 |
 |
 |
 |
||||
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
||
|
 |
||||||
 |
 |
 |
|||||
|
Grammar
Q & A Newsgroup
Click on Questions and Answers to see the newest messages. If you want to post a message or comment, you will be prompted to login. (If you are not registered, you can do so from the login box.) Remember to bookmark this page to make it easier to return to it. |
|
Go
|
New
|
Find
|
Notify
|
Tools
|
Reply
|
|
|
Member Posts: 59
|
Posted
Hello
I'd like to ask about the expression of a request. I heard that " Will you ～?" sounded strong and it was like an order. Is that right? I know " Would you ～?" or " Could you ～?" are more polite. And there is another way of " Will you ～?" like " Will you try this cake?" I wonder in what situation and to whom you use " Will you ～?" for requesting. Would you help me to understand this usage? Thank you. This message has been edited. Last edited by: Rachel, Moderator, |
|
Member Posts: 15190
|
Posted
Yes, "will you" does sometimes sound strong. For example:
Mother: Will you please turn off that loud music! Son: OK, mom. The son would probably not address his mother in the same way. The conversation would be more like this: Son: Mom, could you please pick up my shoes at the shoe repair shop today? Mother: Sure. _______ Chart 9-3 in Understanding and Using English Grammar* shows this: "The meaning of would you and will you in a polite request is the same. Would you is more common and is often considered more polite. The degree of politeness, however, is often determined by the speaker's tone of voice. _______ Basically, could you and would you have the same meaning. The difference is slight: Would you = Do you want to do this please? Would you = Do you want to do this please, and is it possible for you to do this? Could you and would you are equally polite. _______ Can you is often used informally. It usually sounds less polite thancould you or would you." _______ "Will you try this cake" is a little different. This use of "will" is for a polite invitation or offer, not exactly a request, as in "Will you stay for supper," "Will you join me for a drink," and "Won't you sit down?" _______ Another way to make a polite request is with "would you mind" plus a gerund: Would you mind opening the window? Would you mind picking me up tonight? Would you mind taping the program for me? Rachel _______ * Understanding and Using English Grammar, Third Edition, by Betty Azar. Longman. 2002 **The Collins COBUILD English Dictionary. Harper Collins. 1995. |
