Lesson 2 Can You Help Me?

We are the social creatures who can not live without the help of other people. Every one in this live once in a while, needs to ask people for help. For instance, we need to ask for the time, direction, or to do something for us. The favor we ask for can be just a little thing, but sometimes, we also need something big and important. If you are a student who live far away from your parents, to whom you ask for help when you are out of money or you have to be hospitalized? Precisely, you would ask for the help to the people near to you rather than to your parents living far away from you. Activity 1 Listing down the favor that you need Activity 2 Identifying the people that may help you in a certain situation 1. You are the new student of a university. Your parents are in financial trouble, and you need some money to pay your fees like school and boarding house. 2. You are the new residence in a city and you know nothing about the city. You want to go to post office and bank, but you lost your way. 3. You borrow your friends motorbike. But it is stolen when you park it in front of your girls friend boarding house. 4. You are alone at the boarding house. Suddenly your computer has short circuit and it blows. 5. You cant find the restroom in your new campus. What do you say when you ask somebody else to give her favor to you? Are you going to ask rudely or politely? There are some expression you can used in asking for and offering help. Activity 3 Identifying the expression used in asking for and offering help Dialog I Situation :

Heri : Yes, sure. What can I do for you? Vitri : I want to have the map on the top of the shelf, but I could not reach it. Heri : No, problem. (He take it from the top of the shelf easily) Here, it is. Vitri : Thank you very much, Heri. Heri : You are welcome. Dialog 2 Situation : You see your roommate, Alex carrying his goods. You : Here, let me help you with that. Alex : Great! Thanks a lot! You : I will take that too. Oh my gosh. What do you have? Stone or what? Alex : Pretty heavy, huh? You : It sure is. Dialog 3 Situation : Andy, an English lecturer, can not attend the class tomorrow, so he asks her colleague to substitute for him. Andy : Amy, could you help me out? Amy : Whats up? Andy : Would you mind filling in my class for me tomorrow? I have to go to Bandung for the meeting. Amy : Tomorrow? Cant do it, sorry. I have my own class. Maybe you could ask Intan Now look at the following expressions. Asking for help Can you help me? Would you do me a favor? Can you give me your hand? I need your help Would you mind helping me? Can I ask you a favor? Could you help m, please? Give me a hand, will you? Could you lend me a hand? I am in a mess. Please help? I wonder if you can help me.

Vitri needs a map from the top of the shelf, but she cant reach it. She asks her friend Heri to help her. Vitri : Heri, could you give your help? English for General III-2 Can You Help Me? page 1

Offering help May I help you? What can I do for you? Is there anything I can do for you? How can I help you? Can I be of any assistance? Shall I? Just call me if you need the favor. Can I help? Need any help? Let me help you. Can I be of any help? What seems to be the problems?

Now, how do you respond to the person asking for your help? Agreeing to help Refusing to help Sure! I am sorry, but I cant Why not! I am afraid I cant. No problem. I want to, but I am very busy today. Okay. Maybe, (someones name) can. Id be glad to I wish I could, but It is a pleasure Thats what I am here for. What do you want me to do. I said Ill be there for you. Activity 4 Modifying expressions in dialog Now, it is your turn to make dialogs using the expression you have learnt. Activity 5 Practice 1. You are in class. The teacher says something you dont understand. 2. You want to study, but the radio next door is too loud. 3. You need your friends help with the homework. 4. You are at a full-service gas station. You want to the attendant to fill your car up with the gasoline. Ask him to fill it up. 5. You need a ride to Tirtonadi. The Infinitive after modal auxiliaries Auxiliaries : a. do/does b. modal auxiliaries : will-would; shall-should; may-might; can-could; must; have to; ought; The infinitive form (V1) is used after modal auxiliaries; for example after the modal auxiliaries can, may, should. The modal ought is used with a to-infinitive. Look at the examples: Can you do me a favor? I can help you. English for General III-2 Can You Help Me? page 2

You should give me your hand. We ought to help one another. Activity 6 Answer the following questions using modal auxiliaries. 1. How fast can you type? 2. Why cant you come to the party? 3. Will you get here at 7? 4. Shall I give it to now? 5. Which chapter should we study for the examination? 6. Must I leave soon? 7. What would you like for dinner? 8. Should I meet her soon? 9. Where must I go to solve the problem? 10. Who must help me to pay the school fee? The infinitive after certain verb a. The infinitive form of the verb is used after the verb let and help Let me carry this bag for you. Why dont you let Intan do the homework for you? Could you help me wash the car? Please help Vitri resume the lesson. b. The to-infinitive form can be used after the verb help. Could you help me to wash the car? Please help Vitri to resume the lesson. c. The verb mind is always followed by gerund (V-ing). Would you mind helping me to carry this bag? Dont you mind telling me the problem? The verbal a. Verb + infinitive: - Care : I dont care to see him again. - Decide : I decide to go soon - Deserve : You deserve to win the game

- Hope - Forget - Learn

: I hope to see you again : I forget to telephone you/ : Intan learns to drive

Yayasan LIA. 1999. All That I Want to Know. Jakarta. PT. Siwibakti Darma.

b. Verb + Gerund - admit : I admit taking the key - appreciate : I appreciate hearing from you. - avoid : She avoids meeting her former boy friend. - consider : They consider buying a car. - deny : He denies taking the key. - enjoy : We enjoy meeting you. - finish : We finish typing our paper. Activity 7 Write some sentences using the Verbal Activity 8 Asking for, offering, agreeing and refusing help in certain situation 1. You want to stay at a particular apartment. You talk to the front desk. 2. You want to pick up a friend at the bus station. You call bus station information. 3. You want to interview a famous person. You talk to his/her secretary. 4. Your motorbike broke down. You talk to the mechanic. 5. You are having dinner at the restaurant. You talk to the waiter. Reference Agus Dwi Priyanto, S.S., English for All. Pratama Mulia Computer Course. Surakarta. Fletcher, Mark. 1994. Making Polite English. English Experience. London Frank, Marcella. 1972. Modern English, A Practical Reference Guide. New York: New York University. Interchange 1 Tillit, Bruce, et. all. 1985. Speaking Naturally. Cambride: Cambride University Press Yayasan LIA. 1996a. All about People. Jakarta. PT. Siwibakti Darma. English for General III-2 Can You Help Me? page 3