May I help You?

Offering help or Service

Offering help or service is a polite way to react about situstions. It’s a good a habit if we like helping
people. In some situations, people have a job to serve customers, such as receptionist, customer
service, librarian, shop assinstant, and waiter. Now, read the dialogue!
Librarian : May I help you?
Alice : Yes, please. I can’t find the book entitled “syntax”.
Robby : The catalogue shows that the book is in the shelf C 48, but we can’t find it.
Librarian : Let me see. Is it the book you are looking for?
Alice : Yes, it is. Thank you very much.
Librarian : You are welcome.

1. Social function of Offering Help or sevice

The social function of offering help or service to others is maintain interpersonal relationship
with others by offering help or service.
2. Language Features of offering Help or Service
To offer help or service, we usually use the following expressons and the responses.
Offering Help or Service Accepting Help or Service Refusing Help or Service
 May I (help you)?  Yes, please.  Please, don’t bother.
 Can I (help you)?  Thank you very much.  Thanks. I can manage
myself.
 Would you like me to (do  Thanks for your help.  Thank you, but there is
something) no need to.
 Do you want me to (do  That’s very kind of you.  No, that’s quite all right.
something)?
 What shall I do for you?  Thanks.  No, thanks.
 Let me help you?  You helped me a lot  No, don’t bother.
 Can I give you a hand?  If you don’t mind.  Not at the moment.
 I’ll do it for you?  Thank you. I appreciate  You don’t have to
it.
 Need some help?  You sure can, thanks.
 If there is anything else I  I’d be happy to assist
can do, please let me you.
know.
 If you need a help, please
let me know.
 What if I help you?
 Would you like some help?
 Do you need any help?
 May I offer my assistance?

Activty 1 : Reading Comprehension

Read and practice the following dialogue! Then answer the quesstions!
Risa : Excuse me.
Anna : Oh, Risa. Please, come in.
Risa : Okay. You look busy. May I help you?
Anna : Sure. I really need someone to finish this work. There are many books, and I have to clean
them.
Risa : What can I do for you?
Anna : Well, if you don’t mind, you can arrange those books on the shelf.
Risa : Alright. Are they all your books?
Anna : They are our family’s books. My dad wants me to clean and arrange the books tidily.
Risa : What if I clean your shelf first? It’s still dirty.
Anna : That’s okay, thanks. I haven’t cleaned it yet.
Risa : You’re welcome.
Anna : I’ll take a glass of water for you.
Risa : No, don’t bother.
Anna : It’s alright
Risa : Thanks. Well, I have clean the shelf. What can I do for you now?
Anna : I think that’s enough. Thanks for helping me.
Risa : That’s what a friend for.
Questions:
1. Where does the conversation take place?
2. What is the relationship between the speakers?
3. Why does Risa decide to offer her help?
4. What does Risa do to help Anna?
5. Rewrite the functions of offering help and the responses!

Respond these statements.

1. Dewa, isn’t it stuffy here?

Would you like me to ….
2. This bag is incredibly heavy.
I’ll ……….. if you like.
3. The last train has gone. It went four minutes ago.
Shall I …….. ?
4. I’ve got my hands full and I can’t open the door.
Do you want me to ……?
5. Oh no! I left all my money at home.
______________________________
6. My motorbike won’t start. It’s run out of petrol, I think.
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7. I can’t understand this. The instructions are all in kanji.
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8. I can’t reach the dictionary. It is up there on the top of shelf.
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9. I’ve got headache.
________________________
10. I can’t do my homework. I think it’s so hard.
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