Introduction
These four questions are made with modal
verbs:
- Would you... ?
- Could you... ?
- Will you... ?
- Can you... ?
Modal verbs are helping/auxiliary
verbs that express ideas like ability, permission, and asking
for assistance. Many modal verbs have more than one meaning. They are
always followed by the simple form of a verb.
For example:
Could you help me for a minute, please?
This shows that the speaker is
asking for help politely.
For example:
Would you please email that document
to me? I need it ASAP*.
Could you explain that again,
please? I didn’t understand.
*ASAP = as soon as
possible
To ask questions in a polite but
more casual way, say: Will you/ Can you (please) + simple verb +
...?
For example:
Will you please answer the phone?
I’m working.
Can you hold my books for me? My
hands are full.
We do not use the word “may”
in a polite question when “you” is the subject.
For example:
May you please close the door?
Wrong!
Could you please close the door?
Right!
The word “please” makes the request
more polite and less direct. Canadians use “please” often and visitors are
expected to ask for help politely, using “please.”
Possible positive answers to the questions above:
Yes.
|
Yes
certainly.
Certainly. |
Yes,
of course.
Of course. |
I’d
be happy to.
I’d be glad to. My pleasure. |
Informally, we can say:
Sure.
Okay.
Uh-huh. (means yes)
Okay.
Uh-huh. (means yes)
To answer negatively, we say:
No.
Sorry.
No, I’m sorry. I can’t.
Sorry, I can’t. I’m busy right now.
I’d like to, but I can’t.
I’d love to, but I’m busy right now.
Sorry.
No, I’m sorry. I can’t.
Sorry, I can’t. I’m busy right now.
I’d like to, but I can’t.
I’d love to, but I’m busy right now.
Friend 1:Can you open the
window please?
Friend2: Sure.
Brother: Can you give me some
water please?
Sister
: of course.
Customer: Could you bring me
some salt please?
Waiter
: Yes, certainly.
Student : Could you please
repeat?
Teacher: Yes, of course.
Manager
: Would you fill in this form?
Employee: Certainly.
Secretary: Would you mind
calling back later?
Patient
: No, certainly not.
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