Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Meeting 2 Intermediate Grammar Revised
Meeting 2 Intermediate Grammar Revised
Meeting 2 Intermediate Grammar Revised
A. LEARNING OBJECTIVE
In this meeting, the students will learn about ASKING POLITE REQUEST. By the end of
the course, the students are expected to be able to:
1.1.Understand polite request with I as the subject.
1.2.Understand polite request with YOU as the subject
1.3.Understand polite request with WOULD YOU MIND
B. MATERIAL DESCRIPTION
1.1.Polite Request with I as the subject
a. MAY I and COULD I
May I and Could I are used to request permission. They are equally polite. You
have to remember that COULD in a polite request has a present or future meaning,
not a past meaning.
Examples:
May I (please) borrow your pen? (Using ‘please” is optional)
Could I borrow your pen (please)?
Might I borrow your pen?
Might I is also possible but might I is quite formal and polite. It is used much less
frequently than may I or could I.
b. CAN I
Can I is used informally to request permission, especially if the speaker is talking
to someone s/he knows fairly well. Can I is usually considered as little less polite
than may I or could I.
Example:
Can I borrow your pen?
TYPICAL RESPONSES
The following are typical responses to a polite request:
Certainly. Yes, certainly.
Of course. Yes, of course.
Sure. (informal)
Examples:
A: May I borrow your pen?
B: Yes, certainly.
Often the response to a polite request is an action, such as a nod or shake of the
head, or a simple “uh-huh.”
b. COULD YOU
Basically, could you and would you have the same meaning and they are also
equally polite. The difference is slight:
Would you = Do you want to do this please?
Could you = Do you want to do this please, and is it possible for you to do this?
Example:
Could you pass the salt (please)?
c. CAN YOU
Can you is often used informally. It usually sounds less polite than could you or
would you.
Example:
Can you (please) pass the salt?
TYPICAL RESPONSES
The following are typical responses to a polite request with YOU as the subject:
Yes, I’d (I would) be happy to/ I’d be glad to.
Certainly.
Sure. (informal)
Examples:
A: Could you pass the salt please?
B: Certainly.
TYPICAL RESPONSES
No. I’d be happy to.
Not at all. I’d be glad to.
Sure./Okay. (informal)
TYPICAL RESPONSES
No, not at all/ Of course not
No, that would be fine
C. EXERCISE
1.1.Exercise 1: Polite Request with I as the Subject
Instructions: Make dialogues with the following words. Speaker A must make a polite
request with I as the subject. Speaker B gives a typical response.
Example:
Have
A: May I have your phone number please?
B: Yes, certainly.
1. Leave
A: ....................................................................................
B: ....................................................................................
2. Invite
A: ....................................................................................
B: ....................................................................................
3. Stop by
A: ....................................................................................
B: ....................................................................................
4. Talk
A: ....................................................................................
B: ....................................................................................
5. Take
A: ....................................................................................
B: ....................................................................................
1. Pick up
A: ....................................................................................
B: ....................................................................................
2. Upload
A: ....................................................................................
B: ....................................................................................
3. Send
A: ....................................................................................
B: ....................................................................................
4. Inform
A: ....................................................................................
B: ....................................................................................
5. Visit
A: ....................................................................................
B: ....................................................................................
1. I am getting tired. I’d like to go home and go to bed. Would you mind (leave)
..........................if I left.......................... early?
2. I am sorry. I didn’t understand what you said. Would you mind (repeat)
............................repeating........................ that?
3. A: Are you going to the post office?
B: Yes.
A: Would you mind (mail) .................................................... this letter for me?
B: Not at all.
4. A: Are you coming with us?
B: I know I promised to go with you, but I am not feeling very good. Would you
mind (stay) .................................................... home?
A: Of course not.
5. A: It’s getting hot in here. Would you mind (open) ....................................................
the window?
B: No.
6. A: Would you mind (smoke) ....................................................?
B: I’d really rather you didn’t.
7. A: This is probably none of my business, but would you mind (ask) .........................
you a personal question?
B: It depends.
8. A: Excuse me. Would you mind (speak) .................................................... little
more slowly? I didn’t catch what you said.
B: Oh, of course. I am sorry.
9. A: I don’t like this TV program. Would you mind (change) .....................................
the channel?
B: Unh-unh.
10. A: You have an atlas, don’t you? Would you mind (borrow) ....................................
it for a minute? I need to settle an argument. My friend says Timbuktu is in Asia,
and I say it is in Australia.
B: You are both wrong. It is in Africa. Here is the atlas. Look it up for yourself.