'Would you perhaps consider ...': hedged comments in ESL writing

Abstract

Both research and practice have shown that while some comments on L2 writing lead to substantive revision, others go unattended, failing to achieve their anticipated instructional effect. It is therefore crucial to determine how learners perceive different commentary types, so that teachers can enhance the efficacy of their feedback. The present study shares practical suggestions on making written comments more effective, based on the results of an examination of the effects of four different commentary types on ESL students’ essays: statements (stating students’ problems), imperatives (directly asking students to change, delete, and add), questions (showing elements of doubt and uncertainty), and hedging (avoiding directness by implying or suggesting). While hedging comments were associated with substantive and effective revisions, stimulated recall interviews revealed that challenges may exist for ESL writers in interpreting hedging comments appropriately because of the difficulty in understanding their pragmatic function.