Día 348 · Objetividad, voz pasiva y precisión académica
⏱️ Duración total: ~3 h 15 min — Clase 60 min · Ejercicios 60 min · Reto 60 min · Quiz ~15 min. Puedes dividirlo en varias sesiones el mismo día.
🎯 Objetivo del día
- Lograr el tono impersonal y objetivo del inglés académico.
- Usar la voz pasiva, it-structures y el sujeto inanimado con precisión.
- Citar y atribuir ideas con verbos de reporting académicos.
- Eliminar imprecisión, vaguedad y coloquialismos del texto formal.
📖 Clase (60 min)
Introducción y contexto
Cierras el bloque de lección de la semana con el acabado fino: hacer que el texto suene objetivo, preciso y no personal. El inglés académico minimiza el "yo" y el agente personal; prefiere construcciones que ponen el foco en ideas, procesos y datos. También exige precisión léxica: no a lot of things sino several factors; no good results sino significant findings. Este es el rasgo que distingue un C1 sólido de un B2 que "escribe bien pero informal".
Explicación detallada (regla por regla)
1. Despersonalización: alternativas a "I".
- I think X is bad → It can be argued that X is problematic.
- In my experiment I found… → The experiment revealed… / It was found that…
- We can see that… → It is evident that… / The data demonstrate that…
- Sujeto inanimado/abstracto: This study examines… / The findings suggest… / Recent research indicates…
2. Voz pasiva con propósito. Úsala cuando el agente es irrelevante, desconocido o se quiere desplazar el foco:
- Researchers collected the samples. → The samples were collected.
- People believe that… → It is (widely) believed that… / X is thought to…
- Pasiva con doble sujeto: The policy is said to have failed. / Smoking is known to cause cancer.
- No abuses: la pasiva total y constante vuelve el texto pesado; combina pasiva y activa con sujeto abstracto.
3. It-structures impersonales.
- It is important to note that… / It should be emphasised that… / It remains unclear whether… / It is worth considering that… / It follows that…
4. Verbos de atribución (reporting verbs) y matiz. No todos son neutros:
- Neutros: state, note, observe, report, describe.
- Sugerir/argumentar: suggest, argue, claim, contend, propose, posit.
- Con postura: acknowledge, concede, demonstrate, establish, refute.
- Smith (2020) argues that… / The author acknowledges that… / Critics contend that…
5. Precisión y especificidad. Sustituye lo vago:
- a lot of / lots of → a considerable number of / a substantial proportion of.
- things/stuff → factors / aspects / elements / phenomena.
- big/good/bad → significant / beneficial / detrimental / substantial.
- get → obtain, achieve, become.
- Cuantifica: many people → approximately 60% of respondents.
6. Evitar coloquialismos y absolutos. Fuera kind of, sort of, you know, basically, a bit, totally, get; modera always/never/everyone (combina con hedging del Día 339).
Vocabulario clave
| English | Pronunciación aprox. | Español |
|---|---|---|
| objective / objectivity | obyéctiv / obyectíviti | objetivo / objetividad |
| impersonal | impérsonal | impersonal |
| to attribute | tu átribiut | atribuir |
| reporting verb | ripórting verb | verbo de atribución |
| to acknowledge | tu aknólech | reconocer, admitir |
| to contend | tu konténd | sostener, afirmar |
| to demonstrate | tu démonstreit | demostrar |
| findings | fáindings | hallazgos, resultados |
| it is evident that | it iz évident dhat | resulta evidente que |
| it should be noted | it shud bi nóuted | cabe señalar |
| substantial | sabstánshal | considerable, sustancial |
| to obtain | tu obtéin | obtener |
| respondents | rispóndents | encuestados |
| accordingly | acórdingli | en consecuencia |
| precise / precision | prisáis / prisíshon | preciso / precisión |
Gramática a fondo
| Personal/vago | Impersonal/preciso |
|---|---|
| I think it's bad. | It can be argued that it is detrimental. |
| We did a survey. | A survey was conducted. |
| People say that… | It is widely claimed that… |
| A lot of people agree. | A substantial proportion of respondents agree. |
| The results are good. | The findings are significant. |
| Smith says X is true. | Smith (2020) contends that X is the case. |
Pasiva con verbo de informe (estructura clave): S + be + reported/believed/ said/known/thought + to-infinitive: The drug is believed to reduce inflammation. / The policy was said to have caused unrest.
Pronunciación y notas de uso
- attribute: verbo /a-TRÍ-biut/, sustantivo /Á-tri-biut/.
- findings siempre plural en este sentido; ✗ a finding (singular existe, pero "los resultados" = the findings).
- Voz pasiva = herramienta, no obligación: si la activa con sujeto abstracto es más clara (The study shows…), úsala.
- Citar: (Author, year) estilo APA; according to X (year) introduce atribución sin valorar.
Errores comunes del hispanohablante
- ✗ In my opinion I personally think that… (redundante y personal) → ✓ It could be argued that… / In my view, … (una marca, no tres).
- ✗ It is believed that the drug reduces… + luego people think… (mezcla registros) → ✓ mantén impersonal.
- ✗ The results were good and big. → ✓ The findings were significant and substantial.
- ✗ A lot of things influence it. → ✓ Several factors influence it.
- ✗ Pasiva mal formada: The data was collected by we → ✓ …by us / The data were collected.
- ✗ According to me… → ✓ In my view… / It seems to me that…
- ✗ Smith says that X. repetido siempre → ✓ varía: argues, observes, contends, notes.
Mini-lectura de ejemplo
Personal/vago (B2): I think social media is really bad for kids. A lot of people say it makes them sad. In my study I saw lots of bad things. Impersonal/preciso (C1): It is widely argued that social media has a detrimental effect on adolescents. A substantial body of research suggests a correlation between heavy use and reduced well-being. The present study, in which 200 respondents were surveyed, revealed several concerning patterns. These findings are consistent with those reported by Lee (2021), who contends that early intervention is essential.
(Trad.: Se argumenta ampliamente que las redes sociales tienen un efecto perjudicial en los adolescentes. Un cuerpo sustancial de investigación sugiere una correlación entre el uso intensivo y la reducción del bienestar. El presente estudio, en el que se encuestó a 200 personas, reveló varios patrones preocupantes. Estos hallazgos coinciden con los de Lee (2021), quien sostiene que la intervención temprana es esencial.)
✍️ Ejercicios (60 min)
Bloque 1 · Despersonaliza (8 min)
- I think this is wrong.
- We did an experiment.
- People believe that exercise helps.
- In my study I found a pattern.
- We can see that prices rose.
Bloque 2 · Pasiva con verbo de informe (8 min)
Reescribe con is/was said/believed/known/thought to…:
- People say the bridge is unsafe.
- They believe the drug reduces pain.
- Experts think the policy caused unrest. (perfecto)
Bloque 3 · Sustituye lo vago por lo preciso (8 min)
- a lot of people · 2. things · 3. good results · 4. big problem ·
- get money
Bloque 4 · Elige el reporting verb adecuado (8 min)
- Lee (2020) ___ that the data are flawed (sostiene firmemente).
- The author ___ that further research is needed (reconoce).
- The study ___ a clear link (demuestra).
- Critics ___ the methodology (refutan).
Bloque 5 · Traduce al inglés (académico/impersonal) (10 min)
- Se cree ampliamente que el fármaco reduce la inflamación.
- Cabe señalar que los hallazgos son significativos.
- Se realizó una encuesta a 300 personas.
- Resulta evidente que varios factores influyen en el resultado.
- Smith (2021) sostiene que la intervención temprana es esencial.
Bloque 6 · Corrige el error (8 min)
- According to me, the plan is good.
- In my opinion I personally think it is bad.
- The data was collected by we.
- The results were good and big.
- A lot of things affect it.
Bloque 7 · Reescritura de párrafo (10 min)
Reescribe en estilo objetivo y preciso (≈110 palabras): "I really think tourism is bad for old towns. A lot of people say prices go up and locals get angry. In my opinion the governments should do something about it."
Ver soluciones
B1 (modelo): 1. It can be argued that this is incorrect. · 2. An experiment was conducted. · 3. It is widely believed that exercise is beneficial. · 4. The study revealed a pattern. · 5. It is evident that prices rose.
B2: 1. The bridge is said to be unsafe. · 2. The drug is believed to reduce pain. · 3. The policy is thought to have caused unrest.
B3: 1. a substantial proportion of respondents/people · 2. factors/ aspects/elements · 3. significant findings · 4. a major issue · 5. obtain funds/money
B4: 1. contends/argues · 2. acknowledges/concedes · 3. demonstrates/ establishes · 4. refute
B5: 1. It is widely believed that the drug reduces inflammation. · 2. It should be noted that the findings are significant. · 3. A survey of 300 people was conducted. · 4. It is evident that several factors influence the outcome. · 5. Smith (2021) contends that early intervention is essential.
B6: 1. In my view, the plan is sound. · 2. It could be argued that it is detrimental. · 3. The data were collected by us. / The data were collected. · 4. The findings were significant and substantial. · 5. Several factors affect it.
B7 (modelo): It can be argued that tourism has a detrimental effect on historic towns. A substantial body of opinion suggests that rising prices and growing local resentment are common consequences. It is therefore evident that government intervention may be required to mitigate these issues.
🚀 Reto del día (60 min)
Tarea: "Objective rewrite" — de informal a académico.
- (10 min) Toma un texto tuyo previo (o escribe 150 palabras informales sobre un tema global).
- (25 min) Reescríbelo en estilo objetivo, impersonal y preciso (180–220 palabras): despersonaliza, usa pasiva/it-structures con propósito, sustituye todo lo vago, añade una atribución (Author, year).
- (15 min) Subraya: despersonalizaciones, pasivas con sentido, léxico preciso, reporting verb.
- (10 min) Compara las dos versiones y enumera 4 cambios de estilo.
Rúbrica (0–10):
- Despersonalización lograda (sin "I think" coloquial) — 2 pts
- Pasiva / it-structures usadas con propósito (no en exceso) — 2 pts
- Precisión léxica (sin things/a lot of/good) — 3 pts
- Atribución con reporting verb adecuado — 1.5 pts
- Claridad mantenida; sin pasiva opaca — 1.5 pts
✅ Quiz (~15 min)
- Reescribe impersonal: I think it's wrong.
- Pasiva de informe: People say the bridge is unsafe.
- Preciso para a lot of people.
- Reporting verb para "reconoce/admite".
- ¿According to me es correcto?
- ¿The data was o the data were?
- ¿Hay que usar pasiva siempre en texto académico?
- Sustituye: good results.
- Traduce: It should be noted that…
- Corrige: In my opinion I personally think that…
Ver respuestas
- It can be argued that it is incorrect. · 2. The bridge is said to be unsafe. · 3. a substantial proportion of people / respondents ·
- acknowledge / concede · 5. No; usa In my view / It seems to me · 6. the data were (registro académico; data plural) · 7. No; combina con activa de sujeto abstracto para claridad · 8. significant findings ·
- Cabe señalar que… · 10. It could be argued that… / In my view, …
📚 Recursos
- Manchester Academic Phrasebank – being objective; reporting
- Purdue OWL – Academic Writing: passive voice & objectivity
- Cambridge Dictionary (busca contend, acknowledge, substantial)
- YouTube: "Academic Tone and Objectivity" (canal Academic English Now)
⏭️ Siguiente
Mañana, Día 6 — Proyecto de la semana: redactar un ensayo argumentativo completo integrando nominalización, conectores, léxico abstracto, estructura y objetividad.
Quiz
Q Which is the impersonal, academic rewrite of "I think it's wrong"?
* It can be argued that it is incorrect.
- According to me, it is wrong.
- I personally think it is wrong.
Q Which reporting structure correctly turns "People say the bridge is unsafe"?
* The bridge is said to be unsafe.
- The bridge says to be unsafe.
- It says the bridge is unsafe.
Q Which is the precise replacement for "a lot of people"?
* a substantial proportion of respondents
- lots of persons
- many many people
Q Which is correct in academic register?
* The data were collected.
- The data was collected by we.
- The datas were collected.