OFFERING and

REQUESTING
1. Making requests – asking someone to do something for you

These are the three most common ways for making

requests:

“Could you open the door for me, please?”

“Would you mind opening the door for me, please?”
“Can you open the door for me, please?”
Could and can are followed by the verb without to

Would you mind is followed by the verb and -ing.

Speaking tip
 2. Making requests – asking if you can do
something

Here are the four most common ways for making

requests (when you want to do something):

“Can I use your computer, please?”

“Could I borrow some money from you, please?”
“Do you mind if I turn up the heating?”
“Would you mind if I turned up the heating?”
Could is more polite that can.

Do you mind if…” is followed by the verb in the present tense,

but would you mind if… is followed by the verb in the past tense.

When you’re using these two sentences, don’t use please. It’s already polite enough!

Speaking tip
3. Offering to do something for another person

You can make an offer using a phrase like Can I… ?, Shall I… ?, Would you like me to… ?
For example:
● “Can I help you?”
● “Shall I open the window for you?”
● “Would you like another coffee?”
● “Would you like me to answer the phone?”
● “I’ll do the photocopying, if you like.”

Shall, can and will are followed by the verb without to.
Shall is particularly British English and is more formal than can.
Would you like… is followed either by a noun, or by an object
pronoun and the verb with to.
Responding to offers - These English dialogues show you ways
to accept or reject offers made to you.

Venus
“Can
VenusI help
hasyou?”
a beautiful name “Can I help you?”
and is the second planet from
the Sun.
“YesIt’s terribly
please. I’dalike
very
tohot “No thanks, I’m just
place—even
know what time hotter than
the train looking.” (In a shop.)
leaves.” Mercury

“Shall I open the window for
you?”
“Yes please. That would be very
kind of you.”
“Would you like me to answer the
phone?”
“If you wouldn’t mind.” Or, “If you could.”
(Don’t answer “Yes, I would”, as this
sounds like you expect someone to do it
for you.)
“Would you like another coffee?”
“No thanks.” Or, “No thank you.”
“Would you like another coffee?”
“Yes please, that would be lovely.” Or,
“Yes please, I’d love one.”
“I’ll do the photocopying, if you like.”
“It’s OK, I can do it.” Or, “Don’t
worry, I’ll do it.
“Or, “Thank you, that would be
great.”
 Do you have any
questions?

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you! CREDITS: This presentation
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attribution
 EXERCISE

1. You're in an English class and you would like to borrow another student's pen. You say:
__ you lend me your pen, please?
a. Can
b. Do you mind
c. Would you mind

2. Your colleague is going out to get lunch and you'd like him / her to get something for
you. You start your request:
Could you __ me a favour?
a. do
b. give
c. make

3. You could also ask your colleague:

Would you mind __ me a sandwich when you're out?
a. get
b. getting
c. to get

4. You are a parent with two children. They want to go out, but you want them to do their
homework first. You say:
I'd __ you to do your homework first.
a. like
b. need
c. want

5. Your colleague asks to open the window, saying:

Do you mind if I __ the window?
a. open
b. opening
c. would open
6. Another student in your class asks to share your textbook, saying ''Can I share your
textbook?'' You agree and say:
a. No problem!
b. Not at all!
c. No way!

7. A customer buys a lot from you and wants a bigger discount. You want to keep the
customer happy but you need your boss to agree. You say:
I'll __ what I can do.
a. ask
b. know
c. see

8. Your colleague wants you to help with an urgent problem, but you can't. You say:
I'm __ I can't help you there.
a. afraid
b. sure
c. worried

9. You are the boss and someone who works for you asks for an extra day's holiday. You
accept the request but ask the person to work Saturday instead. You say:
That's no problem, __ you work on Saturday.
a. and
b. but
c. provided

10. Your boss asks you to work overtime (extra hours) but you can't. You say:
Ah, that __ be a bit difficult.
a. can
b. might
c. should