Polite questions in English could you. About English with love. Polite requests in English

Regardless of the formality or vernacular of the environment, it is important to be polite. A well-mannered interlocutor speaks politely even with relatives, using the correct tone.

This is served by the universal please at the beginning, end of a sentence, or before a verb. In the initial position, it enhances emotionality requests to English language .

In circulation Would you mind doing smth.? mind is followed by a gerund. The request also reinforces the post-question will/won't you ?

Give me your book, please, won't you? – Givebook, wellplease

Pleading intonation

The request is usually a general question. Such a polite and friendly request is pronounced on a descending scale with a low rise. Persistent and urgent request has a rise-fall.

‘Would you ‘mind my ‘opening the / window? - Younotagainst, ifIopenwindow?

‘ Wouldyou'mind\not /smokinghere? May I ask you not to smoke here?

Please at the beginning of the request is usually stressed, pronounced in a high tone. At the end of the request, it sounds with a low rise after a high fall.

‘Please be / seatedsit down

‘Would you be so ‘kind as to ‘pass me the \ butter, / please? – Bekindhand overto meoil, please

A request in the form of a command followed by a question is a double statement. The first usually has a high fall, the second a rise for politeness or a high fall for assertiveness.

‘Give me this ‘pack of ciga \ rettes, / will you?

‘Give me this ‘pack of ciga \ rettes, \ will you? - Notgivecigarettes?

Answer sounds with a fall to express complete (dis)agreement.

\ Certainly - Of course

With \pleasure - with pleasure

\ No, of ‘course \ not - Naturally, No

All right in the sense of agreement, it is usually pronounced with an increased stress all and a low rise on the right.

‘ All /right - Okay

turnover I'm sorry in the meaning of apology, it usually forms an utterance with a high fall.

\ OhI'm \sorry - Oh, sorry

pitch saying pronounced falling-rising.

\ Here you / are - Here

\ Here you / go - Take

Pleading samples

Pleading dialogues

A park.

House. Ann with her mother.

Train. 2-seater coupe.

Class. Student with teacher.

Class. 2 students.

House. Mother with son.

Dorm.

English Joke

An American tourist in France found that he had a two hours’ wait for his train at a junction, and set out to explore the neighborhood. He discovered at the last that he was lost, and could not find his way back to the station. He therefore addressed a passer-by in the best French he could recollect from his college days, mispronouncing it with great emphasis. He voiced his request for information as follows:

"Pardonnez-moi. J'ai quitté ma train et maintenant je ne sais pas où le trouver encore. Est-ce que vous pouvez me montrer le route à la train?”

"Let's look for it together," said the stranger genially. "I don't speak French, either."

Are you going on vacation or on a business trip? Then you need to know what it will look like polite request in english! After all, in any case, you will have to order lunch, a taxi, communicate with the hotel administrator and make purchases. One please, alas, will not be enough. Therefore, we recommend that you carefully read our article and make a list of suggestions for a future trip.

What does a polite request look like in English?

It can be either a question or a statement. polite request in english often begins with can or could and includes the well-known have verb. In most cases, you can confine yourself to the cliché “Can I have….?” The Russian version sounds like this: “can I ....?” Here are some examples:

1) Can I have a glass of juice? - Can I have a glass of juice?

2) Can I have my keys? - Can I have the keys?

3) Can I have one more piece of sugar? – Can I have another piece of sugar?

4) Can I have two kilos of apples? Can I have two kilos of apples?

In some situations, it is important to sound even more polite. For this purpose, could paired with please is suitable.

1) Could you please do it for me? – Could you do this for me?

2) Could you please show me the way to the bus stop? - Could you show me the way to the bus stop?

3) Could you please wait a little bit? – Could you wait a bit?

AT mother tongue we use the phrase “I would like to….” Is there something similar in English? Of course! Surely, you have already met I'd like (=I would like). This expression will help you out when you need a polite request in English.

1) I'd like to talk to you. – I would like to talk to you.

2) I'd like to book a single room. – I would like to book a single room.

3) I'd like to sit here. - I would like to sit here.

4) I'd like to take a taxi. – I would like to take a taxi.

Similarly, a polite request in English can be formed with "May I....?" This option would be ideal for a formal setting.

1) May I take this file with me? – Can I take this file with me?

2) May I use your pen? - May I use your pen?

3) May I call you again? - Can I call you again?

Interesting phrases-requests in English

Want to make a special impression on your interlocutor? Then memorize more interesting request phrases in english.

1) Do you mind if I do it myself?"Do you mind if I do it myself?"

Polite address in English is an indispensable element of English speech. In our previous article, we began to study courtesy in english in different situations Let's continue this topic today. In English, there are different ways to politely ask for something, give instructions or permission, depending on whether the conversation is being conducted in a formal or informal setting.

Orders in English (Orders)

To express orders in English, the imperative mood or construction with the verb let can be used:

Let "s learn English at these Foreign Languages ​​Courses in Kiev - let's learn English at these courses foreign languages in Kyiv

Buy me this English book because I want to study English at these Foreign Languages ​​Courses in Kyiv

A prohibition in English is also expressed using a construction in combination with cannot (can "t) or constructions o + ing form and in other ways:

No smoking! - Do not smoke!

Parking prohibited - parking is prohibited

You can "t study English there - you cannot study English there

This is not a very polite form of address in English, but in some cases, too polite form of address is not needed to express prohibitions.

There are a variety of ways to express orders more politely in English. To do this, resort to:

Using the word please - please:

Please go to Kiev with me - please come with me to Kyiv

The use of a dissected question (Tag question), including the imperative mood. The interrogative part in this case contains the words: will you?, would you? or won't you?:

Bring me that book in English, will you? - Will you bring me this book in English?

Using constructions with modal verbs should, ought to, construction be to or construction had better + bare infinitive (a verb without a particle to):

You should attend these Foreign Languages ​​Courses in Kyiv

As you can see, polite treatment in English is possible even in the form of orders.

Requests in English (Request)

A neutral request in English is expressed by a general question (Yes-No question) with the modal verb will, would, can or could. The use of would and could makes the request more polite:

You couldn't tell me the time, could you? - Can you tell me what time it is?

I wonder if you would take a moment to talk to us in English

To ask for something, in English they use Could I have ...?, Can I have ...?, May I have ...?. The use of may makes the request more formal:

Can I have a ticket to Kiev, please? - Can I have a ticket to Kyiv, please?

To politely express your desire in English and make a request, use the constructions I would like = I "d like. The request expressed by the construction I wish you would (wish + that - clause) has a shade of irritation:

I would like to attend these English language courses in Kiev - I would like to attend these English language courses in Kyiv

I wish you "d be quiet - Please be quiet!

Unlike the Russian language, interrogative sentences with negation are not used to express a polite request in English.

Note:

In English, there are phrases that you can use in response to a request, for example, when passing a thing in response to a request, you can say:

Here you are! There you go! - Here! On the!

The word please is not used in this situation.

Offers and suggestions in English (Offers and suggestions)

To politely offer your services or some thing, the English language uses the verbs can and could, as well as the Would you like + construction:

Can / could I help you with your English hometask? Can I help you with your English assignment?

Can / could I help you with your trip to Kiev? - Can I help you with a trip to Kyiv?

Would you like a cup of tea? - Would you like a cup of tea?

In questions that are said to offer help, you can also use the verbs shall and should:

Shall / should I help you with your English exercise? – Can I help you with your English exercise?

In a more formal setting, a thing can be offered using the Can/May I get/offer you smth. construction:

Can I get you some coffee? - Would you like some coffee?

Advice, motivation, a sentence can be expressed in the imperative mood of verbs and the construction let "s + a verb without a particle to:

Let "s go to Kiev - let's go to Kyiv

Permission in English (Permission)

To politely ask for permission, the verbs can/could and may/might are used in English (may, might have a more formal connotation):

Can I borrow your English book? - Can I borrow your English book?

May I come in? - May I come in?

To ask for permission in a more formal way, you can use the expressions I wonder if you would mind if... , Would you mind if …:

Do you mind if we don "t go to Kiev today? - Do you mind if we don't go to Kiev today?

To give permission (or deny it), use the verbs can and may (but not could):

Yes, you can borrow my English book - yes, you can borrow my English textbook

You may come in - you may come in

Prohibition in English is expressed using the verb must + negation:

Children must not be left alone! - Do not leave children unattended!

In negative sentences about the past, you can use the expression was/were allowed to, and the verb could to indicate that something was allowed:

We were not allowed to / could "t open that door - we were not allowed to open this door

As you can see, courtesy in English will help to express even orders and demands in a milder form, if you use the necessary phrases correctly in situations that are suitable for this.

In vain you are so only with the Russians, the British also cannot be understood with the mind. They live on their island, and their house is a fortress, they are all enslaved and unsociable. And yet, pathological politeness lives in them from birth. However, as they say: When in Rome do as the Romans do(They don’t go to a foreign monastery with their charter). Since you have begun to learn English, please learn English politeness. Maybe we just don't have enough. I often repeat that beautiful English speech - grammatically correct, lexically rich and pronounced in the right way - wins over the interlocutor. Correct speech and pronunciation make an impression, so do not underestimate the desire for perfectionism in the language. With it, you can get a lot of goodies. Believe me, all the torment you go through in order to speak English well is not in vain. They will bear fruit. But it's not just how you say it that matters, but what you say. Therefore, you need to know what conversational forms to use so that people clearly feel your polite attitude towards them.

1. Could/would

One of the basic rules of politeness is to replace can in requests with could or would and add please.

For example:

Can you give me your book? -> Could you give me your book please?

(Can you give me your book? -> Could you give me your book?)

Can you call me later? -> Would you call me please?

(Can you call later? -> Could you call later?)

Come tomorrow. -> Would you be so kind to come again tomorrow?

(Come back tomorrow. -> Would you be so kind as to come again tomorrow?)

2. Word shock absorbers

When you need to convey unpleasant information, report a refusal, disagreement, etc., use the so-called “shock absorber words” (softeners):

I'm afraid- I'm afraid

so sorry- sorry

to be honest- honestly

unfortunately- unfortunately

with all respect- with all due respect

For example:

With all respect I have to decline your offer. (With all due respect, I must turn down your offer)

I am afraid you don't have enough experience. (I'm afraid you don't have enough experience)

It's a matter of choice of words. Instead of straightforward certainty, there should be polite uncertainty that masks reality. A modal verb is also often added to this end. might/may.

For example:

(Completion of the project will be delayed. -> Completion of the project may be delayed)

In the best tradition of British understatement, we use the following shock absorber words: a little, a bit, a little bit, slightly, slightly, small, one or two before nouns. All in order not to sound rude, too assertive and unrestrained.

For example:

We are having problems with the new product. -> We are having one or two problems with the new product.

(We have a problem with a new product. -> We have a small problem with a product)

We will run over budget. -> We might run slightly over budget.

(We'll go over budget. - We'll go slightly over budget)

The marketing campaign is behind schedule. -> The marketing campaign is a little bit behind schedule.

(Marketing campaign is behind schedule. -> Marketing campaign is slightly behind schedule.)

3. Negative questions

To soften the effect in cases where you want to offer something, it is better to use negative questions:

We should redesign the company logo! -> Shouldn't we redesign the company logo?

(We should redo the company logo! -> Shouldn't we have redone the company logo?)

We must hire a new advertising agency. -> Couldn't we hire a new advertising agency?

We must hire a new advertising agency. -> Wouldn't it be better to hire a new advertising agency?

4. Past Continuous

Another way to make a sentence more diplomatic and less direct is to use the Past Continuous.

I hope we can sign the contract today. -> I was hoping that we could sign the contract today.

(I hope we can sign a treaty today. -> I was hoping to sign a treaty today)

Using the Past Continuous makes your sentence hypothetical. In Russian translation, the difference is not noticeable, but in English, Past Continuous adds politeness to your speech.

I think we need to hire more employees. -> I was thinking we need to hire more employees.

(I think we should hire more workers. -> I think we should hire more workers)

I aim to finish this project by the end of the month. -> I was aiming to finish this project by the end of the month.

(I expect to finish the project by the end of the month. -> I expect to finish the project by the end of the month)

5. Passive Voice

You have broken my computer! (You broke my computer!)

This sentence in the active voice is so direct that it borders on rudeness. And if you want to avoid a bloody scene (that is, you don't want to directly accuse a person), you should use the passive voice. It will help you be more diplomatic:

My computer has been broken! (My computer is broken!)

Thus, you shift attention from the culprit of the action to the object of the action and mitigate the person’s personal responsibility for what he did.

You said you were going to sign the deal today. -> It was understood that you were going to sign the deal today.

(You said you would sign the deal today. -> It was agreed that you would sign the deal today)

You agreed to lower your fees. -> It was agreed that you were going to lower your fees.

(You have agreed to lower your rates. -> It has been agreed that you will lower your rates)

Let's also take a look at some expressions and structures that you can use in certain situations to sound polite.

Gratitude

(Here are your keys. - Thank you)

Thank you for helping with the report.

(Thanks for your help with the report)

Thank you so much for your advice.

(Thank you for your advice)

Request

In addition to using could and would With please, for example:

Would you close the window, please?

(Could you please close the window?)

Could you give me your phone number, please?

(Could you give me your phone number, please?)

You can use expanded constructs with the union if:

If it is possible, would you be so kind to look through my papers?

(If possible, would you be so kind as to review my documents?)

If you don't mind would you please stop smoking?

(If you don't mind, could you please stop smoking?)

Please go and fetch stone, if you will.

(Please go and fetch Mister Stone if possible)

Asking for permission

The standard way to ask for permission is to apply modal verb may:

May I go now, please? (Can I go please?)

You can also use the following:

Do you mind if I watch the news?

(Do you mind if I watch the news?)

Would it be a problem if I watched the news?

(Will it be a problem if I watch the news?)

indirect questions and statements (indirect questions and statements) are used in English when we want to be polite. They begin with the following introductory phrases: Can/could you tell me…? Do you have any idea…? Do you know...? I wonder … I don’t know … I’m interested to know … Tell me (please) … Please explain … +special question word or if/whether.

When a regular (direct) question is part of a longer sentence beginning with the above introductory phrases, the word order is reversed. Compare the examples in the table:

That is, indirect questions in English have direct word order, such as in : after introductory phrase the order changes to subject + predicate.

Be careful with questions containing do/does/did! Forms of the auxiliary verb do are not used in indirect questions:

How far did they travel? Do you happen to know how far they traveled? Do you happen to know how far did they travel?

If not, then use the introductory union if / whether (=whether). Use it to enter .

These are the basic rules for constructing indirect questions in English. Read about how to convey questions in indirect speech in the next article.

Share a link to an article on self-study English online, if you liked it, through the social buttons below. If you have comments - write in the comments form, and subscribe to site updates!

You may also like:

Liked the article? Share with friends:

To the entry "Indirect questions in English" 4 comments

Hello! Please tell me the correct structure of the interrogative sentence, which is a complex sentence with a subordinate clause, for example:

Option 1 without inversion: If we don't help him, what our friends will think?
Option 2 with inversion: If we don't help him, what will our friends think?
Which option is correct, and will there be any difference from the location of the conditional clause in the sentence:
If we don't help him, what will our friends think?
What will our friends think if we don't help him?

• Niko, I'm sorry that I reacted late, I'll try to help you figure it out. The "correct-standard" answer is: What will our friends think if we don't help him? A typical question begins with a special question word What, followed by will. Note that the comma before if in English is not put if if in the middle of a sentence. Your option 2 is also viable, it's more colloquial. Option 1 without inversion, so there is an error here, this is not an indirect question. In questions, we put the auxiliary verb before the subject, . It doesn't make much of a difference, but it's more common to start with a Wh word in a question. Plus, a comma is needed if the sentence starts with if, if if in the middle is not necessary.

1. Thanks for the question, Tatyana. The first sentence is correct: I do not know if anyone loves ice cream. Why? There are words in English that are rarely used in assertions, the so-called "non-affirmative" or "non-assertive" words, such as any, anyone, anybody, ever, and others. In statements, we use other words, some and derivatives, somebody ... Words with any often used in questions and negatives, in clauses with if, as well as with various parts of speech with a negative meaning, as in your sentence. Compare:
   someone telephoned.
   Did anyone telephone?
   I don't know if anyone telephoned.

Leave your comment