Making requests and offers Conversation: Helping a classmate Jim: Hey, buddy, can Task you a favor? Aut: Sure—what can I do for you? Jin: T wonder if you'd be willing to lend me your biology notes. I missed a couple of classes when I was sick, and now I'm totally lost. Att OK. Why don't we go to the library and copy my notebook and then go to your place and go over the lessons. I'm acing biology this semester, so I'm sure I can get you back on track Later: Jin: Oh, man, that will be a load off my shoulders. I can’t thank you enough. Att Glad to help. As a matter of fact, I have a favor to ask of you. Jim: Oh yeah? Don’t tell me you need more advice about your girlfriend! Att: Well, not exactly. It’s that her sister is coming up for the weekend, and Tneed to find her a date. Any chance you'd go out with her on Saturday night? We'd all four go to the theater and then out to eat. Jim: Look, I already agreed to go to the movies with Ben. But how abi invite her to go to the movies with us instead? Of course, afterward we'd grab a bite to eat, but it won't be anything fancy. Att That sounds great to me. Let me see what Jessica thinks about it, and I'll get back to you ASAP. Jin: Good. And by the way, thanks again for the help with biology. I think I'm on top of it now. Att: No problem. Don’t hesitate to call me if you have any questions, Jim: Thanks, buddy. See you later.Improving your conversation Making requests A direct command is the strongest way to request urgent attention. Take her to the hospital! Let us rest! Call the police! Help me! Can you can also be used to request attention to a need. Can you get me to a hospital right away? Can you call the police? Can you help me? A direct command for assistance in attaining something you want (rather than something you need) is considered rude. Can you is also a little abrupt. Will you is the most direct way to request what you want and should always be preceded or followed by please. Will you please take me to the airport? Please, will you bring mea glass of water? Could you (please) is a more polite way to request what you want. Could you babysit for my daughter this weekend? Could you tell us how to get to Main Street from here? Would you (please) is an even more polite way to request what you want. Would you (be able to) mow the lawn for me this weekend? Woutld you take me to the store this afternoon? Would you mind + -ing is the most formal way to ask someone to do something for you. Would you mind helping me with these packages? Would you mind telling us how to get to the main highway? Would you mind if + subjunctive is a very polite way to ask permission to do something. Would you mind if | borrowed your car? No, you can use it for a couple of hours. Would you mind if we stayed one more night? ‘To mind can mean not be happy about. Do you mind if I use your pen? No, [don’t mind. Do you mind if I borrow your car? Yes, Ido mind! You may not borrow it. ‘A favor is something that someone does to help someone else out. ‘Will you do mea favor? Of course. What do you need? Would you mind if asked you a favor? Of course not. What can I do for you?Offering assistance Several expressions are used to offer a favor or assistance. PIL+-verb indicates that you are taking action in an emergency. An alternative way to ex this is to use the present progressive tense. Tl take you to the hospital. I'm calling the police. Would you like to + basic verb or would you like me to + basic verb can be used when the person needs is obvious but not urgent. I see you're tired. Would you like to sit down? see you need a ride. Would you like me to take you home? Let me know if I can help you or Pll be glad to help you are formal expressions used by receptionists, secretaries, salesclerks, or other people whose jobs involve providing services to the public The doctor will be with you shortly. In the meantime, let me know if I can help you. Feel free to look through our merchandise, and if you see anything you like or have any questions, [Il be glad to help you. Can I help yout is a way to offer assistance to a stranger in need. An alternative expression is Let me help you. ‘You look lost. Can I help you? ‘You took quite a fall. Let me help you get up. How can I help you? is a way to offer assistance to someone who seems to want something. An alternative expression is What can I do for you? T'm the doctor's receptionist. How can I help you? I see you're waiting for a salesperson. What can I do for you? Is there any way I can help you? indicates a sincere offer of help to someone you know well. Alternative expressions are Is there anything I can do for yout/Is there anything I can do to help? ‘Mom, I know you're not feeling well. Is there any way I can help you? So you're moving to your new house next week! Is there anything I can do to help?Oh yeah ‘The expression oh yeah can have different meanings, depending on the intonation. In the example conversation, with ascending intonation (from low to high), it affirms interest in what was just said. Following is another example: Tmleaving for San Francisco tomorrow Oh yeah? What are you going to do there? morning. How long are you stay ‘When oh yeah has descending intonation (from high to low) it affirms previous knowledge of what was just said. Cimon, et’seat lunch, 1 thought you were ‘Oh yeah, 1 forgot hhavinglunch with Tim, about that. It’s (just) that It’s Gust) that... is an expression that precedes an explanation of something just mentioned or ‘questioned. It indicates that the speaker expects the hearer to understand and accept the explanation. Why didnt you turn your paper in Tm sorry, professor. It’s that I had two exams on time? and three other papers due last week Another way to express this is the thing is, ... Why dont you ever wash your dishes? The thing is, I always seem to be ina hurry to go somewhere.Date A date is an appointment with someone—ofien for the prospect ofa romantic connection—for a social occasion, I'd realy like to go to dinner with you on Friday, Rita, but | have a date with that new guy at ‘work. He invited me to go to the movies with him. Totally ‘Totally means completely, 100 percent, very. Oh, the party was totally awesome. ‘We were totally confused by his explanation, Be willing To be willing means to accept participation in an activity. Are you willing to pick me up at Sure, what time does your plane land? the airport? He can mave to Los Angeles ifhe wants to, but 'm not willing to quit my job and go with him, Back on track ‘Tobe back on track means to be back to normal after a difficult period. ‘Tran missed three practices after he sprained his ankle, but he's been doing extra training, and now he's back on track with the rest of the team “The divorce was hard, but Phil is now getting his life back on track. On top of it ‘To be on top of it means to fully understand something or to be able to handle something. ‘The math course is hard, but I think he's on top of it. ‘There was a at to learn in my new job, but now I'm on top of it A load off my shoulders/mind A load off my shoulders When Jan offered to take care of my mother, it was a huge load off my shoulders. ‘The other driver admitted thatthe accident was his fault, and his insurance company paid for my car repairs. That sure was a load off my mind. isa big relief from responsibility or worry. Miss ‘To miss can mean to not be able to attend an event or partici T'm sorry I missed your party. Las Yeah and you missed the chance to meet my ‘out of town. cousin from St. Louis.‘He missed a week of work when he was sick. ‘You played the wrong card. Now you have to miss your turn. can also mean to arrive too late for a form of public transportation, ‘We got stuck in traffic and missed our plane. Now we have to reschedule. can also mean to feel nostalgic or sad about a person you haven't seen, a place you haven't been to, or an activity you haven't participated in for a while. | miss you, I miss Arlington, and I miss hanging out with you guys. Miss can also mean failure to answer a question correctly on a test or to connect with a ball (or other object) in a game. She missed six questions on the test and failed it. ‘You'd better get your eyes checked—you missed the ball three times! Go and come ‘To go means to move from here or there to another place. I'm going to the airport tonight. When are you going to Colorado? ‘To come can mean to move from there to here. (Lam at work now.) I'm coming to work early tomorrow. (Lam in Colorado.) When are you coming to Colorado? ‘To come can also mean to move from here to there—when the person you are talking to is ‘expected to be there. (Lam at work now; you are at home.) I'm coming home early this afternoon. (Lam in Virginia; you are in Colorado) I'm coming to Colorado in August. (We are both at the office.) I hope you can come to the party at my house next week. ‘To go over can emphasize that the movement fromt here to there or to another place is short.Ace ‘To ace means to get a very good grade with little effort. I didn't know he was so smart. He's acing trigonometry. Fancy Fancy is used to describe something elegant, possibly with intricate details. She wore a very fancy dress with lots of ruffles and bows. Itwas a fancy party. There were flowers and candles everywhere, and there was a seven- course, sit-down dinner for more than a hundred guests. Any chance... ? Any chance. ‘used to ask informally if something is possible or true. ‘Any chance you have a lawn mower I could borrow? [Any chance we could get together for a cup of coffee? How about if... ? The expression how about if. ‘We have a long weekend coming up. How about if we all goto the beach? know you don't have enough money to buy the car. How about if I lend it to you? “offers a suggestion for action by one or more people. I'll get back to you ’Il get back to you is a promise to find information for someone and contact him or her as soon as you have it. | don’t know how much the real estate tax on this house is, but I'll find out and get back to you right away. ASAP ASAP means as soon as possible. See you later See you later is an informal way of saying good-bye. Alternative expressions include see ya/later! byelciao. OK, I've gotta run. See you later.Gicle the most appropriate expression for each situation. 1. You are ready to order a meal in a restaurant. You say to the server: ‘a. |want the chicken. . Can you bring me the chicken? b. Id like the chicken, please. d. Would you bring me the chicken? 2. Awoman has just fallen down and cannot get up. You say to someone with a phone: 1. Would you mind calling . Would you like to call an an ambulance? ambulance, please? b, Could you call an ambulance? d. Call an ambulance! 3. Your car has broken down and your cell phone's battery is dead. You say to a stranger: ‘a. Would you mind if borrowed —_c. Let me use your phone! your cell phone to call my mechanic? b. Hey, can | borrow your phone? d. Give me your phone, please. ‘Write an appropriate question or command for each situation. 1. You want the lady in front of you in the theater to take off her large hat so you can see. 2. You want to borrow a ladder from your neighbor. 3. You want a friend to lend you $20. 4, You want your brother to lend you $20. 5. You are in Washington, D.C. You want a stranger on the street to give you directions to the White House 6. You want to borrow a pen from your classmate. 7. You want the fire department to come to your house to put out a fire. 8, You want a taxi driver to take you to the airport.be willing a ace b mind © be back on track a. go over f be on top of it “Match the words and expressions in te frst column with those in the second column that ‘havea similar meaning, Note: There may be more than one match fr each expression. answer incorrectly on a test be bothered be happy to be sad thinking about get a good grade on a test get over a difficult period have under control lose an opportunity not arrive on time for public transportation not attend an event not be happy about not mind doing recover from lost time visita neighbor vA5 vyour answers. White an answer for each of the following questions. Ask an English-speaking friend to check 1. What do you do if you miss a bus, train, or airplane? 2. Do you miss a person or place? What does it feel like? 3. What do you do if you miss a question on a test? 4, What do you do if you miss a class or a day of work? 5. In what games can you miss the ball?