When talking to people they do not know, or to people they need to be polite to

(such as their employers or teachers) native English speakers use indirect requests,
suggestions or very polite requests.
• Could is more polite that can. Compare:
Can / Could you open the window, please?
• D epending on the situation and to w hom you are speaking, it is more polite to use
longer, more indirect requests. Compare:
Can I sit h ere? I W ould yo u m ind if I sat here? / C ould I possibly sit here?
• W e sometimes start a request with an apology, to show that w e understand how
difficult it m ight be for the listener to respond positively:
I'm sorry to bother yo u b u t ...

Conversations
^ Listen to three conversations.

Kate: Fran, is there any chance I could borrow your camp bed this w eekend? M y parents
are coming to stay.
Fran: Sure. W hen do you want to pick it up?
Kate: Um ... I couldn't ask you to drop it at my place, could I? It's just that I haven't got the
car today, and I really need it first thing tomorrow.
Fran: Fine, I can drop it round this evening.
Kate: Thanks, Fran.

Jan: John, I'm really sorry to bother you, but my car's broken down. W ould it be at all
possible for you to give me a lift home this evening?
John: I'm really sorry. Jan, I'd love to help you but I promised to meet someone at the
airport straight after work. Harry goes your way, though, w hy don't you ask him ?

44 Sp e ak in g
 Jan: Good idea, I will!
John: Oh, before you go, Jan, could I ask you a favour? I'm going to Istanbul next
weekend, and I seem to remember you've got a guidebook about it. W ould you
mind if I borrowed it?
Jan: Not at all! I'll bring it in tomorrow.

Passenger A: Excuse me. M y friend and I would like to sit together, but w e've been given
seats in separate rows. W ould you be able to swap with one of us? W e've
both got w indow seats.
Passenger B: I'm really sorry. I wish I could help you but I really need an aisle seat, so I'll
have to stay here. The cabin crew might be able to arrange a swap, though.
Passenger A: Yes, I'll ask them. Thanks anyway.

Understanding
^ Look at the strategies outlined in Useful Tips. Underline the relevant parts in the
conversation and note the strategies that all speakers use in the m argin.

Saying it accurately
^ Com plete the requests w ith the w o rd s in the box.
1 Could y o u ................... show me what to do?
bother
2 ...................you show me what to do, please?
can
3 I ...................if you could show me what to do, please?
mind
4 I'm sorry t o ..................you, but I d o n 't ..................... possibly
you could show me what to do?
suppose
5 Show me what to d o , ...................yo u ? will
6 Excuse me, would y o u ...................show ing me what to w onder
do, please?

C u ltu ral note

In English, it is unusual for people to give orders to strangers. Som etim es a person
will make a request instead of givin g an order because it is more polite. Som etim es
even a request is too strong, and we use a suggestion, or an indirect request.

Section 3: Requests and responses

 Com plete the conve rsation w ith suitable phrases from Sayin g it accurately exercise 1.
In so m e cases, m ore than o n e a n sw e r is possible.
Alex and his friend Rob are travelling with other students from Britain in the USA. Rob
has been here before, but this is Alex's first time. He is confused about a procedure at the
automatic ticket machine at the train station.
Alex: Mmm, it says you've got to validate the ticket before you get on the train. Rob,
1 ?
Rob: I'm not sure, either. It's changed since I was last here. Perhaps the tour leader could
help us. Marie, 2 .......................................?
Marie: Sure. This is what you do - oh, dear. The machine's not working. We'll have to ask
someone else. Let's ask that lady over there.
Alex: 3 ....................................... ?
Woman: Of course. I'd be glad to help.
Alex: Thank you very much.

Saying it clearly
Listen to these sentences and notice h o w the sp e aker's voice g o e s up, to m ake the
request so u n d m ore tentative, and therefore m ore polite.

1 W ould it be at all possible for you to give me a lift home this evening?
2 W ould you mind if I borrowed it?
3 W ould you be able to swap with one of us?
4 Is there any chance I could borrow your camp bed this w eekend?
5 Show me what to do, will you?
6 Could you possibly show me what to d o ?
Listen again and repeat, co p yin g the intonation.

Saying it appropriately
^ Three people are m a k in g requests. M atch the requests 1 - 3 and the situations a - c.
1 Take off your shoes before you come in, please, Chris.
2 W ould you mind if I closed the w in d ow ?
3 Could I ask you to wait here for a moment, please? Thank you.

a a receptionist speaking to a client at an office reception area

b someone speaking to a close family member or friend
c someone speaking to a stranger in a public place

46 Sp e ak in g
 u im i i i i | ividKing p o m e requesib

W h e n y o u respond to a request, it's im portant to use the right phrase and to so u n d

apologetic, if necessary. Listen to these resp on ses and w rite in the m issing w ords.

1 A: I know it's a non-flexible ticket, but it's an emergency. Is there any chance you could
change the ticket for me?
B I 'm ...................sorry but I can't make any changes to non-flexible tickets.
2 A Excuse me, I wondered if you could tell me where the nearest cashpoint is?
B I 'm ...................I can't - I'm not from around here either.

^ Listen again. W h e n y o u hear the resp on ses on the A u d io CD, pause and repeat them.
M a k e sure yo u so u n d apologetic.

Get speaking
Read the situations and m ake appropriate requests and responses. Play the A u d io CD
to start. W h e n y o u hear the beep, pause and respond.
1 You are sitting in a crowded cafe waiting for a friend. There is one empty seat beside you
which you are saving for a friend.
2 You have an exam on M onday and are planning to study on Sunday.
3 Your English teacher is helping you with your work. You can't remember how to do the
exercise.
4 You promised to help a friend move home tomorrow, but something urgent has come up
and you would prefer to help with the move this evening instead.
5 You have an important meeting at work this morning and w on't have any spare time to do
any extra work.

Language note
D o y o u m ind if... is follow ed by the verb in the present tense, but w o u ld y o u m ind
if... is follow ed by the verb in the past tense.
The m odal verbs could and can are follow e d by the verb w ith o u t to. W ou ld y o u m ind
is follow ed by the verb and -ing.

Section 3: Requests and responses 47