing, then mark the difference
In context
"It's like a guitar, but with four strings."
Now try it yourself
Describe a hobby using 'It's like X, but…'
The thing you use to…
describe a tool by its function
In context
"The thing you use to peel potatoes — a peeler."
Now try it yourself
Describe three kitchen tools using this frame.
Roughly / more or less
approximate quantity or quality
In context
"Roughly forty people came — more or less what we expected."
Now try it yourself
Estimate three things in your week with 'roughly' or 'more or less'.
I'd say
soft frame for an opinion
In context
"I'd say it's the best film of the decade."
Now try it yourself
Give your teacher three opinions starting 'I'd say…'
In a way
partly true / from one angle
In context
"In a way, the meeting was useful — at least we know what NOT to do."
Now try it yourself
Use 'in a way' to give a balanced opinion on a current issue.
Arguably
this could reasonably be argued
In context
"Arguably, it's the most important decision of the year."
Now try it yourself
Make one bold claim using 'arguably' to soften it.
It's the kind of thing that…
describe by typical behaviour or context
In context
"It's the kind of thing that sounds boring but is actually fascinating."
Now try it yourself
Describe a film, book, or experience with 'It's the kind of thing that…'
Pick at least three words from above and use each one in a sentence about your real life. Say each one aloud before you write.
Ask your teacher (or a partner) a question that uses one of today's words. They reply using a different word.
Rank today's words from most to least useful for you this week. Defend your top choice.
Finish: "Honestly, I'd say…" using one of today's words.
Tip: aim to reuse at least two of these words later in the Speaking and Writing tasks.
Tap an item on the left, then tap its match on the right.
Pronunciation · Section 4
3–4 minWeak 'of' /ə/ and stressed paraphrase words
In 'a KIND of' and 'a SORT of', the 'of' is weak (/əv/, often just /ə/). The stress falls on KIND or SORT and then on the CONTENT word: 'a KIND ə BRUSH', 'a SORT ə SOUP'. Hedges like 'I'd say' or 'roughly' get a slight stress to signal 'this is an estimate, not a fact'. The phrase 'It's the THING you use to + VERB' stresses THING and the verb: 'the THING you use to DRAIN pasta'.
- • It's a KIND ə BRUSH for cleaning BOTtles
- • I'd SAY it's ROUGHly the SAME
- • It's SORT ə like JAZZ, but SLOWer
- • The THING you use to OPen WINE
Reading · Section 5
8–10 minWhy English speakers hedge so much
Visitors to Britain often notice something strange: people don't quite say what they mean. The bread isn't 'stale', it's 'a bit past its best'. The film wasn't 'awful', it was 'not really my cup of tea'. The plan isn't 'wrong', it's 'maybe worth a second look'. To outsiders this can sound vague, even dishonest. To natives, it sounds normal — and direct speech sounds aggressive.
The pattern isn't just British. Australian, Canadian and (to a lesser extent) Irish English hedge constantly. American English hedges less, which is why Americans abroad sometimes come across as blunt without meaning to. The function of the hedge isn't to lie — it's to leave the listener room to disagree without confrontation. 'I'd say the meeting went OK' invites a counter-opinion. 'The meeting went OK' closes it down.
Paired with hedging is the workhorse skill of paraphrasing. No one — not natives, not learners — knows every word. The difference between an upper-intermediate speaker and a frozen learner is just one habit: when the word doesn't come, KEEP TALKING. 'It's a kind of small machine you use for grinding coffee.' 'It's that thing you put at the end of a hose.' 'It's like a microwave, but it grills.' Half the time the listener supplies the word; the rest of the time, they understood anyway.
The combined trick — paraphrase what you don't have, hedge what you do — is what makes a B2 speaker sound like an adult, not a student.
Question 1.According to the text, what does 'I'd say the meeting went OK' do that 'The meeting went OK' does not?
Question 2.What does the text say happens 'half the time' when a speaker paraphrases a missing word?
Question 3.Why does the text contrast British and Australian English with American English on hedging?
Question 4.What does the author imply when they say the combined trick makes a B2 speaker sound 'like an adult, not a student'?
Q1.The text says American English hedges more than British English.
Q2.The text claims half the time, listeners supply the missing word for paraphrasers.
Listening · Section 6
8–10 minTwo friends, one trying to describe a kitchen gadget they bought
Listening audio
Tap play to listen. Replay as many times as you need.
Show transcript
Tara:So I got this thing for the kitchen — I can't remember what it's called in English.
Sam:Go on. Describe it.
Tara:Okay, it's a kind of small machine, you put coffee beans in the top, you press a button, and ground coffee comes out the bottom.
Sam:A coffee grinder.
Tara:Yes! A coffee grinder. See, I could have stood there saying 'I don't know, I don't know' for five minutes.
Sam:And is it any good?
Tara:I'd say it's roughly the same as the one we had before, honestly — maybe a tiny bit quieter. Not life-changing.
Sam:Worth the money?
Tara:In a way. The coffee tastes more or less the same, but I enjoy the ritual of it more — it's the kind of thing that gives the morning a small structure.
Sam:That's the actual purchase, then. You bought a morning ritual with a coffee grinder attached.
Tara:Arguably, yes. That's how all my purchases work — I tell myself it's about the object and it's actually about the routine.
Sam:I've got a — what's the word — that thing you do yoga on?
Tara:A yoga mat?
Sam:A yoga mat. Same thing. I don't really do yoga — I just like the idea that I might, one day, on the mat.
Tara:So we've both spent money on objects that represent the people we'd like to be.
Sam:More or less. Cheaper than therapy, I suppose.
Question 1.What is the object Tara describes using 'a kind of small machine, you put coffee beans in the top'?
Question 2.How does Sam describe the yoga mat before Tara supplies the word?
Question 3.What is Tara's point when she says she 'could have stood there saying I don't know for five minutes'?
Question 4.What do Tara and Sam imply when they conclude they've both bought objects representing 'the people they'd like to be'?
Exam tip · Section 7
5 minSpeaking — IELTS Part 2 / Cambridge B2 First Long Turn (2-minute description)
Task
Speak for 2 minutes describing 'an object that's important to you'. You MUST use at least 3 paraphrase frames (in case you blank on a word), 3 hedging phrases, and 4 lesson vocabulary items. Don't stop or say 'sorry, I don't know the word'.
Strategy
Examiners reward 'communicative strategies'. (1) Plan your description in shapes, uses and comparisons, not in fancy vocabulary. (2) When a word fails, paraphrase out loud — don't pause — and the examiner notices the strategy, not the gap. (3) Hedge opinions and estimates: 'I'd say it's roughly ten years old' beats 'it is ten years old' for naturalness. (4) Combine: 'It's a sort of small box, arguably the most useful thing I own.' (5) End with a hedged evaluation, not a definite one.
Example
The object I'd choose is — I don't know the exact word — it's a kind of small wooden box my grandmother left me. It's roughly the size of a paperback book, made of dark wood, with a sort of carved pattern on the top. It's like a jewellery box but smaller. The thing you use it for is keeping small letters and tickets — those bits of paper you can't quite throw away. I'd say it's the most personal thing I own. In a way, it represents — arguably — three generations of my family, because my mother had it, my grandmother had it, and I have it now. It's the kind of thing that wouldn't look like anything special to a stranger, but more or less every important bit of paper from the last fifteen years of my life is in there.
Practice · Section 8
8–10 minFill in the blank
Question 1.It's a ____ of small machine for grinding coffee.
Question 2.____ forty people came — give or take.
Question 3.I'd ____ it's the best film of the year.
Question 4.It's ____ jazz, but slower and more electronic.
Question 5.____ the most important decision we've made all year.
There isn't one "right" answer — write a natural version, then compare with the model.
Q1.Paraphrase a 'corkscrew' without using the word.
Q2.Hedge a strong opinion about a recent film.
Q3.Give a hedged estimate of how long something will take.
Q4.Describe a 'colander' using two paraphrase frames.
Writing · Section 9
5 minPut it in writing
Your task
Write a 130–160 word product review of an object you bought recently. Use 3 paraphrase frames (as if you don't know the technical name), 3 hedges, and 5 lesson vocabulary items. End with a hedged recommendation, not a definite one.
Your answer
Your work saves automatically0 words
Show model answer
Last month I bought a — I never know the proper name — it's a kind of small electric brush you use for cleaning the grout between tiles. It's roughly the size of an electric toothbrush, with a slightly larger head and a stronger motor. It's like a toothbrush, but more or less industrial. I'd say it's done about 70% of what I hoped. The grout in the bathroom is visibly cleaner, and arguably the time I'd otherwise have spent on my hands and knees with an old toothbrush is worth the £25 by itself. In a way, though, it's the kind of thing that does the job 'good enough' rather than brilliantly — the corners still need manual work. Would I recommend it? I'd say yes, if your tiles are bad enough — but I wouldn't call it essential. More like a small upgrade.
Speaking · Section 10
10–15 minMake it a real conversation
Role-play 'Describe and guess'. Each person picks 5 objects (no English name allowed). They describe each using paraphrase frames; the partner guesses. Then switch to opinions: each person makes 3 hedged opinions on current topics (a film, a restaurant, a public figure) and the partner reformulates back to check understanding. Use 5 lesson phrases.
Useful phrases
- • It's a kind of…
- • It's like X, but…
- • The thing you use to…
- • I'd say it's roughly…
- • Arguably / In a way…
Speaking reflection & notes
Your work saves automatically0 words
- AWhat's that thing on your desk?
- B_______________
- ADid you like the new restaurant?
- B_______________
- AHow long will the project take?
- B_______________
Homework · Section 11
Take-homeTake it home
Pick 10 objects in your home and describe each in English without naming it. Time yourself: 20 seconds max per object.
Rewrite 5 direct opinion sentences ('It's bad', 'He's lazy', 'It costs fifty') with appropriate hedges.
Watch 10 minutes of an English chat show. Note 5 hedges and 3 paraphrase moments.
Homework notes
Your work saves automatically0 words
Recap · Section 12
2–3 minWhat you've learned
- Paraphrase: 'It's a kind of…' / 'It's the thing you use to…' / 'It's like X, but…'
- Hedge an opinion: 'I'd say…' / 'In a way…' / 'Arguably…'
- Hedge a quantity: 'Roughly…' / 'More or less…' / 'Give or take…'
- ONE hedge per sentence, not three.
- When you don't know a word, KEEP TALKING and describe it — that IS the skill.