Making and

Responding to
Requests and
Enquiries
 In everyday interactions, we often
need other people’s help, and when we
do, it is important to know the correct way
to ask for it. Making a request properly will
not only determine whether we actually
obtain the help we need, but,
more importantly,
affect the attitude that
people have toward us.
 Making requests, in other words,
involves an understanding of etiquette —
or politeness. In making requests in
English, it is necessary to learn not only
certain words and expressions, but also
how to use them appropriately. First of all,
the way you ask will depend on the social
distance between yourself and the other
person.
 For instance, if you are asking a
teacher for help, you will probably use
more indirect and more formal words than
if you are asking a close friend or
relative.
Second, the language
you use will depend on the
weight of the favor.
 If you are making a special
request from even a close
friend, say to borrow several
thousand dollars, you will
probably use more polite
language than if you are
 Even with these guidelines, it can
sometimes be hard to know how to
make a request, especially in “sticky”
situations. For instance, if you want a
stranger to keep quiet in a movie theater,
you might want to give him a direct
command rather than make a
request in order to show how annoyed
you are.
 However, even in this case, you will
probably get better results if you ask
him
to quiet down in a polite and
considerate
way.
The most polite requests generally
use the expression “Would you mind...?”
or “Do you mind...?” For example:
1. Would you mind if I borrow(ed) your
electronic dictionary?
Would you mind lending me this
book?

Do you mind if I turn the radio off?

Do you mind turning the TV down?
 Requests that are slightly less
formal, but still indirect and polite, begin
with “Would you,” “Could you,” or “Can
you.”“Please” can be added for
additional politeness. Notice that
these requests are still in the form
of a question.
2. Would you (please) speak
more quietly? Could you
speak more loudly, (please)?
Can you (please) speak more
slowly?
 If you want to be more direct, you
can make your request in the form of an
imperative sentence rather than a
question. In this case, you can retain a
sense of politeness by adding the
word “please.”
3. Please put the books on the
table over there.
Put the books over there,
please.

If you want to give an order, or a

direct command, then you can delete the
“please.”
 The following are most often used
when someone is impatient or
irritated:

4. Sit down, would you? I can’t see the

television!
Sit down! I can’t see!