| Category | Explanation | |
| Bonding | bonding with the questioner or the readership | |
| Empathizing | display of understanding of a questioner’s situation, reassurance | |
| Praising | the questioner’s attitudes and actions are highlighted as good | |
| Hedging | a word or phrase used to downplay the weight of an imposition | |
| Boosting | a word or phrase used to give a point more weight | |
| Criticizing | criticizing of the questioner’s attitudes and actions | |
| humor-bonding | humor which aims at bonding with the questioner or the readership | |