P3AI_PNP Speaking 1

BAB V
Granting & Declining Request

Basic Competence:

 Being able to use modal auxiliary in requesting and replying a favor.

 Being able to politely asking, declining, and accepting a request.

Indicator:

The students are able to acknowledge and comprehend how to offer, request, refuse,
and accept things in English

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P3AI_PNP Speaking 1

Granting Request

Granting Request is to express a wish or ask for to grant a request in a polite or formal

way often followed by an infinitive or by a clause beginning with that.

Expressing Granting & Response on Request

1. Asking someone to do something :

Expression Response to Response to refuse

accept
Can you give me the book ? OK I'm afraid, I ... (give
Could you phone me at 7 o'clock ? Sure you reason).
Would you mind repairing my watch ? Alright I'm sorry. I can't.
Do you think you could take me to the Certainly I'd like to, but ...
shop ? It's a pleasure (give your reason).
I wonder if you could write me an
application letter ?

2. Asking someone for something :

Expression Response to accept Response to refuse

Can I borrow your pen ? OK I'm afraid, I ... (give

Could I have a seat ? Sure you reason).

Can't I sit beside you ? Alright I'm sorry. I can't.

May I use your computer ? Certainly I'd like to, but ...

It's a pleasure (give your reason).

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Expressing, Granting and Denying Requests by Using the Modals Can/Could

When you make a request, you ask someone for something or ask them to do

something. The simplest way to ask for something is to say 'Can I have...?' You can

also add the word 'please' to be more polite.

 Can I have my book back, please? B: Yes, of course you can.

 Can you help me lift this chair? B: Sure I can.

If you want to make your request more polite, use the modal 'could'.

 Could I have another cup of tea? B: Yes, you can. / No, you can't. (NOT ...Yes,

you could.)

Remember: Do not use 'could' to grant or refuse a request. To grant requests, use the

modal verb 'can'. To refuse requests, use 'can't'.

Expressing, Granting and Denying Requests by Using the Modals May/Might

You can also make requests with the modals 'may' and 'might'. Requests with 'may' or

'might' sound very polite and formal. In less formal or casual situations, you should use

'can' or 'could'.

 Excuse me, may I have a look at your newspaper? (very polite, formal)

 Can I look at your newspaper for a moment? (casual, informal)

 Excuse me, I wonder if I might have a look at your newspaper for a moment?

(very polite, formal)

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 Might I have something to eat? (very polite, formal)

Requests with 'might' sound a little bit old-fashioned. Some English speakers find

'might' to be too distant for making requests. 'May not' is used to deny a request.

 May I borrow you car? No, you may not.

 Excuse me, I wonder if I might have a look at your newspaper for a moment?
No, you may not!.

Exercise 1

Use the polite phrases in the box to make requests for the situations (1 to 10) below.
I wonder if you could... Is there any chance you could...?
I'd be grateful if you could... Could Would you mind +ing...?
you possibly...? Would it be possible...?
Do you think you could...? Do you mind +ing...?

1. Ask a friend for a favour.

_______________________________________________________
2. Ask a policeman to give you directions.

_______________________________________________________
3. Ask someone to lend you something.

_______________________________________________________
4. Ask a friend to get you something.

_______________________________________________________
5. Ask someone to open the door for you.

_______________________________________________________
6. Ask a friend to buy you something from the shop.

_______________________________________________________
7. Ask a waiter to bring you the bill.

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_______________________________________________________
8. Ask someone to open the window for you.

_______________________________________________________
9. Ask a friend to give you a lift somewhere.

_______________________________________________________
10. Ask someone to tell you the time.

_______________________________________________________

Exercise 2

In pairs, take it in turns to make accept and decline requests using the situations from

Exercise 1. Record it as well, then upload in Spadaeng Portal.

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P3AI_PNP Speaking 1

Sources:

https://www.teach-this.com/images/resources/polite-requests.pdf

http://englishmade01.blogspot.com/2012/11/granting-request.html

https://www.english-at-home.com/speaking/making-requests/

https://sites.google.com/site/engforcomm/chapter-2-making-requests-asking-for-

permission-and-offering-helps

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Granting Declining Request