POLITE REQUESTS

1. Polite requests with I as the subject Ma I !oul" I a) May I please borrow your pen? b) Could I borrow your pen (please)? !) Can I borrow your pen? Certainly. %es, !ertainly. &f !ourse. %es, of !ourse. 'ure. (informal) May I and Could I are used to request permission. They are equally polite. Note in b): In a polite request, could has a present or future meanin , not a past meanin . Can I is used informally to request permission, espe!ially if the spea"er is tal"in to someone he#she "nows fairly well. Can I is usually not !onsidered as polite as may I or could I. &ften the response to a polite request !onsists of an a!tion, a nod or sha"e of the head, or a simple (uh)huh*.

!a# I Typi!al $esponse s:

$ote% Mi&ht is also possible: Mi&ht I borrow your pen? Mi&ht I is quite formal and polite+ it is used mu!h less frequently than Ma I or !oul" I. '. Polite requests with ou as the subject (oul" ou (ill ou !oul" ou a) ,ould you pass me the salt (please)? b) ,ill you (please) pass me the salt? !) Could you pass the salt? The meanin of would you and will you in a polite request is the same. ,ould you is more !ommon and is often !onsidered more polite. The de ree of politeness, howe-er, is often determined by the spea"er.s tone of -oi!e. /asi!ally, could you and would you ha-e the same meanin . The differen!e is sli ht: would you 0 1o you want to do this please? could you 0 1o you want to do this please, and is it possible for you to do this? Could you and would you are equally polite. Can you is often used informally. It usually sounds less polite than could you or should you. 2 person usually responds in the affirmati-e to a polite request. If a ne ati-e response is ne!essary, a person mi ht be in by sayin , (I.d li"e to, but...* (e. .*I.d li"e to pass the salt but I !an.t rea!h it. I.ll as" Tom to pass it to you.*)

!a# ou Typi!al $esponse s:

d) Can you pass the salt? %es, I.d (I would) be happy to. %es, I.d be lad to. Certainly. 'ure. (informal)

). E*ercise% as+ a#" a#swer ,olite questio#s. 3) %ou and 2nna are sittin at the dinner table. %ou want the butter. Stu"e#t -% Ma"e a polite request for the i-en situation. (2nna), would you pass me the butter? Stu"e#t .% 4i-e a typi!al response. Certainly, I.d be lad to. 5ere you are. 6) %ou want to as" your tea!her a question. 7) %ou.re at your friend.s apartment. %ou want to use the phone. 8) %ou.re spea"in on the phone to your brother. %ou want him to pi!" you up at the airport when you arri-e home. 9) %ou want to lea-e !lass early. %ou.re spea"in to you instru!tor. :) %ou want (someone) too meet you in front of the library at three this afternoon. ;) %ou "no!" on your professor.s half open door. 5e.s sittin at his des". %ou want to o in. <) %ou want to ma"e an appointment to see 1r. North. %ou.re spea"in to her se!retary. =) %ou are at a as station. %ou want the attendant to !he!" the oil. 3>) %ou are in your !hemistry !lass. %ou.re loo"in at your te?tboo". &n pa e 3>> there is a formula whi!h you do not understand. %ou want your professor to e?plain this formula to you. 33) %ou !all her friend. 5er name is (...) someone else answers the phone. 36) %ou want a stran er in an airport to "eep her eye on your lu a e while you et a drin" of water. 37) %ou want (...) to re!ord somethin on the 1@1 while you.re away at a meetin .

/. Polite requests with woul" ou 0i#" 2'AIN4 BC$MI''I&N a) (oul" ou 0i#" if I !losed the window? b) (oul" ou 0i#" if I used the phone? Noti!e in a): woul" ou 0i#" i1 I is followed by the simple past. 'ometimes in informal spo"en Cn lish the simple present is used: Would you mind if I close the window? The meanin in a): May I close the window? Is it all right if I close the window? Will it cause you any trouble or discomfort if I close the window? 2nother typi!al response mi ht be (uh)huh*, meanin no.

T%BIC2D $C'B&N'C'

No. Not at all. No, of !ourse not. No, that would be fine. 2'AIN4 '&MC&NC CD'C T& 1& '&MCT5IN4 !) ,ould you mind !losin the window? d) C?!use me? ,ould you mind repeatin that? T%BIC2D No. Not at all. $C'B&N'C' No, of !ourse not. No, that would be fine.

Noti!e in !): woul" ou 0i#" is followed by Ein (a erund). The meanin in !): I dont want to cause you any trouble, but would you please close the window? Would that cause you any inconvenience?

2. E*ercise% Usi#& the 3erb i# ,are#thesis4 1ill i# the bla#+ either with If + I the past tense or with the 5 ing form of the verb. I# so0e o1 the se#te#ces4 either res,o#se is ,ossible but the 0ea#i#& is "i11ere#t. 3) I.m ettin tired. I.d li"e to o home and o to bed. ,ould you mind I1 I le1t early? (leave) 6) I.m sorry. I didn.t understand what you said. ,ould you mind 66666666666666 that? (repeat) 7) 2: 2re you oin to the post offi!e? /: %es. 2: ,ould you mind 66666666666666 this letter for me? (mail) /: No, not at all. 8) 2: 2re you !omin with us? /: I "now I promised to o with you, but I.m not feelin -ery ood. ,ould you mind 66666666666666 at home? (stay) 2: &f !ourse not. 9) 2: I still don.t understand how to wor" this al ebra problem. ,ould you mind 66666666666666 it a ain? (e plain) /: Not at all. I.d be happy to. :) 2: It.s ettin hot in here. ,ould you mind 66666666666666 the window? (open) /: No. ;) 2: This is probably none of my business, but would you mind 66666666666666 a personal question? (as!) /: It depends. <) 2: ,ould you mind 66666666666666? (smo!e) /: I.d really rather you didn.t. =) 2: C?!use me. ,ould you mind 66666666666666 a little more slowly? I didn.t !at!h what you said? (spea!) /: I.d be happy to. 3>) 2: I don.t li"e this T@ pro ram. ,ould you mind 66666666666666 the !hannel? (change) /: Fnh ) unh. 7. E*ercise% !o0,lete the chart either a""i#& ,lease to the i0,erati3e se#te#ce or usi#& the 0o"als 8woul"4 coul"4 0a 4 etc9 to 0a+e ,olite requests. IMPER-TI:E SE$TE$!ES 3. &pen the window. POLITE REQUESTS Could you please open the window? ,ould you mind openin the window? 4i-e me a !up of !offee, please. May I please ha-e a !up of !offee? Could you et me a !up of !offee? Blease open the window.
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6. 4i-e me a !up of !offee. 7. Turn on the li ht.

8. 4i-e me that boo". 9. 'it down. :. 'ay that a ain. ;. 4i-e me your pen. <. Bass me the butter. =. 4i-e me a ride home in your !ar. 3>. Tell me what time is it. 33. Mail these letters if you o to the post offi!e. 36. Close the window and turn on the air !onditioner. 37. Det me out of the ele-ator.

;. E*ercise% -s+ ,olite questio#s i# the 1ollowi#& situatio#s. Use a# a,,ro,riate 0o"als 80a 4 woul"4 coul"4 etc9 or ,olite i0,erati3e. 3) 6) 7) 8) 9) :) ;) <) =) 3>) 33) 36) 37) 38) 39) 3:) 3;) 3<) 3=) 6>) %our plane lea-es at si? p.m. tomorrow. %ou want your friend to ta"e you to the airport. %ou.re sittin at your friend.s house. 2 bowl of fruit is on the table. %ou want an apple. %ou.re in !lass. %ou.re hot. The window is !losed. %ou.re in a !ar. %our friend is dri-in . %ou want her to stop at the ne?t mailbo? so you !an mail a letter. %ou.re tryin to study. %our roommate is playin his musi! -ery loudly, and this is botherin you. %ou !all your friend. 'omeone else answers the phone and tells you that he.s out. %ou want to lea-e a messa e. %ou want your pen. %ou !an.t rea!h it, but your friend !an. %ou want her to hand it to you. %ou.re at a restaurant. %ou want some !offee. %ou.re at your friend.s house. %ou want to help her set the dinner table. %ou.re the tea!her. %ou want a student to shut the door. %ou want to ma"e a phone !all. %ou.re in a store and ha-e to use a pay phone, but you don.t ha-e any !han e. 2ll you ha-e is (a one)dollar bill). %ou as" a !ler" for !han e. %ou.re at a restaurant. %ou.-e finished your meal and are ready to lea-e. %ou as" the waiter for the !he!". %ou !all your boss.s house. 5is name is Mr. 'mith. %ou want to tal" to him. 5is wife answers the phone. %ou.re i-in a dinner party. %our uests ha-e Gust arri-ed. %ou want to et them somethin to drin". %our uests ha-e arri-ed. %ou want them to sit down. %ou.re wal"in down the hall of the !lassroom buildin . %ou need to "now what time it is. %ou as" a student you.-e ne-er met. %ou.re in the middle of the !ity. %ou.re lost. %ou.re tryin to find the bus station. %ou stop someone on the street to as" for dire!tions. %ou !all the airport. %ou want to "now what time Hli ht :6 arri-es. %ou.re in a department store. %ou find a sweater that you li"e, but you !an.t find the pri!e ta . %ou as" the !ler" to tell you how mu!h it !osts you. It.s your first day on !ampus. %ou.re supposed to be at the library for a meetin , but you !an.t find the library. %ou as" for information from another student you meet on the sidewal".

<. (hat are so0e co00o# ,olite requests ou ha3e hear" or ha3e sai" i# the 1ollowi#& ,laces= a) In this !lassroom d) 2t an airport b) 2t a restaurant e) &n the telephone !) 2t a !lothin store f) 2t a ser-i!e station