In academic talk you often build an argument on a premise that isn't yet proven. To invite someone to accept that premise for the sake of discussion, open with one of these — none of them claims the premise is actually true. Suppose that… means "imagine, for the sake of argument, that this is true"; it's the neutral all-purpose choice. Let's assume that… means much the same, but it's a shade more formal and pulls the group in — it asks everyone to treat the premise as agreed and reason on from there. What if…? also means "imagine this," but it's phrased as a question and is more informal and exploratory — good for floating a possibility rather than settling one to work from.
Setting up a hypothesis
suppose that /səˈpoʊz ðæt/ — Suppose that the funding is cut next year; which programs would we protect?
let's assume that /lɛts əˈsum ðæt/ — Let's assume that the survey data is reliable and see where that leads.
what if /wʌt ɪf/ — What if the trial were extended to a full year instead of six months?
Not ""The funding is cut next year." (stated as a fact you don't have)" — say ""Suppose that the funding is cut next year." (a premise to reason from)". Suppose / assume / what if flag the idea as a starting premise, not a claim. Drop them and you assert something you haven't shown.
Try it: Nadia: We don't actually know whether the pilot will scale to every school. Owen: Fair point. ___ it does, though, what would we need to budget for? Which reply from Owen sets up the idea as a premise to explore? (Suppose that / Because / It's obvious that) Answer: Suppose that — 'Suppose that' invites the group to reason from an unproven premise, which fits because they've just said they don't know. 'Because' gives a reason for something already accepted, and 'It's obvious that' claims certainty they explicitly don't have.
Reasoning from something already settled
Suppose that asks the reader to imagine a premise. Given does the opposite: it names something already established and reasons forward from it. "Given the rise in fuel costs, deliveries will be slower" treats the rise as a fact on the table, not a guess. Two near neighbours differ in exactly this way. As long as and provided that attach a condition that still has to hold — the result follows only while it does. So Given looks back at settled ground; as long as and provided that look forward to a condition that might fail.
given /ˈɡɪvən/ — Given the sample size, we should treat the result cautiously.
as long as /əz ˈlɔŋ əz/ — The pilot can continue as long as the funding holds.
provided that /prəˈvaɪdɪd ðæt/ — We'll publish in March, provided that the review finishes on time.
Not ""Suppose that the sample was small, we should treat the result cautiously."" — say ""Given the sample size, we should treat the result cautiously."". The sample size is already known, so it isn't something to suppose. Given reasons from a fact; suppose that floats a premise you don't have.
Try it: Owen: We already know the budget was cut by a third this year. Priya: Right. ___ that, I don't see how we run both programmes. Which reply reasons from something already established? (Given / Supposing / Assuming) Answer: Given — The cut is already known, so Given is right — it reasons forward from settled ground. Supposing and Assuming both float the cut as something still to be granted, which contradicts "we already know": you cannot ask someone to assume what they have just told you is a fact.
Inviting the reader into a scenario
Academic writing often walks the reader through a scenario rather than just asserting one. Consider does that work as an imperative: "Consider a city where half the workforce is remote" tells the reader to hold that picture in mind while the argument runs. Take, used the same way, is its slightly more informal twin and usually introduces an example rather than a whole scenario. Both stay in the present and address the reader directly, which is why they open a paragraph so often.
consider /kənˈsɪdər/ — Consider a household where both parents work night shifts.
take /teɪk/ — Take the 2019 pilot: costs fell, but waiting times rose.
Not ""We consider a city where half the workforce is remote." (a statement about us)" — say ""Consider a city where half the workforce is remote." (an invitation to the reader)". As a scenario opener, Consider is an imperative aimed at the reader. Adding "We" turns it into a report of your own thinking and loses the invitation.
Try it: Which opening asks the reader to picture the scenario for themselves? (Consider a town with no rail link to the capital. / It stands to reason that a town has no rail link. / We are considering a town with no rail link.) Answer: Consider a town with no rail link to the capital. — Consider as an imperative hands the scenario to the reader. The second draws a conclusion instead of setting up a picture, and the third reports what the writers are doing rather than inviting anyone in.
Drawing a careful conclusion
Once a premise is on the table, you draw a conclusion — often a hedged one, since you're theorizing rather than proving. These three differ mainly in how strongly they commit. It stands to reason that… means "it follows logically that"; it presents the conclusion as the confident, logical result of what came before. One could argue that… means "this is a defensible view"; it offers the idea as one position among several, not the final word. It's conceivable that… means "it is possible to imagine that"; it is the weakest of the three, marking something as merely possible — not necessarily likely, and certainly not proven. So strength runs from stands to reason (logical) down through one could argue (debatable) to it's conceivable (barely possible). All three sit at a neutral-to-formal register suited to academic discussion.
it stands to reason that /ɪt stændz tə ˈrizən ðæt/ — If classes shrink, it stands to reason that we'll need more teachers.
one could argue that /wʌn kʊd ˈɑrɡju ðæt/ — One could argue that remote work widens access to jobs.
it's conceivable that /ɪts kənˈsivəbəl ðæt/ — It's conceivable that the results were affected by the small sample.
Not ""It makes to reason that smaller classes need more teachers." (not an English phrase)" — say ""It stands to reason that smaller classes need more teachers." (fixed expression)". It stands to reason that… is a set phrase for a logical conclusion; 'It makes to reason' isn't English. The verb is always stands.
Try it: Priya: The report says transport costs rose sharply this year. Marcus: Then ___ attendance in the outer districts has slipped a little. Which reply presents a conclusion as the logical result? (it stands to reason that / what if / let's assume that) Answer: it stands to reason that — 'It stands to reason that' marks the conclusion as logically following from the rise in costs. 'What if' would raise a new hypothetical instead of concluding, and 'let's assume that' asks the group to accept a premise rather than drawing a result from one.
Hedging how likely something is
Once you have set up a premise, you still have to say how confident you are about what follows, and the modal carries that. May well and could well both mean "quite possibly, and I would not be surprised" — the well is what lifts them above a bare may or could, which sound merely permitted. Would likely is a shade stronger and reads as a prediction. None of them claims certainty, which is exactly why academic writing reaches for them: a hypothesis that says will definitely has stopped being a hypothesis.
may well /meɪ wɛl/ — Costs may well rise before the new supplier is in place.
could well /kʊd wɛl/ — Smaller towns could well benefit from the shift.
would likely /wʊd ˈlaɪkli/ — A longer trial would likely produce cleaner data.
Not ""Costs will definitely rise before the new supplier is in place."" — say ""Costs may well rise before the new supplier is in place."". May well reports a strong possibility you can defend. Will definitely claims a certainty a hypothesis does not have.
Try it: A paper is describing what might follow if funding is cut. Which wording fits a hypothesis? (Waiting times may well increase. / Waiting times will definitely increase. / Waiting times cannot increase.) Answer: Waiting times may well increase. — May well says it is quite possible without claiming to know, which is what a hypothesis needs. Will definitely asserts a certainty the paper has not shown, and cannot rules the outcome out altogether.
Naming a condition that may not happen
In the event that introduces something that might occur and says what would follow if it did: "In the event that flooding increases, we will need evacuation protocols." It is the formal cousin of a plain if, and it belongs in plans and policies where the condition has to be stated precisely. Compare it with As a result of, which treats the thing as having already happened, and Regardless of, which says the outcome holds whether it happens or not — three different relationships to the same event.
in the event that /ɪn ði ɪˈvɛnt ðæt/ — In the event that the trial is halted, participants will be contacted directly.
Not ""As a result of flooding increasing, we will need evacuation protocols." (in a contingency plan)" — say ""In the event that flooding increases, we will need evacuation protocols."". A contingency plan describes something that has not happened yet. As a result of treats the flooding as done; in the event that keeps it hypothetical.
Try it: A policy document sets out what to do if a system fails. Which opening states the condition without assuming it happened? (In the event that the system fails, / As a result of the system failing, / Regardless of the system failing,) Answer: In the event that the system fails, — In the event that names a possibility, which is what a policy plans for. As a result of treats the failure as already real, and Regardless of says the outcome is the same either way — neither states a condition.
Try it: Priya: Not everyone will agree that longer terms help students. Nadia: True. ___ they reduce the summer learning gap, but the evidence is mixed. Which reply offers it as one position, not a settled fact? (One could argue that / It stands to reason that / Suppose that) Answer: One could argue that — 'One could argue that' presents the claim as a defensible view among others, which fits "not everyone will agree" and "the evidence is mixed." 'It stands to reason that' would treat it as an obvious logical result, and 'Suppose that' would set up a new premise rather than state a position on this one.