INTERMEDIATE ONE UNIT 6 GRAMMAR SUMMARY (2016GP)

Two-Part Verbs to make requests. Agreeing to request using ´will´

Using the imperative to make requests for family, close friends, small requests. The imperative
does not include a subject but the subject you is understood. We use the base form of the verb.

Two-part verbs have the main verb and then a particle which changes the meaning.

Turn up the volume. Turn down the volume. Turn up the TV. Turn down the TV.

Turn on the fan. Turn off the fan. Turn off the radio. Turn on the radio.

If the object of the two-part verb is a noun (e.g. TV, radio), the noun can come before or after the
particle.

Turn the TV down. Turn down the TV.

Pick your things up. Pick up your things.

If the object of the two-part verb is a pronoun (e.g. it, them), the pronoun can only come between
the verb and the particle.

Turn it down. Pick them up.

It is more polite to use please to make a request. Please can go at the beginning or the end of the
sentence. Use a comma before please when it comes at the end.

Please turn down the music. Turn down the music, please.

Responding to the request positively. We use will.

Ok, I´ll turn it down.

All right, I´ll pick them up.

Grammar Point Two, Making an imperative request more polite using modals.

For strangers, neighbors, difficult requests, we should make a more polite request. Modals
become more polite and more formal from can to could to would. The modal is followed by the
base verb (e.g., Can you turn down the music?) Please makes the request even more polite.
Please can come between you and the verb or at the end of the sentence. Could you please turn
down the music? Could you turn down the music, please?

Another more polite way to make a request is Would you mind + gerund ..?

Would you mind turning down the music? The answer here would be (not at all, okay, sorry, no
problem, etc. ) if it is okay.

If you want to make a negative request, the not goes before the gerund. Would you mind not
coming late.

Please can be added to the end of these requests after a comma. Would you mind turning down
the music, please? Would you mind not coming late, please?