Making Polite Requests in Email

2022-07-22

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1
  • Hello. In this week's Everyday Grammar report, we will talk about how to communicate politely in emails, especially when making requests.
    • 2
  • Samuel from China recently wrote to us asking about how to communicate more effectively in email.
    • 3
  • Thank you, Samuel for suggesting the idea.
    • 4
  • Knowing how to express politeness is important, especially if you are emailing in English for a job or school.
    • 5
  • Let's consider a few ways to make our communication by email more polite when making requests.
    • 6
  • When writing a request by email, there are several ways to express your politeness.
    • 7
  • Turning a command into a question
    • 8
  • Instead of making your request as a command, turn the request into a question.
    • 9
  • Commands or imperatives use the "you" form of a verb to create the command.
    • 10
  • Instead of:
    • 11
  • Please meet me at 5 PM.
    • 12
  • You could say:
    • 13
  • Do you want to meet me at 5 PM?
    • 14
  • Here we use a yes or no question to make the request.
    • 15
  • You can make a yes or no question this way:
    • 16
  • Auxiliary Verb + Subject + Main Verb
    • 17
  • The question permits the receiver a choice which is more polite.
    • 18
  • The receiver could say "yes" or "no" and provide a reason or suggest a different time to meet.
    • 19
  • Use of please
    • 20
  • Did you notice anything about the use of "please" in the above examples?
    • 21
  • The word "please" was used in the command.
    • 22
  • And it was not used in the more polite question.
    • 23
  • We do not always have to use please to make a polite request.
    • 24
  • Sometimes the use of "please" can come across as too strong or demanding.
    • 25
  • In email, we do not always pick up on the tone of what is written.
    • 26
  • Could you please meet me at 5 PM?
    • 27
  • This question may come across as too strong.
    • 28
  • Would you like to meet me at 5 PM?
    • 29
  • Using "would like" is a polite way to offer and make requests.
    • 30
  • The use of "please" is not necessary here.
    • 31
  • Requests with modals
    • 32
  • Modals are verbs that are used to express possibility, ability, or necessity.
    • 33
  • These include verbs like would, could, will, and can, among others.
    • 34
  • You can use modals with your question to make a request.
    • 35
  • "Could" and "Would" are the more polite forms.
    • 36
  • "Can" and "will" are still polite, but they are used for requests that are more casual or informal.
    • 37
  • Here are some common expressions with modals to make your request:
    • 38
  • Could
    • 39
  • Could you help me with this?
    • 40
  • Do you think you could meet me later next week?
    • 41
  • Would
    • 42
  • Would you have time to help me?
    • 43
  • Would you be able to take me to the store later?
    • 44
  • Will
    • 45
  • Will you still pick me up from the airport?
    • 46
  • Can
    • 47
  • Can you get me a coffee if you're going to the café?
    • 48
  • When we use these modals to make requests, the level of politeness is understood because the polite meaning is attached to the modal itself.
    • 49
  • Today, we talked about three ways to make our requests more polite.
    • 50
  • We can turn a command statement into a question.
    • 51
  • We can choose to use or not use "please" when making the request.
    • 52
  • And we can use modals to help express the request.
    • 53
  • Next time we will continue our report about politeness in emails, covering three more ways to make polite requests.
    • 54
  • Now it is your turn! Practice politely requesting something using the three ways discussed above.
    • 55
  • For example, you could request a favorite language or grammar subject for us to explore.
    • 56
  • Let us know in the comments below or write to us at learningenglish@voanews.com.
    • 57
  • We might use your message in a future episode of Everyday Grammar!
    • 58
  • I'm Faith Pirlo.
    • 59
  • And I'm Jill Robbins.
    • 1
  • Hello. In this week's Everyday Grammar report, we will talk about how to communicate politely in emails, especially when making requests.
    • 2
  • Samuel from China recently wrote to us asking about how to communicate more effectively in email.
    • 3
  • Thank you, Samuel for suggesting the idea.
    • 4
  • Knowing how to express politeness is important, especially if you are emailing in English for a job or school.
    • 5
  • Let's consider a few ways to make our communication by email more polite when making requests.
    • 6
  • Politeness
    • 7
  • When writing a request by email, there are several ways to express your politeness.
    • 8
  • Turning a command into a question
    • 9
  • Instead of making your request as a command, turn the request into a question. Commands or imperatives use the "you" form of a verb to create the command.
    • 10
  • Instead of:
    • 11
  • Please meet me at 5 PM.
    • 12
  • You could say:
    • 13
  • Do you want to meet me at 5 PM?
    • 14
  • Here we use a yes or no question to make the request.
    • 15
  • You can make a yes or no question this way:
    • 16
  • Auxiliary Verb + Subject + Main Verb
    • 17
  • The question permits the receiver a choice which is more polite. The receiver could say "yes" or "no" and provide a reason or suggest a different time to meet.
    • 18
  • Use of please
    • 19
  • Did you notice anything about the use of "please" in the above examples?
    • 20
  • The word "please" was used in the command. And it was not used in the more polite question.
    • 21
  • We do not always have to use please to make a polite request. Sometimes the use of "please" can come across as too strong or demanding. In email, we do not always pick up on the tone of what is written.
    • 22
  • Could you please meet me at 5 PM?
    • 23
  • This question may come across as too strong.
    • 24
  • Would you like to meet me at 5 PM?
    • 25
  • Using "would like" is a polite way to offer and make requests. The use of "please" is not necessary here.
    • 26
  • Requests with modals
    • 27
  • Modals are verbs that are used to express possibility, ability, or necessity. These include verbs like would, could, will, and can, among others.
    • 28
  • You can use modals with your question to make a request. "Could" and "Would" are the more polite forms. "Can" and "will" are still polite, but they are used for requests that are more casual or informal.
    • 29
  • Here are some common expressions with modals to make your request:
    • 30
  • Could
    • 31
  • Could you help me with this?
    • 32
  • Do you think you could meet me later next week?
    • 33
  • Would
    • 34
  • Would you have time to help me?
    • 35
  • Would you be able to take me to the store later?
    • 36
  • Will
    • 37
  • Will you still pick me up from the airport?
    • 38
  • Can
    • 39
  • Can you get me a coffee if you're going to the café?
    • 40
  • When we use these modals to make requests, the level of politeness is understood because the polite meaning is attached to the modal itself.
    • 41
  • Closing thoughts
    • 42
  • Today, we talked about three ways to make our requests more polite. We can turn a command statement into a question. We can choose to use or not use "please" when making the request. And we can use modals to help express the request.
    • 43
  • Next time we will continue our report about politeness in emails, covering three more ways to make polite requests.
    • 44
  • Now it is your turn! Practice politely requesting something using the three ways discussed above. For example, you could request a favorite language or grammar subject for us to explore. Let us know in the comments below or write to us at learningenglish@voanews.com. We might use your message in a future episode of Everyday Grammar!
    • 45
  • I'm Faith Pirlo.
    • 46
  • And I'm Jill Robbins.
    • 47
  • Faith Pirlo wrote this report for VOA Learning English.
    • 48
  • _______________________________________________________________
    • 49
  • Words in This Story
    • 50
  • politely - adv. to do something showing good behavior and respect for other people
    • 51
  • formal - adj. following established form, custom, or rule
    • 52
  • tone - n. a quality, feeling, or attitude expressed by the words that someone uses in speaking or writing
    • 53
  • casual - adj. not formal; done without much thought or effort
    • 54
  • informal - adj. not requiring serious or formal behavior or dress : suitable for ordinary or everyday use with close friends and family
    • 55
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    • 56
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    • 57
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