Making requests and asking

Unit 10 for permission Grammar e-Dictionary

Channel

10.1 We often use Can you …? to ask someone to do something for us.

Hi Alan. Can you do me a favour? Can you make

us all look the same height in the photo?

No problem, here you go.

For more formal or polite requests, we often use Could you …?

Could you forward the email to me?

Could you submit the proposal on or before Friday?

We can use Can I/we have …? or Could I/we have …? to ask for something.

Can I have a
hamburger without Can I have a regular
the bun? Thank you! hamburger? Sure!

Can I have some water, please? NOTE

Could we have a salad, please? We can use please to make our requests more
polite. We can put it at the end of the question
We can also use May I have …? to ask for or before the main verb.
something. It is more polite but less usual. Could you close the door, please?
May I have some biscuits, please? Could you please close the door?

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We can also use would you mind + -ing form of a verb to make polite requests.

Would you mind sitting

in the front rows?

Would you mind answering a few questions?

Would you mind filling out this form?

We can also use would like to make requests. The short form is ’d like.

I’d like some water, please.

I’d like to see you tomorrow.

We can use I/We wonder if you could + bare infinitive or I/We were wondering if you
could + bare infinitive to make polite requests.

I wonder if you could do me a favour.

We were wondering if you could sponsor our walkathon.

If we need to make formal, written requests, we may use the following structures:

• I am/We are writing to …

I am writing to request permission to use your lecture theatre.

• I am/We are hoping that you can/will …

We are hoping that you will attend our opening ceremony.

• I/We hope that you can/will ...

I hope that you will give me a chance to interview for the job.

• I/We would be (most) grateful if you would/could …

We would be (most) grateful if you could join us at this event.

• I/We would appreciate it if you would/could …

We would appreciate it if you could reply as soon as possible.

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Notes Making requests and asking for permission Unit 10

Listening focus Writing focus

We often come across the structures Can/Could you … , which are used to make casual requests in:
• conversations
• text messages
• memos
• emails to co-workers
However, we have to rewrite them using more formal structures like We would be grateful if you could …
in formal emails/letters like:
• emails/letters of invitation
• emails/letters of request
• emails/letters asking for sponsorship

10.2 We can use Can/Could/May I …? to ask for permission. NOTE

A: Can/Could/May I borrow your calculator? Can and could are more
B: Sure. common than may. Could
is more polite than can.
A: Can I make a suggestion? May is the most polite.
B: Of course.

To give permission, we can use can or may. We do not use could.

You can/may use my calculator if you want.

To talk about things that we are not allowed to do, we use cannot/can’t.

You can’t smoke here!

We can also use do you mind if I + simple present tense or would you mind if I +
simple past tense to ask for permission. Using would you mind is more polite and
formal.

Do you mind if I turn on the air conditioner?

Would you mind if I turned on the air conditioner?

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Notes All answers

Grammar Practice
A L ook at the pictures and complete each dialogue using Can/Could you …? or Can/Could/May I …?
with a phrase from the box. One has been done for you as an example.

borrow your camera take a look at it

give me Raymond’s phone number tell me how to get to the ferry pier
help me carry one of them turn it down
leave a message use your ruler
open the door wait a moment

Excuse me, can/could you 2

(please) tell me how to get Walk straight on.

Then take the first
to the ferry pier(, please)?.
turn on the left.
Sure. Help
I left mine at home. yourself.

I’ll now get changed. 4

Sure. Take My hands are full.

your time.

Of course.

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All answers Making requests and asking for permission Unit 10

I’m sorry, but 6

Mr Wong isn’t
here. These bags are heavy.

Of course.

8
Sure. Let me
I just find it in my The music is too loud.
contacts list.
realized I didn’t save his number.
Sure. There’s no
need to shout.

I’m taking my cousin to Ocean Park. 10 What is that?

It’s a card for
Sure. I’ll go my mum.
and get it.
Sure.

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Notes All answers

B
Jamie works in a hotel and receives a lot of requests every day. Complete the following requests he
receives using the correct forms of the words given in brackets. One has been done for you as an
example.

1 Guest: I would like/I’d like a non-smoking room, please. (I/like/non-smoking room/please)

Jamie: All of our rooms are non-smoking, madam.

2 Guest:
(I wonder/possible/have a late check out tomorrow)

Jamie: I’m sorry, sir, but all guests must check out before 11 am.

3 Guest:
(may I/order breakfast in my room/morning)

Jamie: Certainly, madam. What time would you like your breakfast to arrive?

4 Guest:
(please/could you/give me/bill/room 206)

Jamie: No problem – you’ll get your bill when you check out.

5 Guest:
(can I/have/room on a high floor/please)

Jamie: We have a room available on the 25th floor. How does that sound?

6 Guest:
(could I/get/some more bottled water/room)

Jamie: Of course.

7 Guest:
(can I/take my cat/hotel/with me)

Jamie: That’s fine, sir. We’re a pet-friendly hotel.

8 Guest:
(I/like/speak to the hotel manager)

Jamie: I am the manager, madam.

Extra Practice

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Notes All answers Making requests and asking for permission Unit 10

Language Practice
C Conversation

Complete the following conversations using the correct forms of the words given in brackets. Two
have been done for you as examples.

Tourist: Excuse me. (1) I wonder if you can help me (wonder/can help me).
1
Staff member: I will try. What can I do for you?

Tourist: I have brought my camera with me today. (2)

(mind/tell me) what the rules are for taking photos
inside the museum?

Staff member: You (3) can/may take photos (take photos) in the lobby, gift shop
or restaurant, but you (4) (take photos) of
the exhibits I’m afraid. It is against our rules, unfortunately.

Tourist: Oh, that’s a shame. Thanks for your help anyway.

Julia: Hey Sarah. (5) (mind/come/shop) with me on Saturday?

2
Sarah: Sure! What do you need?

Julia: I need a dress for the party so (6) (we/go/

clothes shops)?

Sarah: Yes. Let’s do that.

Julia: (7) (like/you/help me) pick something out, please!

Sarah: Of course. While we are at the mall, (8)

(we/go/new/coffee shop)? I’ve wanted to go for ages.

Julia: Sure!

Luke: Miss Chan, (9) (we/like/go on the

3 big rollercoaster).

George:
(10)
(we/go on our own
and meet you later)?

Miss Chan: No, sorry boys. (11) (like/us/stay together).

George: Okay, but (12) (mind/we went there next)?

Miss Chan: Not at all ‒ we can go after we have finished eating.

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All answers

D Letter of request
Y our friend, the Chairperson of your school’s Green Club, has written two letters of request regarding
a tree planting event they are holding next month. However, you think the letters should be more
polite/formal. Rewrite the letters by changing the underlined phrases. Use the words given in brackets
to help you.

Letter 1 – Original version

Dear Green Garden Centre

We are holding a tree-planting event next month. (1) We would like you to donate some of your tree
saplings for us to plant.

This is an important cause, so (2) could you donate between 20 and 30 saplings, please? Rainforests
are being cut down every day. (3) Please help us to push back and fight climate change.

Yours sincerely

Eric Wong

Chairperson
Green Club, Aberdeen School

Letter 1 – Rewritten version

Dear Green Garden Centre

I am writing to you about a tree-planting event that we are holding next month. (1)

(we/wonder) for us to plant.

This is an important cause, so (2)

(grateful/if). Rainforests are being cut down every day. (3)

(hope/you will) and fight climate change.

Yours sincerely

Eric Wong

Chairperson

Green Club, Aberdeen School

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Notes All answers Making requests and asking for permission Unit 10

Letter 2 – Original version

Dear Ms Leung

Here at Green Club, we really admire the work you have been doing in Hong Kong to promote
green living so (4) can you come to our tree-planting event next month? If you were able to come,
(5)
we would like you to give a speech about the importance of trees, and the climate crisis.
(6)
Could you let us know by Friday (15th)? (7) Please help this important cause!

Yours sincerely

Eric Wong

Chairperson
Green Club, Aberdeen School

Letter 2 – Rewritten version

Dear Ms Leung

Here at Green Club, we really admire the work you have been doing in Hong Kong to promote

green living, so (4) (write/invite) next

month. If you were able to come, (5) (you/mind)

about the importance of tree, and the climate crisis?

(6)
(appreciate/if) by Friday (15th).
(7)
(hope/will) this important cause!

Yours sincerely

Eric Wong

Chairperson

Green Club, Aberdeen School

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All answers

E Conversation and email of request

Y our school’s Social Services Club is organizing a smartphone class for the elderly people in a care
home. Mr Wong, teacher advisor of the club, is telling Janice, Chairperson of the club, to write an
email of request. Complete the conversation and the email by choosing the appropriate expressions
from the list below (A-I). Use each expression ONCE only. One has been done for you as an example.

A can you ask him to remind F we are hoping you can help with
B can you write an email to Mr Tam G we wonder if you could provide a member of staff
C I am writing to make a few requests H we would be grateful if you could confirm the
D I would like you to ask him number of elderly people
E may I also request I would you mind reminding the elderly people

Mr Wong Hey Janice, (1) , the manager of the care home, about our smartphone
class next week?
Janice Sure. What should I say in the email?
Mr Wong First off, (2) to confirm the number of elderly people who want to take
part. (3) the elderly people to bring their smartphones on the day, too?
Janice No problem. (4) that they give us an extra staff member to help out?
Mr Wong Good idea!

Dear Mr Tam

We will be holding a smartphone class at your care home on 17 February. (5) before
the day that (6) .

Firstly, (7) that will be attending. Secondly, (8) to bring their smartphones
with them on the day? It will be difficult for the elderly people to understand the lesson unless
they have phones. Lastly, (9) to help out at the session? We do not have much
experience looking after elderly people, so we think it would be best to have a professional hand.

Thanks again for working with us. We are sure the class will be a great success.

Yours sincerely

Janice Lam
Chairperson
Social Services Club, Bridgetown Secondary School

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Making requests and asking for permission Unit 10

Using the Language W riting

Making polite requests

Language
Pointer

We can use various expressions for making requests to politely request something from someone
in both informal and formal contexts, such as in a letter of request.

Examples

 Ryan is writing an email to a friend asking her to help out with a school play. Read the following
excerpt from his email and note the use of expressions for making requests.

I know you were a member of Drama Club, so I wonder if you could do me a favour and
join our stage crew. Things aren’t working out with a few crew members. Can you come
to our final rehearsal this weekend? I promise we’ll have lots of fun! It’s my first time as
a director, so I really hope you will be able to help out. I know it’s a lot to ask, but could
you please also ask around to see if any of your friends would be interested too?

We can use the present continuous tense (underlined) to describe

the current situation when asking for help (see Unit 1 for more).

 Mr Wan is writing an email to a museum to book a guided tour. Read the following excerpt from his
email and note the use of expressions for making requests.

I am writing to request your guided tour service for our upcoming school trip to your
museum. We have a large group of about 50 students that we will divide up. May I know
if it is possible to have one guide per small group of 10 students? Also, I was wondering
if you could focus on a different set of exhibits with each small group, so we can assign
them unique group tasks to complete. I would be grateful if you could reply to me by
the end of this week so that my colleagues and I have enough time to prepare teaching
materials.
We can use so/so that (underlined) to give the purpose of a request
(see Unit 24 for more).

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Notes All answers

Your turn
 You are helping the chairperson of the school’s Music Club to write emails to different parties in
preparation for a singing contest. Complete the sentences taken from the emails by choosing the
most appropriate option from those given in brackets.

The singing contest is our club’s most important event each year. (1) ( We would be grateful /
May I request ) if you (2) ( must / could ) publish our promotional poster on the Student
Union’s social networking page.

We need a big venue to host a large audience. We (3) ( wonder / are hoping ) that you
(4)
( can reserve / are reserving ) the school hall for us.

For our backstage crew, (5) ( could you / we wonder if you could ) prepare eight wireless
headsets for backstage communication. Also, (6) ( you may / we would appreciate it if you
could ) help us set up the headsets on the day of the show.

There will be a champion and two runners-up. (7) ( Could you / Would you mind ) order
three trophies for the winners and prepare certificates of participation for the rest of the
contestants?

 Write a sentence to make a request based on each of the following situations using the words given
in brackets. The first one has been done for you as an example.

(1) Your new phone will not turn on and you are asking the shopkeeper to help fix it. (could)

Could you help me fix it, please?

(2) You hurt your knee while playing football and you want to take a break. (may)

(3) Someone is talking loudly in the library and you are asking them to keep quiet. (would/mind)

(4) An online shop charged you extra for something you bought and you are writing them
a letter asking for a refund. (appreciate)

(5) You are taking part in a dance contest and you want to ask your friend to be your partner.
(hope)

(6) You are hosting an online talk show and you want to write a message to someone inviting
them to appear as a guest. (wonder)

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