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  • How To Be Polite in English

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    The document provides guidelines for using polite language in English when making requests, offers, suggestions, and pointing out mistakes. It lists 11 common situations and recommends more indirect and courteous expressions to use rather than direct or blunt statements. For example, suggesting "Could/can you...please?" instead of "Do this today" when making a simple request of someone who is obligated to comply. The document emphasizes using indirect and tentative language to make requests more polite in English.

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    How to Be Polite in English

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    The document provides guidelines for using polite language in English when making requests, offers, suggestions, and pointing out mistakes. It lists 11 common situations and recommends more indirect and courteous expressions to use rather than direct or blunt statements. For example, suggesting "Could/can you...please?" instead of "Do this today" when making a simple request of someone who is obligated to comply. The document emphasizes using indirect and tentative language to make requests more polite in English.

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    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
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    3 views2 pages

    How To Be Polite in English

    Uploaded by

    王芊文
    The document provides guidelines for using polite language in English when making requests, offers, suggestions, and pointing out mistakes. It lists 11 common situations and recommends more indirect and courteous expressions to use rather than direct or blunt statements. For example, suggesting "Could/can you...please?" instead of "Do this today" when making a simple request of someone who is obligated to comply. The document emphasizes using indirect and tentative language to make requests more polite in English.

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    How to Be Polite in English

    # Intention Courteous Expression

    Would you please be kind enough to give


    1 I want another hamburger.
    me another hamburger?

    2 You’re completely wrong. I am afraid that there might be a mistake.

    Would you please be kind enough to offer


    3 Where’s the bathroom?
    me the direction to the bathroom?

    It would be nice if this can be done by


    4 Do this today.
    today.

    5 What’s your name? May I have your name, please?

    Do you happen to have an extra pen with


    6 Can I borrow your pen?
    you?

    7 Can I say something? May I have a word here?

    I am afraid that the task is beyond my


    8 I cannot do that.
    capability.

    Could you please make your way to


    9 Come to my office. A.S.A.P. my office at your earliest
    convenience?
    I am afraid that due to time
    10 I do not have time for the meeting. constrain, I won’t be able to make it
    of the meeting.

    11 Close/Open the window. Would you mind my closing the window?


    Writing Polite Emails: How to be Indirect and Polite

    Situations Language

    Simple Requests -Asking an employee or


    Could/can you…please?
    (the reader has an obligation coworker to do something that
    Would you mind…?
    to comply with your request) he/she normally handles

    I was hoping you could…


    Favors and Big Requests -Getting help with something
    I was wondering if you
    (the reader does not have an that you normally handle
    could…
    obligation to comply with yourself
    Do you think you might be
    your request) -Special requests
    able to…?

    I was hoping I could…


    -Vacation requests I was wondering if I could…
    Permission -Time off requests Would it be okay if I…?
    -Borrowing something Do you think I might be able
    to…?

    What about if…?


    -Offering your point of view
    Maybe we could…?
    Suggestions -Suggesting a better way of
    I thought it might be a good
    doing something
    idea to…

    -Rejecting offers, suggestions, I’m not sure that…


    Rejecting/Refusing/Declining
    proposals/ideas I don’t know if…

    It looks like…
    Pointing out a Mistake -Billing mistakes
    It seems…

    -Finding out if something is


    finished
    Checking on the Status of Have you had a chance to
    -Gently reminding someone that
    Something finish/work on…?
    you need something he/she
    is working on

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