2. To refer to the expectation/hypothesis/assumption It was expected that…. It was anticipated that … In line with our hypothesis, … The results seem inconsistent with our assumption …

3. To explain findings This findings can be explained by … One reason could be that (could indicates lack of certainty) It is likely that The difference may be due to (+noun phrase) The difference may be attributed to (+noun phrase) The difference is probably a consequence of (+noun phrase) The difference would seem to stem from (+noun phrase)

4. To suggest implications The findings suggest that The findings imply that The findings lend support to the assumption that The findings provide evidence that The findings lead us to believe that We can infer from the findings that