Page 221 - Basic English Usage

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286 requests

We usually ask people to do things for us by making yes/no questions.
(This is because a yes/no question leaves people free to say ‘No’ if they
want to.)
Common structures used in polite requests:
Could you possibly help me for a few minutes? (very polite)
| wonder if you could help me for a few minutes? (very polite)
Could you help me for a few minutes?
You couldn't help me for a few minutes, could you?

If we use other structures (for example imperatives), we are not asking
people to do things, but telling them to do things (giving orders). This
may seem rude, and make people angry.
Please changes an order into a polite order, but it does not change it
into a request.
Please help me for a few minutes.
Carry this for me, please.
Please answer by return of post. Please type your letter.
You had better help me.
(These are ali orders. They are NOT polite ways of asking people to do
things for you.)
For the use of imperatives to give advice, make suggestions etc, see 170.

In shops, restaurants etc, we generally ask for things like this:
Can I have one of those, please?
Could I have a red one?
Vd like another glass of wine, please.
! would prefer a small one.
Could is a little ‘softer’ than can.
We do not use negative questions in polite requests. But we often use
negative statements with question tags.
You couldn’t give me a light, could you?
(NOT Geutdnt-you
give
meatight?)
For the use of negative questions, see 214.
For question tags, see 273.
For other rules of ‘social’ language, see 313.

287 road and street

A street is a road with houses on either side. We use street for roads in
towns, but not for country roads.
Cars can park on both sides of our street.