Disagreeing politely
Yes, but …
If you want to disagree with someone without offending them, you can use an expression of agreement followed by but.
Well, I agree but I see it slightly differently.
I see what you mean but I still don’t think it’s possible.
I take your point about the costs but we could still do it.
think, believe
If you want to contradict somebody, or say something that other people may disagree with, you can avoid sounding rude by using a reporting verb such as I think… (or I don’t think …) or I believe … (or I don’t believe …).
I think it’s time we stopped.
I don’t think that’s actually the case.
I don’t believe we committed ourselves to maintaining the price.
seem, appear
You can avoid sounding absolutely certain of your information by using the verbs seem or appear.
This seems to be the only possible solution to the problem.
It appears that the cost of the new system would be minimal.
The grammar of academic English
Introduction
When you write or speak in academic contexts, it is important to:
The language you choose is related to the purpose of your text. This will vary according to (i) the form in which your message will be presented and (ii) your audience.
A lecture or seminar presents information and points out areas of disagreement. A lecture is often certain in tone, but it raises questions that can be explored. A seminar is an occasion where views are presented and discussed. The speaker often uses you and we.
An essay or assignment brings together and discusses information. A dissertation or a journal article investigates a topic. These texts are formal, and the tone is generally impersonal.
A textbook presents information for teaching and reference: it tells the reader what is known, and its tone suggests certainty.
Being clear about what you want to say: noun and verb phrases
The aim of academic speech and writing is to communicate a message precisely, and without using too many words. In order to achieve this, speakers and writers concentrate information mainly in noun and verb phrases.
Research involves investigating or analysing a subject. This means that nouns and verbs used in academic texts often relate to processes and concepts.
Nominalization
Verbs are often nominalized (= made into nouns) in order to focus the reader on a concept or idea instead of the action. For example:
verb noun demonstrate demonstration discover discovery measure measurement assess assessment assist assistance maintain maintenance
The demonstration of brain mechanisms at work is not proof that rehabilitation has been achieved.
In 1898 Marie and Pierre Curie announced their discovery of a new element.
After an initial measurement of the patient’s blood glucose, they are given 50g of soluble lactose to drink.
They base their assessment of risk on available scientific evidence.
The maintenance of blood pressure is achieved less rapidly as we age.
Laboratory technicians can provide assistance when required.
The noun phrase (1): Premodifying noun phrases
Premodification allows you to concentrate a lot of information in the noun phrase. You can build the noun phrase in the following ways:
…a food preservation process.
…a recently developed food preservation process.
…strongly motivated history students.
…a well-organized advertising campaign.
Some -ed adjectives (see 2.77 to 2.93) carry the meaning of something that has already been completed.
…finalized plans. (= plans that have been agreed)
…a previously exhibited work of art. (= a work of art that has been shown previously)
…a closed case. (= a case belonging to the group of cases that have been solved)
…a recently completed project. (= a project that has recently been finished)
…a recently developed cost effective food preservation process.
…a newly discovered major oil field.
-ing adjectives (see 2.63) are used for describing an effect or a process, or a state that continues over a period of time.
Further changes may well bring diminishing returns.
…measures to control the rising cost of living.
Using more than four premodifiers makes the noun phrase difficult to understand, especially when this consists only of nouns. For example:
…the school team game playing area.
In this case, it would be better to use a prepositional phrase (see prepositional phrases below).
…playing areas for school team games.
The noun phrase (2): Postmodifying noun phrases
When you need to be more precise about the noun phrase, or to give the reader more information, you can use a relative clause, a participle or infinitive clause, or a prepositional phrase.
To identify a subject clearly, you use a defining relative clause introduced by a relative pronoun (see 1.146 to 1.150). The most common relative pronoun in academic English is which:
A magnet is a device which strongly attracts certain metals.
reducing the relative clause
The relative clause is often reduced in academic writing. You can reduce the relative clause in the following ways.
The hard drive was erased because of the confidential information (which) it contained.