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GRAMMAR ANO USAGE NOTES

POLI TE EXPRESSIONS

FORMS ANO USES

We use a lot of standard polite expressions in social situations. Here are examples of some important ones.

Asking people to do things (2) (4) (8) Agreeing Refusing

Can you ? Yes, certainly. I'm sorry, but ...


Will you ? Yes, of course. I'm afraid ...
Could you ? No, not at all.
Would you ?
Could you possibly ... ?
Would you mind ... (-ing) ?

Asking for permission to do things (2) (8) Agreeing Refusing


Can I... ? Yes, certainly. I'm sorry, but ...
Could I... ? Yes, of course. I'm afraid ...
May I... ? Please do.
Could I possibly ... ? By all means.
W ould you mind if I... ? No, not at all.

Thanking (2) (8) Replies

Thanks. You're welcome.


Thank you very much indeed. Don't mention it.
It's very good of you. Not at al/.
It's a pleasure.

Apologizing (2) (8) Replies

Sorry. !t's OK.


I'm extremely sorry. No problem.
It doesn't matter.
Don't worry about it.

Offering help (1) (2) (4) (8) Accepting Refusing

Do you want a hand? That'd be great. No, it's all right thanks.
Can I... ? Yes please. Thank you very mucho That's kind of you, but 1 can
Shall I... ? manage .
.Would you like me to ... ?

The numbers in brackets refer to the units of the book that contain more examples of practice activities.

184
somethiag themselves (8) Accepting Refusing

Plea e_.. Thank you. I'm all right, thank you ..


Do ...

Inviting people to do something with you (2) (8) Accepting Refusing

Would you like to ... ? Thank you. I'd like that. I'd love to, but .
That would be lovely. I'm sorry, but .

NOTES

1 Request forms are listed with more informal 5 If you're refusing a request, it's generally polite to
examples at the top and more formal at the give a reason.
bottom. So, for example, we are more likely to use
Can you ... ? if we are making a small request to 6 We use the expression Do you want a hand? when
someone we know well, and Would you mind ... ? we offer to work alongside someone.
when making a big request to someone we don't
know well. 7 We can invite someone to do something themselves
by saying please or do.
2 Notice we use different forms for asking people to Please sit down.
do things and asking for permission to do things. Do help yourself.

3 The word mind means object to or be annoyed by, 8 Simply saying 'yes' is not enough when you are
so to agree to requests that contain this word you accepting an invitation. It's important to sound
have to say No, or No, not at al/. positive and enthusiastic.

4 The verb forms change in these two requests:


Would you mind lending me your pen?
(The verb is transformed into a gerund.)
Would you mind if 1 used your phone?
(We use a past tense form in this restricted
conditional. )

The numbers in brackets refer to the units of the book that contain more examples of practice activities.

185

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