Level C1 (approx. band 7-8) · Academic and General Training "All young people are addicted to their phones." "Technology always makes life better." A careful reader immediately thinks of exceptions, and the argument loses force. In simple terms, the public descriptors suggest that around band 7, Task 2 ideas are extended but may over-generalise, while higher bands show well-supported ideas. Hedging means softening a claim so that it matches the evidence. In this episode: • Hedging verbs: tend to, appear to, seem to • Adverbs and phrases: arguably, to some extent, largely • It could be argued: impersonal hedges • Avoiding over-generalisation, and not over-hedging • Model • Language bridge • Practice • Self-check questions with answers Key points: • tend to, seem to and appear to soften a claim about a general pattern. • arguably, to some extent and largely show the exact strength of an opinion. • impersonal phrases such as "it could be argued that" let you present a view before you evaluate it. • hedge facts and generalisations, keep your main position clear, and use one hedge per claim. IELTS Complete Course: a self-study podcast from A1 to C2 for Academic and General Training. Listen, pause and answer, then take the 52-question quiz. Audio voiced with AI from an original script by Dr. Rashmi R Nair. Independent course, not affiliated with the IELTS test owners.