USING EVALUATIVE LANGUAGE
(adapted from AWG text)
Critiques need to show appropriate use of evaluative language. All the content parts of speech
can be used for this.
Nouns
Verbs
Adjectives
Adverbs
success
succeed
successful
successfully
failure
fail
unsuccessful
unsuccessfully
MOST FREQUENT EVALUATIVE ITEMS IN ACADEMIC WRITING
Modal Verbs
Adjectives
Lexical Verbs
Adverbs
Nouns
could
always
appear
about
of course
claim
couldn’t
(not) always
argue
actually
often
doubt
may
apparent
assume
almost
perhaps
estimate
might
certain
believe
apparently
possibly
evidence
should
a certain extent
claim
approximately
possibility
shouldn’t
clear
doubt
presumably
would
evident
estimate
around
probably
wouldn’t
possible
expect
certainly
quite
will
probable
indicate
clearly
rarely
won’t
know
definitely
relatively
predict
doubtless
sometimes
presume
essentially
surely
propose
evidently
seem
undoubtedly
speculate
frequently
usually
suggest
generally
suppose
in fact
tend
indeed
think
largely
likely
obviously
Evaluative Adjectives
The most common way to use evaluative language, is to summarize your views by describing the
source with one or two evaluative adjectives.
Ex: In this _______________ study, Jones and Wang…
PRACTICE USING EVALUATIVE LANGUAGE
TASK 1 (TAKEN FROM AWG PG. 136)
 Rate the adjectives as follows:
+ + = very positive
+ = positive
0 = neutral, uncertain, or ambiguous
= negative
- - = very negative
__ unusual
__ limited
__ ambitious
__ modest
__ small
__ useful
__ careful
__ simple
__ exploratory
__ restricted
__ significant
__ competent
__ traditional
__ remarkable
__ important
__ innovative
__ impressive
__ complex
__ preliminary
__ flawed
__ interesting
__ elegant
__ small scale
__ unsatisfactory
Opinions in critiques often vary according to strength.
 Which of the above adjectives sounds stronger to you? (Circle them.)
TASK 2
Look through the critique you were given in class. Make a list of evaluative language according
to lexical category.
Modal Verbs
Adjectives
Lexical Verbs
Adverbs
Nouns
TASK 3
One of the hardest things to do is to critique an idea. In a moment your teacher will display an
article for the whole class. Your task is to write a sentence that critiques the ideas presented in
this article, varying the strength of your critique.
ARTICLE/IDEA #1
VERY STRONG CRITIQUE
NOT SO STRONG CRITIQUE
ARTICLE/IDEA #2
VERY STRONG CRITIQUE
NOT SO STRONG CRITIQUE