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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Maxperson" data-source="post: 8227931" data-attributes="member: 23751">Your appeal to your own authority aside, the way to use politeness is in a different context.  "Might you bring the bowl over here?" is the polite way to say, "Bring the bowl over here."  Saying, "So there may be more than one answer to this question." is using it in the context of possibilities.  You're saying that it's possible that there is more than once answer to the question. The same with the referee in your example above.  He's saying he thinks it's a weak argument and it's possible that the author will want to reconsider it.  It's uncertain.You presented your statement in an uncertain light and then expected me to glean from your other posts that you were actually certain.  If you were certain, you should have said so in your OP.</blockquote>