Here are examples of being too direct: “I want help.” “Pass me the salt.” “Can you carry my bag?” These questions are all correct English but they are too direct. In our first blog post on diplomatic / polite expressions in English – A Practical Guide to Diplomatic English in a Business Environment, we looked at several techniques for softening the message (I’m afraid, so sorry, to be honest, unfortunately, with all respect) or the tone of our language in English. 12. The following questions were not answered at all, and are therefore put to the Council again with a polite request for an answer and the observation that these are not press articles but questions tabled by a Member of the European Parliament. In this spoken English lesson, you will learn several methods to make polite requests and ask questions. Level: beginner. The word “please” makes the request more polite and less direct. I’d like…, please. a - Yes, take them. You need a taxi. Most of the polite requests are in the form of questions. Indirect questions always begin with an introductory phrase and unlike direct questions, they do not invert the subject. Cambridge University publishes English teaching materials with the phrase "Can you lend me," "Can I have," etc. Which forms you present depends partly on what kind of … Notice that indirect questions begin with a phrase ("I wonder," "Do you think," "Would you mind," etc.). d - I’m actually busy with it right now. SURVEY . We often use please to make our requests more polite: Could you call a taxi for me, please? Making Polite Requests in English with Examples (Formal) Let us proceed to see more formal ways of asking someone to do something… I Was Wondering If You Could/Would It Be Possible For You To . 5. Can you take a message, please? One form to avoid when asking for things is the imperative form. If the voice drops, someone is confirming information that is known. 4. Carry on a polite and respectful conversation. To make a polite request we make use of words shall and will. If the voice goes up at the end of the sentence, the person is asking for more information. Can I help you? or Would that be a problem? Some More Phrases You Can Use to Ask Indirections Questions. Hasn’t the postman come yet? In the United Kingdom, the word is not frowned upon. a - Yes, take them. http://www.engvid.com/ "Could you please"? This is used in case of a positive sentences. Can question cards - polite requests Level: elementary Age: 12-17 Downloads: 202 : My Classroom English Language Page 2 Polite Requests & Apologizing Level: intermediate Age: 10-17 Downloads: 190 : Making Polite Requests page 2 Level: intermediate Age: 14-17 Downloads: 177 : Making Polite Requests page 1 Level: intermediate Draw the students' attention to the ten polite phrases for making . can and will are less polite:. Do you know how long Mark _____ been working for that company? Could I/you…? Direct questions can seem abrupt or even impolite at times, especially when asked by a stranger. ', the player might say 'Do you mind calling a taxi for me?' Make a request' and the phrase on the square was 'Do you mind...? Could you take a message, please? Also, I share 3 magic words to help you be polite. By using ThoughtCo, you accept our, Basic Conversations for English Language Learners, English as a Second Language (ESL) Expert, Key Words That Make Direct Questions More Polite, Asking Indirect Questions to Be Especially Polite, Workplace Communication Skills for ESL Learners, Rhetorical Questions for English Learners, Ask Questions in English Class to Help You Learn, Phrases for Performing Well in Business Meetings, ESL: How to Ask for, Grant and Refuse Permission, Giving and Requesting Personal Information, Check Your Knowledge: Basic English Questions, Check Your Knowledge: Introductions and Greetings, Check Your Knowledge: "How Much" and "How Many", Check Your Knowledge: Eating at a Restaurant, Check Your Knowledge: Going to the Doctor, M.A., Music Performance, Cologne University of Music, B.A., Vocal Performance, Eastman School of Music. Would you mind…? Some Examples of Imperative Questions using “shall we” and “will you” – Here are some examples: “I know you’re really busy right now with your classes, but I was hoping you could help me do my research paper this weekend. There are many different ways of making polite requests in English. 'Sure. would you. We use the phrases like “shall we” or “will you” at the end of the imperative sentence to make a request more polite. Here is a making polite requests worksheet activity to help students practice the language for making, accepting and declining polite . Excuse me, do you know _____ the next show begins. If the request is correct, the student who read the situation accepts the request, e.g. Expressing polite requests is an important building block for your ESL students to achieve natural, everyday speech. Type in the letter, do not type in the whole sentence. Polite requests, offers, complaints etc. Offers and invitations. In this lesson, you will learn how to write a polite and effective letter of request. And in result, sound more polite. However, people mostly frame their questions in two very different ways, either incredibly polite and reverential or without any kind of introduction or request. e.g. Open questions have more than two possible answers. This is another expression we can use to make a polite request. Make a polite request. Requests. A negative question can also be used to ask for confirmation of a negative belief. In British English we tend to be rather indirect and perhaps overly polite with such interaction, so it strikes me that it may be useful to run through a few tips for how we politely introduce questions and requests. The second part uses the opposite form of the helping verb followed by the same subject ("Hasn't she"). Can I do that for you? Polite requests: Chu from Malaysia writes: I don't ... Might is more frequently used in indirect questions, as an indirect question softens the request. color: #0000FF; font-weight: bold; would you mind. Would you please check the figures? I could do with some help with… 14. Tags: Question 7 . .style1 { If you don't want to sound rude when speaking English, then you need to know how to make a request in a polite way.Requests in English are usually made in the form of questions (Is it?) Would you please ? ______ me, what time does the train leave? A request is when we ask someone for something. 2. Direct questions ask for information immediately without including extra language such as "I wonder" or "Can you tell me.". direct, indirect, or question tag). ThoughtCo uses cookies to provide you with a great user experience. These are clearly two indirect questions with yes/no answers, but 'whether' sounds incorrect in both cases. Do you think that you could…? 10. 15 Questions Show answers. #1: Scenario + Response. answer choices . We can understand question tags as having two parts separated by a comma. * , chapter=4 , title= Mr. Pratt's Patients, passage=I told him about everything I could think of; and what I couldn't think of he did.He asked about six questions' during my yarn, but every ' question had a point to it. 30 seconds . Teaching your students polite request is important as ESL learners will come across as being rude if they are not taught how to phrase questions appropriately. -->. 20 seconds . Noun ()A sentence, phrase or word which asks for information, reply or response; an interrogative. The other students in the group judge whether the request has been phrased correctly and is appropriate. There are three types of questions in English: direct, indirect, and question tags. These are used for open questions. c - Sure, make yourself comfortable. This is used when asking someone to do something in a very formal and polite way, especially when you are not sure that they will be able to do what you ask. Direct and indirect questions are used to ask for information you do not know, while question tags are generally used to clarify or confirm the information you think you know. Average: 3.2 (25 votes) Fri, 01/22/2010 - 08:07 — Chris McCarthy. We are short of staff. Polite Questions Used to Signal Embedded Questions. or information questions such as "Where do you live?" Using indirect question forms is especially polite. Procedure. I’d be very grateful if you could… 9. A simple activity to help students out with making polite requests is to give them a scenario and then ask students to come up with a question. Signup to our newsletter "English in your Inbox" to receive your monthly fix of English by email. Learn how to be polite and learn how to ask questions in a polite manner. Yes, no problem. There are many ways for you to make requests in English politely. Would it be possible for me/you to…? Making Requests & Asking for Help ESL Games & Activities. … if it’s not too much trouble.
