How to Make Requests
Language Structure: Requests
1. Making Requests
Very often we use language to request something from other people – for example, when we want to borrow something. The table below shows some common ways of making requests.
| Situation | Request | Common responses |
| Very informal, common within classmates | Can I borrow your pen? | Sure. Here you are! Sorry not at the moment |
| More polite and hesitant. The speaker is not sure if permission will be granted | Could I borrow your pen? | Certainly. Help yourself. I’m afraid not. I’m using it. |
| More formal, polite and respectful | May I borrow your eraser? | With pleasure Of course I am afraid you can’t |
| This is the least common and the most respectful | Might I borrow your pen? | By all means. I’d rather you didn’t. Certainly not! |
There are no definite rules about the responses – but those at the bottom of the table tend to be more formal than those at the top. In general, it is considered polite, when refusing, to give some kind of plausible reason – usually ‘I’m using it at the moment.’
Asking if you can 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?”
Speaking tip: 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!
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.
2. Requests and Responses: Role Play
Role play is not just something we do when acting out plays. It is also a useful language-learning activity. When you role-play, it is important not just to say the words, but to act them – to say them as you would in real life.
Examples of role-play:
A: Could I borrow your ruler please?
B: Certainly. Here you are!
A: Thanks a lot
A: Excuse me, Sir. Might I borrow your dictionary?
B: I’m afraid not. I’m using it at the moment.
A: Oh! Never mind
Responding to offers
These English dialogues show you ways to accept or reject offers made to you.
“Can I help you?”
“Yes please. I’d like to know what time the train leaves.”
“Can I help you?”
“No thanks, I’m just looking.” (In a shop.)
“Shall I open the window for you?”
“Yes please. That would be very kind of 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.”
“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.)
“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.”
3. Other requests
Here are some ways of making requests listed, from the least formal to the most formal:
Will you/Can you pass the salt, please?
↓
Could you pass the salt, please?
↓
Would you pass the salt, please?
↓
Would you mind passing the salt, please?
I need is very direct and is usually used for urgent requests:
I need a Lawyer.
I need the fire extinguisher. Fast!
I want is very direct and can sound impolite. We don’t normally use it to make requests unless we want to be very direct:
I want to speak to the manager right now. I am not leaving here until I get my money back.
We need is often used in work contexts by a boss or manager to ask for something to be done in a polite way:
We need to email the contract to Peter immediately.
We need someone to go to the meeting in Paris on Wednesday. Bill can’t go.
When we are not sure if someone will be able to do what we ask, we sometimes use you wouldn’t …, would you? or you couldn’t …, could you?:
You wouldn’t drop this at Victoria Island for me, would you?
You couldn’t stop at the restaurant, could you?
In formal letters and formal emails, we can use the following expressions:
I would be grateful if you could send me more information about the job description.
We would be most grateful if you could send someone to meet us at the airport as we do not speak French.
4. Eliciting Requests
Sometimes we want to find out what someone wants. Here, we always use would. Read and act conversations like the following:
A: Would you like a soft drink?
B: Thank you. I’d love one
A: What would you like to drink?
B: I’d like something soft, please.
5. Things to remember when making a request
1. “Would you mind…” is followed by a gerund (verb+ing)
Example:”Would you mind lending me your book? “2. The response to the following request:
A: “Would you mind giving me your book? “
is either
- “No, I don’t mind.”(which is a positive response to the request. It means that I accept to lend you my book)
- or “Yes.” (which is a negative response to the request. It means that I don’t want to lend you my book.)
3. Could is more polite than can.