Page 101 - Oxford_English_Grammar_Course_Basic_2015

can/could you?: requests Can you lend me a stamp?

We can ask people to do things (make requests) with canyou...?This is informal; we often use it when
we are talking to friends; and also, for example, in shops and restaurants.

Joe, can you lend me a stamp? Can you bring me some more butter?
Could you ...?\s more formal and polite; we often use it, for example, when we are talking to
strangers, older people, teachers or bosses. Could you possibly...? is very polite.

Excuse me, Mr Andrews, could you lend me a stamp?
I'm sorry to trouble you, but could you possibly watch my luggage while I get a coffee?

^ Complete the sentences with the words from the box.

babysit clean drive g ive / hold lend pass put speak te ll/ tell wait

► Canyou ..2hV?....... .... me a receipt? 5 Can you................... ... this bag?
► Could you ..PP.k:..... ....... me your name? 6 Could you possibly ... ...................tonight?
1 Could you.............. ........me the rice? 7 Could you possibly ... ...................me a pen?
2 Can you................. .... my suit? 8 Can you................... ... these papers away?

3 Can you................. .... me the time? 9 Could you................ .....more slowly?
4 Could you.............. ........me to the station? 10 Could you................ .....here for a few minutes?

^ Find better ways of asking people to do these things. (I = informal, P = polite, PP = very polite).

► Open the window. (I) ..£*•* .....................................
► Lend me a pen (P) . 0 P ......................
.

► Helpme.(PP) .. 9:°}C. .0 ?.kL E ?£sl b I u\ hclfp. .............................
.
1 Open the door. (I) ..........................................................................................

2 Give me an envelope. (P) ..........................................................................................
3 Pass me the sugar. (I) ..........................................................................................

4 Watch my children fora minute. (P) ..........................................................................................
5 Tell me the time. (P) ..........................................................................................
6 Change some dollars for me. (PP) ..........................................................................................
7 Wait outside. (I) ..........................................................................................
8 Translate this letter for me. (PP) ..........................................................................................
9 Come back tomorrow. (I) ..........................................................................................
10 Say it in English. (P) ..........................................................................................

Q Put the words of the caption in the right order.

86 MODAL VERBS