Content
6.1 Can You Do Me a Favor?
Listening Activities
Watch the videos and practice the conversations.
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Asking people to do things (requests)
We often use can or could to ask people to do things:
To ask for something we use Can I have…? or Could I have…?:
To ask for permission to do something, we use can, could or may:
Offering to do things
To offer to do something, we sometimes use Can I…?:
To offer or to invite we use Would you like…? (not ‘do you like’)
We often use can or could to ask people to do things:
- Can you wait a moment, please? or
Could you wait a moment, please? - Liz, can you do me a favour?
- Excuse me, could you tell me how to get to the station?
- I wonder if you could help me.
- Do you think you could lend me some money until next week?
- Liz, will you do me a favour?
- Would you please be quiet? I'm trying to concentrate.
To ask for something we use Can I have…? or Could I have…?:
- (in a shop) Can I have these postcards, please?
- (during a meal) Could I have the salt, please?
- May I have these postcards, please?
To ask for permission to do something, we use can, could or may:
- (on the phone) Hello, can I speak to Tom, please?
- ‘Could I use your phone?’ ‘Yes, of course.’
- Do you think I could borrow your bike?
- ‘May I come in?’ ‘Yes, please do.’
- You can use the phone. or You may use the phone.
Offering to do things
To offer to do something, we sometimes use Can I…?:
- ‘Can I get you a cup of coffee?’ ‘Yes, that would be very nice.’
- ‘Can I help you?’ ‘No, it's all right. I can manage.’
- You look tired. I'll get you a cup of coffee.
To offer or to invite we use Would you like…? (not ‘do you like’)
- ‘Would you like a cup of coffee?’ ‘Yes, please.’
- ‘Would you like to come to dinner tomorrow evening?’ ‘Yes, I'd love to.’
- (at a tourist information office) I'd like some information about hotels, please.
- (in a shop) I'd like to try on this jacket, please.
Activities
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