26
-POLITE REQUESTS
I don't know how to request something with Would
you mind…?
Would you mind lend me some money?
Would you mind lending me some money?
Would you mind lending me some money?
Which
one should I use?
There are
many different ways of making polite requests in English.
Would you…? / Could you…? /
Would you like to…?
If you are asking other people to
do things, you would normally use Would you or Could you +
infinitive. Would you like to…? is also a very polite way of suggesting or
requesting something, politer than Do you want to…? Compare the
following:
- Would you please bring your library books back today as they are needed by another borrower?
- Could you join us on Saturday? Tom's back from Sydney and we're having a barbecue.
- Would you like to join us on Saturday? We're having a barbecue in the back garden.
- Would you care to join us on Saturday? We're celebrating Tom's return from Sydney.
Do you want to join us on Saturday? We're having a
bash in the garden.
Can I /
could I / may I / might I
If you are requesting something for
yourself, all of these forms are possible. May and might are
considered to be more polite, more formal or more tentative than can and could,
but can and could are usually preferred in normal usage. Compare
the following:
- Can I ask a favour of you? ~ Of course you can.
- Could I ask you to collect Deborah from school tomorrow ~ Of course you can.
- Could I possibly have another cup of coffee? ~ I don't think you should. You won't sleep tonight if you do.
- If you've finished with the computer, may I turn it off? ~ Yes, please do.
- Might I leave work a bit earlier today? I've got a doctor's appointment at 5.
Might is more frequently
used in indirect questions, as an indirect question softens the request. Note
the further polite alternatives that we can use:
- I wonder if I might leave work a bit earlier today? I've got a doctor's appointment.
- Would I be able to leave work a bit earlier today? I've got a dentist appointment at 6.
- Would it be OK if I left work a bit earlier today? I've got to take our cat to the vet.
Would you
/ Do you mind if I…?
Similarly, if we use Do / Would
you mind if I…? to make a request, we may be anticipating possible
objections:
- Would you mind if I put off talking to Henry until tomorrow? ~ I think that's a mistake. I think you should speak to him today
Note the difference between: Would
you mind…? and Would you mind me/my…?:
- Would you mind filling the ice trays and putting them in the freezer? (= you do it)
Would you mind me/my filling the ice trays and putting
them in the freezer? (= I'll do it)
Asking to do things – asking for permission
There are many different ways of
making polite requests in English. 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
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Asking
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Saying Yes
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Saying No
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Can I...?
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Yes, sure
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Well, I'm
afraid...+ reason
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Could I...?
Could I possibly...? Is it all right if I...? Do you think I could...? |
Yes, of
course.
Yes, that's fine. Certainly. |
Well, the
problem is...
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Do you
mind if I...?
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No, not at
all.
No, of course not. |
Sorry,
but...
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Asking others to do things – making requests
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Asking
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Saying Yes
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Saying No
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Can
you...?
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Yes, sure.
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Well, I'm
afraid + reason
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Could
you...?
Is it all right if you...? Do you think you could...? Will you...? Would you...? |
Yes, of
course.
Certainly. |
Well, the
problem is
Sorry, but... |
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Do you mind -ing...?
Would you mind -ing...? |
No, not at all.
Of course not. |
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Use 'Would you mind if I...? Could
I possibly...? Could you possibly...? Do you think you could...? to sound more
polite.
Remember that 'Do you mind...?' and
'Would you mind...?' mean 'Is it a problem for you?' so the polite answer when
we 'say yes' is 'No'.
request
vb (tr) to express a
desire for, esp politely; ask for or demand to request
a bottle of wine n
1.
a.
the act or an instance of requesting, esp in the form of a written statement;
petition or solicitation a request for a song
b.
(as modifier) a request programme
at the
request of in accordance with the specific demand or wish of (someone)
by
request in accordance with someone's desire
in request
in demand; popular he is in request in concert halls
all over the world
on
request on the occasion of a demand or request application
forms are available on request
requester
n
re•quest
(rɪˈkwɛst) n.
1. the
act of asking for something to be given or done; solicitation or petition.
2. an
instance of this: a request for silence.
3. a
written statement of petition.
v.t.
4. to
ask for, esp. formally or politely: I request
permission to speak.
5. to
ask or beg (usu. fol. by a clause or an infinitive): I
request to be excused.
6. to
ask or beg (someone) to do something: He requested me
to leave.
Idioms:
by
request
In response
to an expressed desire: We are offering these scarves
for sale again by request.
in
request
In great
demand: a pianist in great request.
on/upon
request
re·quest
er n.
er n.
Choose the correct
alternative for the following:
- 1. _ I borrow a pen, please? Could will would
- 2. 'I've forgotten my wallet.' - Don't worry. I _ lend you some money if you like.
could will would
- 3. _ you like to come to the cinema tonight?
could would can
- 4. Do you mind _ the window please?
to
close closing closed
- 5. Would you mind _ me with these boxes?
helping help if
helping
- 6. _ I left early tomorrow morning? I have a doctor's appointment.
could do
you mind if Would
you mind if
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re·quest.v.
re·quest·ed, re·quest·ing, re·quests
1. To
express a desire for; ask for. Often used with an infinitive or clause: requested information about the experiment; requested to
see the evidence firsthand; requested that the bus driver stop at the next
corner.
2. To
ask (a person) to do something: The police requested
her to accompany them. n.
1. The
act of asking.
2. Something
asked for.
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Noun
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1.
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request
- a formal message requesting something that is submitted to an authority
application - a
verbal or written request for assistance or employment or admission to a
school; "December 31 is the deadline for applications"
ingathering, solicitation, collection, appeal - request for a sum
of money; "an appeal to raise money for starving children"
demand - an urgent or
peremptory request; "his demands for attention were unceasing"
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2.
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 request
- the verbal act of requesting
speech act - the use
of language to perform some act
notice, notification - a
request for payment; "the notification stated the grace period and the
penalties for defaulting"
indirect request,
wish - an expression of
some desire or inclination; "I could tell that it was his wish that the
guests leave"; "his crying was an indirect request for
attention"
invitation - a request
(spoken or written) to participate or be present or take part in something;
"an invitation to lunch"; "she threw the invitation away"
appeal, entreaty, prayer - earnest or urgent
request; "an entreaty to stop the fighting"; "an appeal for
help"; "an appeal to the public to keep calm"
call - a request; "many
calls for Christmas stories"; "not many calls for buggywhips"
billing, charge - request for payment
of a debt; "they submitted their charges at the end of each month"
trick or treat - a
request by children on Halloween; they pass from door to door asking for
goodies and threatening to play tricks on those who refuse
inquiring, questioning - a
request for information
order - a request for
something to be made, supplied, or served; "I gave the waiter my
order"; "the company's products were in such demand that they got
more orders than their call center could handle"
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Verb
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1.
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request
- express the need or desire for; ask for; "She requested an extra bed
in her room"; "She called for room service"
communicate, pass along, put across, pass on, pass - transmit information
; "Please communicate this message to all employees"; "pass
along the good news"
order - make a request for
something; "Order me some flowers"; "order a work
stoppage"
ask - make a request or
demand for something to somebody; "She asked him for a loan"
encore - request an
encore, from a performer
petition - write a
petition for something to somebody; request formally and in writing
demand - request urgently
and forcefully; "The victim's family is demanding compensation";
"The boss demanded that he be fired immediately"; "She
demanded to see the manager"
appeal, invoke - request earnestly
(something from somebody); ask for aid or protection; "appeal to
somebody for help"; "Invoke God in times of trouble"
supplicate - ask for
humbly or earnestly, as in prayer; "supplicate God's blessing"
apply - ask (for
something); "He applied for a leave of absence"; "She applied
for college"; "apply for a job"
solicit, beg, tap - make a solicitation or
entreaty for something; request urgently or persistently; "Henry IV
solicited the Pope for a divorce"; "My neighbor keeps soliciting
money for different charities"
reserve - obtain or
arrange (for oneself) in advance; "We managed to reserve a table at
Maxim's"
challenge - ask for
identification; "The illegal immigrant was challenged by the border
guard"
demand - ask to be
informed of; "I demand an explanation"
claim - ask for legally or
make a legal claim to, as of debts, for example; "They claimed on the
maximum allowable amount"
call for, invite - request the
participation or presence of; "The organizers invite submissions of
papers for the conference"
desire - express a desire
for
beg - ask to obtain free;
"beg money and food"
arrogate, lay claim, claim - demand as being
one's due or property; assert one's right or title to; "He claimed his
suitcases at the airline counter"; "Mr. Smith claims special tax
exemptions because he is a foreign resident"
ask over, ask round, invite - invite someone to
one's house; "Can I invite you for dinner on Sunday night?"
call - call a meeting;
invite or command to meet; "The Wannsee Conference was called to discuss
the `Final Solution'"; "The new dean calls meetings every
week"
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2.
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request
- ask (a person) to do something; "She asked him to be here at
noon"; "I requested that she type the entire manuscript"
order, enjoin, tell, say - give instructions to or
direct somebody to do something with authority; "I said to him to go
home"; "She ordered him to do the shopping"; "The mother
told the child to get dressed"
ask - make a request or
demand for something to somebody; "She asked him for a loan"
call - order, summon, or
request for a specific duty or activity, work, role; "He was already
called 4 times for jury duty"; "They called him to active military
duty"
declare oneself, pop the question,
propose, offer - ask (someone) to
marry you; "he popped the question on Sunday night"; "she
proposed marriage to the man she had known for only two months";
"The old bachelor finally declared himself to the young woman"
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3.
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request
- inquire for (information); "I requested information from the
secretary"
wonder, inquire, enquire - have a wish or
desire to know something; "He wondered who had built this beautiful
church"
seek - inquire for;
"seek directions from a local"
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request
verb
1. ask for,
apply for, appeal for, put in for, demand, desire, pray
for, beg for, requisition, beseech
I requested a copy of the form.
noun
1. appeal, call, demand, plea, desire, application, prayer, petition, requisition, solicitation, entreaty, supplication, suit They agreed to his request for help.
2. asking, demand, plea, pleading, begging, bidding, petitioning, solicitation, entreaty, supplication
At his request, they attended some of the meetings.
3. wish, want, choice, desire, requirement A few extra spaces have been made available by special
request.
request (riˈkwest) noun
1. the
act of asking for something. I did that at his
request; After frequent requests, he eventually agreed to sing.
2. something
asked for. The next record I will play is a request.
verb
to ask (for)
something; People using this library are requested not to talk; Many
people have requested this next song.
by
request
when or
because one is asked to. I'm singing this next song by
request.
on
request
when
requested. Buses only stop here on request.
