{"id":19528,"date":"2021-09-13T06:00:11","date_gmt":"2021-09-13T04:00:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ellalanguage.com\/blog\/?p=19528"},"modified":"2024-09-19T14:43:01","modified_gmt":"2024-09-19T12:43:01","slug":"modals-of-request","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ellalanguage.com\/blog\/modals-of-request\/","title":{"rendered":"Modals of Request"},"content":{"rendered":"

Modals of request<\/h1>\n

When we want to ask for things, order at a restaurant, invite people to meetings or to our home, make offers, we use modals of request. We use modals to make requests sound more polite. In English, making the request short and direct is considered quite impolite. It\u2019s much better to use a longer version of the request by using modals of request, so that the request is less direct and therefore considered more polite.<\/p>\n

Lend me some money. (direct request)<\/div>\n

Could you lend me some money, please? (indirect request)<\/p>\n

There are four basic modals of request that we use: can<\/strong>, will<\/strong>, could<\/strong>, would<\/strong>, and may<\/strong> (for offers).<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
more formal<\/td>\nwould
\ncould<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
less formal<\/td>\nwill
\ncan<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

We use the modal verbs will and can in less formal situations, whereas we use would and could in more formal situations.<\/p>\n

Would<\/strong><\/span> you open the window?<\/div>\n
Could<\/strong><\/span> you pass me the potatoes?<\/div>\n
Will<\/strong><\/span> you lend me some money?<\/div>\n

Can<\/strong><\/span> I borrow your pen?<\/p>\n

\n
What are modal verbs?<\/h5>\n

Modal verbs are used to add more information to the main verb. They are always followed by the main verb in the infinitive form without to<\/em> (base form). Also modal verbs don\u2019t change their form – meaning you don\u2019t add -s, -ing or -ed to them.<\/p>\n

Can she come over?<\/div>\n
Cans she come over?<\/div>\n

Can she comes over?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

\"modals<\/p>\n

Affirmative questions with modals of request<\/h2>\n

We form affirmative questions by placing the modal first, then the subject of the question, and finally, the verb in its base form.<\/p>\n

modal + subject + verb (in base form)<\/h5>\n

Would<\/strong><\/span> you like something to drink?
\nCould<\/strong><\/span> you take a look at my homework?
\nWill<\/strong><\/span> you give me my money back?
\nCan<\/strong><\/span> you buy me a soda?<\/p>\n

\"English?<\/a><\/p>\n

\n
Would you mind\u2026<\/h5>\n

Would you mind<\/strong><\/span> + verb-ing<\/strong><\/p>\n

When we want to make a polite request in English we can use the phrase \u201cwould you mind\u2026\u201d.<\/p>\n

Would you mind<\/strong><\/span> passing me that book?<\/div>\n
Would you mind<\/strong><\/span> turning down the TV?<\/div>\n
Would you mind<\/strong><\/span> being more quiet?<\/div>\n

Would you mind<\/strong><\/span> shutting the window?<\/p>\n

You can also use the phrase \u201cDo you mind\u2026\u201d However, this phrase is less polite than \u201cWould you mind\u2026\u201d.<\/p>\n

Do you mind<\/strong><\/span> closing the door?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Please…<\/h2>\n

When using modals of request, we can place \u201cplease\u201d either after the subject or at the end of the sentence to make the sentence more polite.<\/p>\n

Would you please<\/strong><\/span> shut the door?<\/div>\n

Would you<\/strong><\/span> shut the door, please<\/strong><\/span>?<\/p>\n

Could you please<\/strong><\/span> take our order?<\/div>\n

Could you<\/strong><\/span> take our order, please<\/strong><\/span>?<\/p>\n

Can you<\/strong><\/span> pass me the pepper, please<\/strong><\/span>?<\/div>\n

Can you please<\/strong><\/span> pass me the pepper?<\/p>\n

Will you<\/strong><\/span> lend me some money, please<\/strong><\/span>?<\/div>\n

Will you please<\/strong><\/span> lend me some money?<\/p>\n

Negative questions<\/h2>\n

If when using modals of request we’d like to ask someone NOT to do something, we can place not<\/em> before the verb.<\/p>\n

Would you<\/strong><\/span> not<\/span><\/strong> speak so loudly?<\/div>\n
Could you<\/strong><\/span> not<\/strong><\/span> smoke here?<\/div>\n
Will you<\/strong><\/span> not<\/strong><\/span> spend all the money?<\/div>\n

Can you<\/strong><\/span> not<\/strong><\/span> make so much noise?<\/p>\n

Answering requests<\/h2>\n

We can answer requests using short answers. Short answers have a very simple structure. To answer affirmatively, we use YES, and then we add the appropriate subject pronoun and the modal verb can or will. To give a negative reply, we use NO, appropriate subject pronoun and modal verb can\u2019t.<\/p>\n

Would\/Could\/<\/span>Can\/Will<\/span><\/strong> you come with me to the store?<\/div>\n
Yes, I can.<\/span><\/strong><\/div>\n
Yes, I will.<\/strong><\/span><\/div>\n
No, I can’t.<\/strong><\/span><\/div>\n

!<\/strong> No, I won’t.<\/strong><\/span> – you can also answer using won’t<\/em> but it’s considered very impolite.<\/p>\n

To make a refusal sound more polite we can add \u201cI’m sorry\u2026\u201d to the answer.<\/div>\n

I’m sorry, but I can’t.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Other possible affirmative answers:<\/div>\n
Would\/Could\/<\/span>Can\/Will<\/span><\/strong> you come with me to the store?<\/div>\n
Yes.<\/div>\n
Yes, certainly.<\/div>\n
Yes, of course.<\/div>\n
I\u2019d be happy to.<\/div>\n
Sure.<\/div>\n
Okay.<\/div>\n
No problem.<\/div>\n
Yes, sure.<\/div>\n

Of course.<\/p>\n

Other possible negative answers:<\/div>\n
Would\/Could\/<\/span>Can\/Will<\/span><\/strong> you come with me to the store?<\/div>\n
No.<\/div>\n
No, I\u2019m sorry.<\/div>\n
Sorry, I can\u2019t.<\/div>\n

I\u2019d like to, but I can\u2019t.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s important to remember that some people don\u2019t like to say no. For example, British people may be less direct when refusing a request.<\/p>\n

Well, I\u2019m not sure.<\/div>\n
Um, actually, maybe not at the moment.<\/div>\n

Actually, I\u2019d prefer to stay at home.<\/p>\n

Making offers<\/h2>\n

When we offer to do things, we use the modal verbs can,<\/span> would, could, may<\/span><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Could<\/strong><\/span> I offer you a beverage?<\/div>\n
Can<\/strong><\/span> I bring you something to drink?<\/div>\n
May<\/strong><\/span> I take your order?<\/div>\n

Would<\/strong><\/span> you like a beverage?<\/p>\n

Invitations<\/h2>\n

When we invite someone to our home to do something we use: would (like), could,<\/span> will, <\/span><\/strong>or can<\/strong><\/span>.<\/p>\n

Would<\/strong><\/span> you like to come over tonight?<\/div>\n
Could<\/strong><\/span> you come early?<\/div>\n
Will<\/strong><\/span> you come to the movies with us?<\/div>\n

Can<\/strong><\/span> you come home early tonight?<\/p>\n

Ordering food<\/h2>\n

When the waiter wants to ask us about our preferences, he’ll use the phrase \u201cWould you (like)…\u201d.<\/p>\n

Would you like<\/strong><\/span> sauce with that?<\/p>\n

When ordering at a restaurant we can use the following phrases:<\/div>\n
I would like\u2026<\/div>\n
Can I have\u2026<\/div>\n

I’ll have\u2026<\/p>\n

I would like<\/span><\/strong> the fish.<\/div>\n
Can I have<\/strong><\/span> the beef?<\/div>\n

I’ll have<\/strong><\/span> the chicken.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

\"Start<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Modals of request When we want to ask for things, order at a restaurant, invite people to meetings or to our home, make offers, we use modals of request. We use modals to make requests sound more polite. In English, making the request short and direct is considered quite impolite. It\u2019s much better to use […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":20529,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[14349,57],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-19528","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-englishblog","category-grammar"],"yoast_head":"\nModals of Request | When do we use them? | ELLA<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Modals of request: would, could, will, can. Examples of usage. Making requests with modal verbs. 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