Making Requests

A request is when we ask someone for something. Since we

are asking someone for help, it is important to be polite.
We must avoid being too direct.

There are many ways to form an appropriate request in

English depending on the context.

Can you guess which ones are very indirect, and which
ones are more direct?

a. Let me see your notes. (D)

b. Do you think I could see your notes?
c. I seem to have lost my notes…
d. I want your notes. (D)
e. Can I borrow your notes?
f. Please show me your notes. (D)
g. Would it be alright if I borrowed your notes for a bit?

Using the Past Tense

To make a request less direct (and therefore, more polite),

there are a couple strategies. The first one is to use the past
tense, such as the simple past or past progressive. By
phrasing requests in the past tense, a sense of distance is
created between the speaker and the thing being requested.
In this way, the request is seen as being less direct, and
therefore, less confrontational toward the speaker. Look at
the following examples:
I was hoping to leave work a little early today.
I wondered if I could leave work a little early today.

Practice making the following requests more polite by

changing their verb forms in the past tense:

1. I wonder if you can review my report.

I wondered if you could review my report.

2. Can you review my report when you have the time?

Could you review my report when you have the time?

3. I hope you can review my report.

I was hoping you could review my report.

Modal Verbs

Another way to increase the politeness of a request is to

add modal verbs (might, would, could, should, etc.). Look
at the following examples:

Might I take a look at the report?

Could I take a look at the report?
Would you be able to show me the report?
Should I take a look at the report?

(Note that requests with “should” are very soft requests

because questions with “should” allow the listener to
decide if the request is necessary or not.)