Level: beginner
Requests
We use could you … and would you … as polite ways of telling or asking someone to do something:
Could you take a message, please?
Would you carry this for me, please?
can and will are less polite:
Can you take a message, please?
Will you carry this for me, please?
Offers and invitations
We use can I … to make offers:
Can I help you?
Can I do that for you?
We can also use shall I …:
Shall I help you with that?
Shall I call you on your mobile?
We sometimes say I can ... or I could ... or I'll (I will) ... to make an offer:
I can do that for you if you like.
I could give you a lift to the station.
I'll do that for you if you like.
I'll give you a lift to the station.
We use would you like (to) ... for invitations:
Would you like to come round tomorrow?
Would you like another drink?
Level: advanced
We can use you must … or we must … for a very polite invitation:
You must come round and see us.
We must meet again soon.
- Requests, offers and invitations 1
- Requests, offers and invitations 2
- Requests, offers and invitations 3