What attitude questions ask
Many Part C questions are not about facts. They ask how the speaker feels or what they think: 'How does she feel about the new guidelines?', 'What is his opinion of the pilot scheme?', 'What does she suggest about...?' The answer is rarely said directly. You build it from the speaker's choice of words and the way they say them.
| Stem | What you are looking for |
|---|---|
| How does the speaker feel about X? | An emotion or stance: enthusiastic, doubtful, frustrated, cautiously positive. |
| What is the speaker's opinion of X? | A judgement: useful but limited, overrated, promising. |
| What does the speaker suggest/imply? | A view that is hinted at, often softened by hedging. |
| Why does the speaker mention X? | The function of an example: to support, to contrast, to warn. |
Hedging: softened opinions are still opinions
Health professionals often speak carefully. They hedge: they make a view softer or less certain. A hedged view is still the speaker's view, and the hedge itself often points to the correct option, such as 'cautiously optimistic' or 'not yet convinced'.
Common hedges and what they signal
I'd suggest that...
A recommendation, politely made.It seems to me that...
A personal view, not a proven fact.There's some evidence that...
Limited support; the speaker may be cautious.I wouldn't go as far as to say...
The speaker partly agrees but rejects a strong version.It's early days.
Too soon to judge; cautious.I'm not entirely convinced.
Doubtful, said politely.
Speaker: 'The early results from the falls clinic look encouraging. I'd want to see a second year of data before we roll it out, though.' Question: How does the speaker feel about the falls clinic?
She is certain it should be expanded now.
She is positive but wants more evidence first.
Why: 'Encouraging' is positive; 'I'd want to see a second year' limits it. The correct option keeps both parts.
Contrast markers: where the real view starts
Contrast markers show that the speaker is about to turn. What comes after them often carries more weight than what comes before.
- However / but / although: a direct turn.
- That said / having said that: a positive point is followed by a limit, or the other way round.
- To be fair: the speaker admits something good about an idea they mostly criticise.
- Even so / all the same: the speaker keeps their view despite a counter-point.
Electronic prescribing has caused us plenty of headaches. The training was rushed, and for the first month the system crashed every other night shift. To be fair, the number of dosing errors has dropped since then, and that's what matters most to patients. So, despite everything, I wouldn't want to go back.
Many negative words come first. 'To be fair' and 'despite everything' lead to her overall attitude: positive overall, despite real problems.
Evaluative words and tone
Listen for adjectives and adverbs that judge: 'a useful step', 'a disappointing response', 'surprisingly popular', 'frankly unworkable'. One or two of these words often decide the attitude.
| Words like these | Usually point to |
|---|---|
| promising, encouraging, a real step forward | positive, perhaps cautious |
| frustrating, disappointing, a missed opportunity | negative or let down |
| overrated, oversold, more hype than substance | sceptical |
| a mixed picture, pros and cons | balanced or uncertain |
The speaker's view or a reported view?
Speakers often describe what others think before giving their own view. A wrong option may correctly describe a view that the speaker reports but does not share.
Interview with a pharmacist, Mr Rahman: 'A lot of GPs I talk to feel the new review scheme is just more paperwork. I understand that, I really do. But in my experience it's caught interactions nobody else had spotted.' Question: What is Mr Rahman's view of the review scheme?
It mainly adds paperwork.
It has real clinical value.
Why: 'More paperwork' is the GPs' view, which he reports and sympathises with. His own view follows 'But in my experience'.
- Reported-view signals: 'Some people argue...', 'My colleagues tend to...', 'The study claims...', 'Patients often tell me...'.
- Own-view signals: 'Personally...', 'In my experience...', 'I'd say...', 'What I think is...'.
- Read the stem: is it about the speaker, or about someone the speaker mentions?
- When a new voice appears ('a colleague of mine...', 'the study...'), note whose view you are hearing.
- Listen for the turn back to the speaker: 'but', 'personally', 'for me'.
- Choose the option that matches the right person's view, including any limits they add.
Putting it together
In a real recording, these signals come together. A speaker may report a colleague's view, hedge their own, and use one strong adjective at the end. Do not decide on a single word. Collect the signals across the whole idea, then pick the option that keeps the balance the speaker gives: positive with a limit, critical with an admission, or genuinely mixed.
Check yourself
4 quick questions. Tap an answer to see why.
1 Speaker: 'The new triage tool is quick, I'll give it that. Whether it's accurate enough for children is another matter.' What is the speaker's attitude?
2 Speaker: 'Some managers see bedside handover as a waste of time. Personally, I've found it saves time later in the shift.' Which option describes the speaker's view?
3 Which phrase most strongly signals a cautious, not certain, view?
4 A speaker lists three problems with a project, then says: 'Even so, I'd do it again tomorrow.' What is the overall attitude?