Tham khảo tài liệu 'basic english usage exercises_11', ngoại ngữ, ngữ pháp tiếng anh phục vụ nhu cầu học tập, nghiên cứu và làm việc hiệu quả | 223 286 - 287 286 requests 1 We usually ask people to do things for US by making yes no questions. This is because a yes no question leaves people free to say No if they want to. Common structures used in polite requests Could you possibly help me for a few minutes very polite I wonder if you could help me for a few minutes very polite Could you help me for a few minutes You couldn t help me for a few minutes could you 2 If we use other structures for example imperatives we are not asking people to do things but telling them to do things giving orders . This may seem rude and make people angry. Please changes an order into a polite order but it does not change it into a request. Please help me for a few minutes. Carry this for me please. Please answer by return of post. Please type your letter. You had better help me. These are all orders. They are NOT polite ways of asking people to do things for you. For the use of imperatives to give advice make suggestions etc see 170. 3 In shops restaurants etc we generally ask for things like this Can I have one of those please Could I have a red one I d like another glass of wine please. I would prefer a small one. Could is a little softer than can. 4 We do not use negative questions in polite requests. But we often use negative statements with question tags. You couldn t give me a light could you NOT Couldn t you give me-a light 7 For the use of negative questions see 214. For question tags see 273. For other rules of social language see 313. 287 road and street 1 A street IS a road with houses on either side. We use street for roads in towns but not for country roryjs Cars can park on both sides of our street 288 - 289 224 Road is used for both town and country. Cars can park on both sides of our road There s a narrow winding road from our village to the next one. NOT . a narrow winding street . . . . 2 Note that in street names we stress the word Road but the word before Street. Marylebone Road. Oxford street. 288 the .
