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4.17: Modals of Politeness

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    Asking Permission

    Can I / May I / Could I

    • Can I borrow your pen, please?
    • May I borrow your pen, please?
    • Could I borrow your pen, please?

     

    Making a Request

    Can you / Could you / Will you / Would you

    • Can you help me, please?
    • Could you help me, please?
    • Will you help me, please?
    • Would you help me, please?

     

    Expressing What You Want

    Would like

    • I want some tea. \(\rightarrow\)
      • I’d like some tea, please.
      • I would like some tea, please.

     

    • What do you want to order? \(\rightarrow\)
      • What would you like to order?

     

    Expressing a Preference

    Would rather

    • I would rather live in a big city [than a small town].
    • I’d rather live in a big city [than a small town].

     

    Making a Suggestion

    Why don’t we/ Why don’t you

    • Why don’t we watch a movie tonight?
    • Why don’t you finish your homework first?

     

    To Offer Help

    May I / Can I

    In a store :

    • May I help you?
    • Can I help you?

    Modals of Politeness - Practice

    Use a modal to re-write each of the following to express yourself in a more polite way.

    1.     Open the door.

    2.     Give me your eraser.

    3.     I want some coffee.

    4.     I don’t want milk. I want cream, instead.

    5.     Move your bag. It’s in my way.

    6.     I want to go to the bathroom.

    7.     Is it OK to use a dictionary?

    8.     Call back later. She’s not here now.

    This page titled 4.17: Modals of Politeness was last modified on Wed, 26 May 2021 02:56:17 GMT and is shared under a CC BY-NC 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Nooshi Borhan.

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