can
could
couldn’t
would
wouldn’t
you
possibly
mind
do you think
I don’t suppose
I wonder if
I was wondering if
I ask
to
	(ask your classmate)
•	pass me that book
•	lend me $5 
•	lend me your notes until next week
•	lend me your phone – I need to phone home
•	lend me $500 until next lesson
•	go down to the drinks machine and get me a Coke

(ask the teacher)
•	let me have any notes from the last lesson – I was absent
•	check this sentence to see if it’s correct
•	read my university thesis and correct the errors
•	explain how to make polite requests
•	tell me the difference between ‘could’ and ‘would’

Combine words and phrases from the column on the left to make ways of asking for requests.
Can you…
Do you think you could...

Arrange them in order from least polite to most polite.
Then choose which ones you would use to make the requests in the right column.

Could you help me move this table?
I don’t suppose you’d have a pencil I could borrow?
Would you mind taking this up to Ms Collins?
I’d appreciate it if you could let me know by Wednesday.
You couldn’t fax them to me, could you?
Would you put them over there in the corner?
Could you possibly ask him to call me back?
I wonder if you could possibly move your car.
I don’t suppose you could possibly let me have a copy?

•	Making a simple request for something that is easy to do.
•	Asking someone politely to do something you expect them to do.
•	Asking someone politely for a favour, something more difficult or talking to a stranger

Who might be talking to who? Why did they choose these forms of request?

Pronunciation
Mark the requests above for stress, schwas and intonation. Then practice saying them.

Answers	

Can you
Could you
Would you

Would you mind (..ing)	
pass me that book
let me have the notes from the last lesson
check this sentence to see if it's correct
explain how to make polite requests
tell me the difference between 'could' and 'would'	

?	

Do you think you could
You couldn't…could you?
Could I ask you to
Could you possibly

I don't suppose you could (possibly)
I wonder if you could (possibly)
I was wondering if you could (possibly)	
lend me $5
lend me your notes until next week
lend me your phone – I need to phone home

lend me $500 until next lesson
go down to the drinks machine and get me a Coke
read my university thesis and correct the errors	

?	

Could you help me move this table?	simple request	
I don’t suppose you’d have a pencil I could borrow?	a favour, something more difficult or talking to a stranger	
Would you mind taking this up to Ms Collins?	something you expect them to do	
I’d appreciate it if you could let me know by Wednesday.	something you expect them to do	
You couldn’t fax them to me, could you?	a favour, something more difficult	
Would you put them over there in the corner?	simple request	
Could you possibly ask him to call me back?	a favour, something more difficult or talking to a stranger	
I wonder if you could possibly move your car.	a favour, something more difficult or talking to a stranger	
I don’t suppose you could possibly let me have a copy?	a favour, something more difficult or talking to a stranger	

•	Making a simple request for something that is easy to do.
•	Asking someone politely to do something you expect them to do.
•	Asking someone politely for a favour, something more difficult or something you don’t expect them to do.