Topic 5: Requests

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A. Positive Requests

When we want to ask someone to do something we may use the imperative (повелительное наклонение)with "please"

eg Sit down, please

Please sit down.

In many situations, however, the imperative with "please" is not considered polite enough.

Then we use one of the following phrases (said with the rising tone) which are given below in order of increasing politeness (formality).

Will you... (please)?

eg Will you help me, (please)?

Would/Could you … (please) ?

eg Would/Could you tell me the time? (please) ?

Do you think you could ... ?

eg Do you think you could ^'come later?

Would you mind +ing .. . ?

eg Would you mind waiting a moment?

Will/ Would you be so kind as to + inf. ?

eg Will/Would you be so kind as to show me the way?

The choice between the phrases depends on:

1. How large the request is ( and therefore how much trouble (беспокойство) or inconvenience (неудобство) it will cause (причинять).

eg Will you pass(передать) the salt, please?

Would уou mind posting the letter for me?

2. How well we know the person we ask. Thus the same request may be formulated with different degrees of politeness.

eg a. Open the window, please.

b. Will you open the window?

c. Would you open the window?

d. Would you mind opening the window?

e. Would you be so kind as to open the window?

The usual positive replies are:

(Yes),certainly - formal

eg - Will you help me, please.

- Yes, certainly.

(Yes), of course - semi-formal, informal

eg - Will you come tomorrow?

- Yes, of course.

All right - expressing a lesser degree of willingness (готовность)

eg - D'you think you could come earlier?

-All right.

OK - informal

eg - Call me tonight, please.

- OK

(Yes), here you are - when handing (passing) someone something he has asked for

eg - Will you pass the salt, please?

-Here you are.

Not at all

Not in the least in reply to "Would you mind ...?"

A bit

eg - Would you mind waiting a moment?

-Not at all

The usual negative replies are:

I'm afraid I can't - formal, semi-formal

eg - Could you tell me the time, please?

- I’m afraid I can’t. I have no watch.

(I’m) sorry. I can’t - semi-formal, informal.

eg - Will you call me tonight?

-(I’m) sorry, I can't. I’ll be busy.

No. I can't/won't - a point-blank (резкий, категоричный) refusal.

eg -Will you help me?

-No, I won’t. You have to do it yourself.

B. Negative Request

If we want someone not to do something, we can say:

Please don’t …

eg a. Please don't tell her.

b. Please don't talk.

Would you mind not ...ing? - more polite.

eg Would you mind not talking so loudly?

Try not to ...

eg Try not to be late

The reply depends on the circumstances [sə:kəmstənsiz] (обстоятельства).

eg a. - Please don't tell her.

-All right. or - Don't worry, I won't.

or - Of course I won't.

b. - Would you mind not talking so loudly?

- I'm sorry.

c. - Try not to be late.

-I won't. or - I'll do my best. (Постараюсь; сделаю все возможное)