Stance and Implied Commitment

Study the questions and tasks

Work through the material below, or start the interactive practice above to complete an attempt. Try the exercises before opening any answer or transcript sections, then use them to review your work.

Practice level

C2. Try this level if you can follow the instructions and understand most of the language; choose an earlier level if you need more support.

Question formats

Matching

How to approach this practice

Read the complete context. Check both the meaning and the grammar, including word forms, collocations and links between sentences.

1. Question 1 · Matching

   Match each item to the correct choice.

   Match each beginning to its only suitable ending. Distinguishing four strengths of commitment.

   Answer choices

   • The speaker expresses no doubt about it.
   • The speaker rules it out.
   • The speaker judges it more likely than not.
   • The speaker allows it without claiming likelihood.

   Items

   • The result is possible.
   • The result is probable.
   • The result is certain.
   • The result is impossible.
   Check answers and explanations

   1. The result is possible.

   The speaker allows it without claiming likelihood.

   2. The result is probable.

   The speaker judges it more likely than not.

   3. The result is certain.

   The speaker expresses no doubt about it.

   4. The result is impossible.

   The speaker rules it out.

   Possibility, probability, certainty and impossibility have distinct modal force.

2. Question 2 · Matching

   Match each item to the correct choice.

   Match each beginning to its only suitable ending. Distinguishing four quantity claims.

   Answer choices

   • At least one agreed and at least one did not.
   • Every member is included in the agreement claim.
   • At least one did not agree, with the rest unspecified.
   • The agreement claim includes nobody.

   Items

   • All members agreed.
   • Some but not all members agreed.
   • No member agreed.
   • Not all members agreed.
   Check answers and explanations

   1. All members agreed.

   Every member is included in the agreement claim.

   2. Some but not all members agreed.

   At least one agreed and at least one did not.

   3. No member agreed.

   The agreement claim includes nobody.

   4. Not all members agreed.

   At least one did not agree, with the rest unspecified.

   Not all is weaker than some but not all because it does not guarantee any agreement.

3. Question 3 · Matching

   Match each item to the correct choice.

   Match each beginning to its only suitable ending. Distinguishing four claims about necessity.

   Answer choices

   • Help is presented as possible.
   • Help is presented as impossible.
   • Help is presented as necessary.
   • Help is not presented as necessary.

   Items

   • The measure must help.
   • The measure may help.
   • The measure need not help.
   • The measure cannot help.
   Check answers and explanations

   1. The measure must help.

   Help is presented as necessary.

   2. The measure may help.

   Help is presented as possible.

   3. The measure need not help.

   Help is not presented as necessary.

   4. The measure cannot help.

   Help is presented as impossible.

   Must, may, need not and cannot differ in necessity and possibility.

4. Question 4 · Matching

   Match each item to the correct choice.

   Match each beginning to its only suitable ending. Distinguishing four evidence claims.

   Answer choices

   • The speaker says the evidence conflicts with the claim.
   • The speaker says the claim is compatible with the evidence.
   • The speaker says the evidence favours the claim.
   • The speaker treats the claim as established.

   Items

   • The evidence proves the claim.
   • The evidence supports the claim.
   • The evidence permits the claim.
   • The evidence contradicts the claim.
   Check answers and explanations

   1. The evidence proves the claim.

   The speaker treats the claim as established.

   2. The evidence supports the claim.

   The speaker says the evidence favours the claim.

   3. The evidence permits the claim.

   The speaker says the claim is compatible with the evidence.

   4. The evidence contradicts the claim.

   The speaker says the evidence conflicts with the claim.

   Establishment, support, compatibility and contradiction are different evidential relations.

5. Question 5 · Matching

   Match each item to the correct choice.

   Match each beginning to its only suitable ending. Distinguishing four restrictions on approval.

   Answer choices

   • Review is sufficient but not stated to be necessary.
   • Review rules approval out.
   • Review is necessary but not stated to be sufficient.
   • Review is not a condition of approval.

   Items

   • Approval requires review.
   • Review guarantees approval.
   • Approval is independent of review.
   • Review precludes approval.
   Check answers and explanations

   1. Approval requires review.

   Review is necessary but not stated to be sufficient.

   2. Review guarantees approval.

   Review is sufficient but not stated to be necessary.

   3. Approval is independent of review.

   Review is not a condition of approval.

   4. Review precludes approval.

   Review rules approval out.

   The claims differ in necessity, sufficiency, independence and exclusion.

6. Question 6 · Matching

   Match each item to the correct choice.

   Match each beginning to its only suitable ending. Distinguishing four maximum and minimum claims.

   Answer choices

   • Six itself is excluded by the lower bound.
   • Six itself is excluded by the upper bound.
   • Six is an inclusive upper bound.
   • Six is an inclusive lower bound.

   Items

   • At most six attended.
   • Fewer than six attended.
   • At least six attended.
   • More than six attended.
   Check answers and explanations

   1. At most six attended.

   Six is an inclusive upper bound.

   2. Fewer than six attended.

   Six itself is excluded by the upper bound.

   3. At least six attended.

   Six is an inclusive lower bound.

   4. More than six attended.

   Six itself is excluded by the lower bound.

   Inclusive and exclusive upper and lower bounds are distinct.

7. Question 7 · Matching

   Match each item to the correct choice.

   Match each beginning to its only suitable ending. Distinguishing four levels of qualification.

   Answer choices

   • The claim remains open to later revision.
   • The claim admits more than one reading.
   • No reservations are attached to the claim.
   • The claim has a narrowly limited scope.

   Items

   • The claim is unqualified.
   • The claim is provisional.
   • The claim is circumscribed.
   • The claim is equivocal.
   Check answers and explanations

   1. The claim is unqualified.

   No reservations are attached to the claim.

   2. The claim is provisional.

   The claim remains open to later revision.

   3. The claim is circumscribed.

   The claim has a narrowly limited scope.

   4. The claim is equivocal.

   The claim admits more than one reading.

   Absence of reservations, temporary status, bounded scope and ambiguity are different properties.

8. Question 8 · Matching

   Match each item to the correct choice.

   Match each beginning to its only suitable ending. Distinguishing four kinds of speech act.

   Answer choices

   • We recognise that the concern has been raised.
   • We commit ourselves to a future review.
   • We retain permission without promising to use it.
   • We express approval of the proposal.

   Items

   • We acknowledge the concern.
   • We endorse the proposal.
   • We undertake to review it.
   • We reserve the right to review it.
   Check answers and explanations

   1. We acknowledge the concern.

   We recognise that the concern has been raised.

   2. We endorse the proposal.

   We express approval of the proposal.

   3. We undertake to review it.

   We commit ourselves to a future review.

   4. We reserve the right to review it.

   We retain permission without promising to use it.

   Acknowledgement, endorsement, commitment and reserved entitlement have different force.

What to review next

Explain why each answer fits the meaning and structure. Record useful phrases and write a new example using each pattern you found difficult.

A focused practice result shows how you did on these tasks. Use several activities across skills to decide what to study next; one practice score does not certify an overall CEFR level.