Softened Certainty: Would, Dare Say, I Should Think

That would be around 2015, if I remember correctly.

Notice

  • That would be around 2015, if I remember correctly.
  • I dare say he’s right, though I haven’t checked myself.
  • I should think the meeting will run late, given how these things usually go.
  • You would think they’d have called by now.

Rule

Native-like C1 speech softens confident claims using would (for a confident guess), I dare say (a fairly confident but understated assertion), and I should think (a polite, tentative opinion). These add nuance beyond the basic hedging you learned at B2 (seem to, tend to).

Practice

  1. Soften a confident guess: ‘That’s probably around 2010.’
    Answer: That would be around 2010.
  2. Use ‘I dare say’ to soften: ‘He’s probably right.’
    Answer: I dare say he’s right.
  3. Use ‘I should think’ to soften an opinion about tomorrow’s weather.
    Answer: I should think it will rain tomorrow.
  4. Explain the tone difference between ‘He’s right’ and ‘I dare say he’s right.’
    Answer: The second is more understated and less blunt — a polite, confident-but-hedged assertion typical of formal or British English.

Connect

Practise softened-certainty expressions in natural context.

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CEFR: Spoken Interaction — use language flexibly and effectively for social purposes.

Azizul Hakim
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