Do you know how long Mark _____ been working for that company? Can you spell your name? Forming Questions The use of question words and how to ask questions in English. To help you do that, I want to share essential tips and common phrases we use in English. Could You Possibly/Is There Any Way You Could When using an indirect question, use an introductory phrase followed by the question itself in positive sentence structure. etc.] Don’t make the mistake of saying “I want” when you ask people for things in English. Connect the two phrases with the question word or 'if' in the case the question is a yes/no question. This makes you look rude, and they will be less likely to want to help you! Usually it’s used when what you’re asking doesn’t require a huge amount of effort from the person that you’re asking for help. Make sure that you’re giving the other person the chance to say no. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Who - asking for a person and animal: object: do, does, did. Could you lend me a hand?It’s a casual, relaxed way to ask for help. This may sound awkward but it is true. Instead of saying to someone: Can you spell your name? First, identify which type of question is asked (i.e. Use the three part formula to change them into indirect questions When you finish, check that the final part … Direct questions are either yes/no questions such as "Are you married?" Saying "Give me that" (imperative) instead of "Could you give me that" (indirect) puts you at risk of sounding rude. Basic Conversations for English Language Learners, English as a Second Language (ESL) Expert, Key Words That Make Direct Questions More Polite, Asking Indirect Questions to Be Especially Polite, Workplace Communication Skills for ESL Learners, Rhetorical Questions for English Learners, Ask Questions in English Class to Help You Learn, Phrases for Performing Well in Business Meetings, ESL: How to Ask for, Grant and Refuse Permission, Giving and Requesting Personal Information, Check Your Knowledge: Basic English Questions, Check Your Knowledge: Introductions and Greetings, Check Your Knowledge: "How Much" and "How Many", Check Your Knowledge: Eating at a Restaurant, Check Your Knowledge: Going to the Doctor, M.A., Music Performance, Cologne University of Music, B.A., Vocal Performance, Eastman School of Music. You ask for something, then the person you have asked needs more information. Anybody can ask a question Anybody can answer The best answers are voted up and rise to the top Home ; Questions ; Tags ; Users ; Unanswered ; How do I ask a question politely? In both countries, questions with "can" are made more polite by using "could:". For example: In informal situations, one could use the word "can" in a direct sentence. For example, if you come up to someone and ask: There is nothing wrong with asking questions in this manner, but to sound more polite, it's very common to add "excuse me" or "pardon me" at the beginning of a question. I promise to keep it brief. JamesESL English Lessons ... Business English - Complaining & Disagreeing Politely and Effectively - Duration: 7:22. Can I use your phone? How to Politely Ask Someone to Repeat Something in english; Would you mind repeating that? The second part uses the opposite form of the helping verb followed by the same subject ("Hasn't she"). Otherwise, use a question word "where, when, why, or how" to connect the two phrases. Where is the bus stop? - English Only forum had politely done - English Only forum He was not speaking politely so I have just hung up the phone on him - English Only forum how can I express my meaning politely and correctly? People will be offended because they will … How should you ask a stranger where the nearest bus stop is? It is usually used with "I," and sometimes "we.". In the video below, you can also check out ways to reply when people ask you what you want. Ask Question … … Using questionsmakes you sound nicer and more considerate (thoughtful and nice). Expression for asking personal question politely [Excuse my asking, but.. Direct questions can seem abrupt or even impolite at times, especially when asked by a stranger. Saying "May I have" instead of "Can I have" is preferred in the U.S. Next, provide a missing word to fill in the gap to complete the question. Instead of telling people to help you with tasks, you can turn your statement into a question. They won't attend this class, _____ they? When you ask somebody like that in a direct manner. It only takes a minute to sign up. Each of these three question types can be used politely, but certain indirect forms are more formal and polite than other types of questions. In the United Kingdom, the word is not frowned upon. So you might wonder, how should you ask your boss for a day off? Asking a Quick Question . English Grammar - How to ask questions - Duration: 19:03. Say something like “Oh”, “Ah”, “Um”, or “Er” to give you a second or two to formulate an answer. Excuse me, _____ you help me with my homework? Indirect questions are more polite than direct questions. - English Only forum had politely done - English Only forum He was not speaking politely so I have just hung up the phone on him - English Only forum how can I express my meaning politely and correctly? Asking for information can be as simple as asking for the time, or as complicated as asking for details about a complicated process.In both cases, it's important to use the appropriate form for the situation. Asking for directions is the first thing we do when we arrive to a different country, or even when we are just trying to find a place. Consider the following important points carefully. "Would" can also be used to make questions more polite: Another way of making direct questions more polite is to add "please" at the end of the question. There are three types of questions in English: direct, indirect, and question tags. Say: Can you finish the presentation? What you can do is, simply say: Simply say: Could you please spell your name? How to ask questions politely and correctly. Tom helped in the garden.Who helped in the garden? Here are examples of being too direct: “I want help.” “Pass me the salt.” “Can you carry my bag?” These questions are all correct English but they are too direct. Indirect questions request the same information as direct questions, but they are considered more formal. (Also see my corollary post How to answer questions politely and correctly.) Which would be a direct way of asking a question and can be interpreted as being rude or arrogant. When we want to be more polite we often use indirect question forms. Are we done? Pardon? Asking questions in English – indirect questions Indirect questions are also used to try to get information. Asking to do things – asking for permission. Write down five open and five closed direct questions. Reasons To Politely Ask for a Reply in a Formal Email. One form to avoid when asking for things is the imperative form. When you ask a direct question, you ask directly, or simply, for exactly what you need. Do well to check it out and share. There are many different ways of making polite requests in English. Remember, complete silence makes the other person feel uneasy! Would you be game for a 15–20 minute phone call next week? ______ me, what time does the train leave? Excuse me, do you know _____ the next show begins. How should you ask a stranger where the nearest bus stop is? Do you mind repeating that? Since we are asking someone for help, it is important to be polite. Introductory Phrase + Question Word/"If"/"Whether" + Subject + Helping Verb + Main Verb? Excuse me? What time is it? Start studying How to Politely Ask a Favor in English. Are you looking for a professional, native English teacher online? How to ask questions politely using could, would and may. Lindsay and Michelle recommend italki as our #1 English-learning solution online. Using an indirect question is one great way to do this. Indirect questions always begin with an introductory phrase and unlike direct questions, they do not invert the subject. NOTE: If you are asking a "yes-no" question, use "if" to connect the introductory phrase with the actual question statement. - English Only forum How to ask someone politely to send me something a.s.a.p. I wonder ______ you like chocolate or not. Direct and indirect questions are used to ask for information you do not know, while question tags are generally used to clarify or confirm the information you think you know. Please should not appear at the beginning of the question: "May" is used as a formal means to ask for permission and is very polite. Ask a question or clarify something; Join a conversation or express your opinion on the topic; The key is knowing how to interrupt someone politely. Choose from more than 400 teachers to work on your business English or to pass your next big exam. Instead, here are some better, more polite ways to ask for things. or information questions such as "Where do you live?" The difference between practice and practise, “a little” and “a few ” to describe quantity, Difference between “finally”, “at last”, “lastly” and “in the end”, Maths symbols and operations – English vocabulary, BACK as a noun, verb, adjective and adverb, IELTS complete guide (WITH EXAMPLE QUESTIONS). Who - asking for a person and animal: subject: no do, does, did. Each of these three question types can be used politely, but certain indirect forms are more formal and polite than other types of questions. Knowing how to ask for them can make our life so much easier! If the voice drops, someone is confirming information that is known. Are you working this weekend? If the voice goes up at the end of the sentence, the person is asking for more information. Especially since English doesn’t have a formal “you” form like many other languages. The first part uses the subject followed by a helping verb as used in direct questions ("Has she"). English Language & Usage Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for linguists, etymologists, and serious English language enthusiasts. Sign up to join this community. Your Relationship with the Recipient . Notice that indirect questions begin with a phrase ("I wonder," "Do you think," "Would you mind," etc.). In the United States, "can" is considered to be incorrect for written English in particular because, in the past, it was not a word used when asking for something. direct, indirect, or question tag). There are several reasons your recipient might delay in replying your email or neglect your email totally, forcing you to deliberately ask for a reply in a formal email. etc.] All we do is replace CAN with COULD. . I’m a longtime admirer of your work and have the greatest respect for your filmmaking expertise. How to ask questions politely using could, would and may How to ask questions politely using could, would and may? Privacy Policy. Here are some more examples in different contexts with different tenses.Can you give me a hand with these … Sorry. - English Only forum How to ask someone politely to send me something a.s.a.p. However, we use indirect questions if we want to ask a more personal or formal question. Direct questions place the helping verb before the subject of the question: (Question word) + Helping Verb + Subject + Verb + Objects ? Have you ever wondered how you can politely ask a question in English? They are in fact quite rude. It only takes a minute to sign up. He or she asks you a question. Where are you? We must avoid being too direct. Introductory phrase + question word (or "if") + positive sentence. Saying "Give me that" (imperative) instead of "Could you give me that" (indirect) puts you at risk of sounding rude. It’s also possible to use ‘can’ in informal situations. Instead of: Finish the presentation. Get a native English teacher online in seconds at italki. Requests - English Grammar Today - a reference to written and spoken English grammar and usage - Cambridge Dictionary Especially since English doesn’t have a formal “you” form like many other languages. “Can you show me,” “Can I have,” “Can I sit”, etc. But in order to make questions more polite, change “can” to “could” and you sound like a “native”! They are examples of formal English. Even if you need something done right away, making it a question will make the other person more willing to help. Have you ever wondered how you can politely ask a question in English? I would love to ask you a few questions about how you financed your first film. So, even if your English is at a beginner’s level, using these simple words can help you sound more polite. Using indirect question forms is especially polite. Question tags turn statements into questions. Saying "Give me that" (imperative) instead of "Could you give me that" (indirect) puts you at risk of sounding rude. And they are also … Sign up to join this community. We can understand question tags as having two parts separated by a comma. This is another really common way to ask for help in English. To learn more about how to ask polite questions, and use each form … How to Ask Politely. Where’s the bathroom? Asking Questions in Different Ways. One form to avoid when asking for things is the imperative form. Each of these three question types can be used politely, but certain indirect forms are more formal and polite than other types of questions. I use this expression all the time.Can you give me a hand for a minute? Cambridge University publishes English teaching materials with the phrase "Can you lend me," "Can I have," etc. Daily grammar lesson with Elo Kasia. There are even times when you might need to stop a speaker to ask a question that is not related to the topic of conversation. The way we ask for directions may affect the answer we get. To learn more about how to ask polite questions, and use each form correctly, check out the overview below. Direct questions are fine when you are talking to your friends or family. Jane opened the door.Who opened the door? My schedule is wide open all day Thursday and Friday if you have availability then. Expression for asking personal question politely [Excuse my asking, but.. A request is when we ask someone for something. If you haven’t expected this, you can “play for time” – say something to give you time to think. Using an indirect question is one great way to do this. These are not polite requests. One form to avoid when asking for things is the imperative form. English Language & Usage Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for linguists, etymologists, and serious English language enthusiasts. They ask the same as direct questions but are considered more formal. Depending on the intonation of the voice, they are used to verify information that we think is correct or to ask for more information. If you don't want to sound rude when speaking English, then you need to know how to make a request in a polite way.Requests in English are usually made in the form of questions Get our special offer before it runs out! Direct questions ask for information immediately without including extra language such as "I wonder" or "Can you tell me.". Your email address will not be published. For example, when asking for information from a friend, use a more informal or colloquial form. How much does that book cost? Paul Randal August 11, 2014 This post is a much-expanded version of the editorial in my last bi-weekly SQLskills Insider newsletter, including a bunch of the feedback I got. Subject + Helping verb + Objects + , + Opposite Helping Verb + Subject? Anybody can ask a question Anybody can answer The best answers are voted up and rise to the top Home Questions Tags Users Unanswered Politely ask someone not to do something. Indirect questions can start with introductory phrases such as these: Can you tell me . Kenneth Beare is an English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher and course developer with over three decades of teaching experience. The questions ‘do you mind’ or ‘do you care’ usually cause a lot of confusion for many English as a Second language users. Sometimes it is necessary to pause a conversation to ask a clarifying question. Being polite is an important part of learning how to speak English naturally and there are many ways of making our questions more polite. To form an indirect question, use an introductory phrase followed by question words for information questions, and "if" or "whether" for yes/no questions. Not to worry, I have addressed this in a post titled, How to Answer Tag Questions. . Luckily, Canadians are … Continue reading "10 Tips on How to Ask for Directions in English" So you might wonder, how should you ask your boss for a day off? They greet their teacher.Who do they greet? No matter what the situation, these short phrases allow for brief questions during a conversation. In this spoken English lesson, you will learn several methods to make polite requests and ask questions.