So asking people for favors- I know for me sometimes I get shy a little embarrassed it
really just depends on what the favor is and who you're asking. This lesson is going to show you
different phrases that you can use when you are asking
for a favor and you're not necessarily going to use the same phrase over and over and over.
What do I mean by favor I mean? When we ask someone to help us in some way or to do something
for us. One of the basic phrases to ask for a favor that I hear a lot is "can you help me with"
Can you help me with my homework? This is just an example, but you'll notice that the phrases I
share with you today are going to be formed as questions and they'll begin
with a modal. So for example in this case the word "can" being a modal. Can you help me with
But what other phrases can we use? There's nothing wrong with asking this question but sometimes
you want to make sure you sound polite even more polite and especially if you're working
in an office or if you're asking someone for a favor and you're kind of nervous about
it. You want to make sure that you don't sound pushy or you don't sound demanding.
If you're not sure if you sound demanding or not it's always good to just insert the word please.
So here's the first way to ask her a favor. "Could you please" "Could you please"
Could you please turn down the music? It's a little too loud.
Could you please turn down the music? Notice that the action here is the phrasal verb "turn down"
"turn down" Could you please turn down the music? It's used in its base form of the verb.
Sometimes I hear mistakes in the verb and some people want to add the -ing.
We don't add the -ing here because it is the main verb. Could you please turn down the
music or another example could you please help fix the computer? "could you please".
The next option you could use when you are asking for a favor is this "could I ask you"
Could I ask you to help me translate this document? I ask you again it begins with a modal
and because it's a question. Just make sure that you're using the correct intonation.
Could I ask you to help translate this document? Notice that my intonation goes up at the end.
Could I ask you to help me translate this document?
After this particular starter you want to make sure that the form of the verb you're going to
use is the infinitive form. So here it would be to translate versus saying translating.
All right so here's the way to start for number three using these words "do you mind"
the word mind can mean brain but in this case it's used as a verb an action. And the word mind is
if I mind something it means I don't like it or I find it annoying. So as an example, I can say
"she minded the pouring rain because that meant she couldn't go out." So when you're
asking for a favor, you could say Do you mind writing down the notes for this meeting?
You notice that the verb I'm using right after this phrase is the word writing with an -ing
my verb is using the ing form and we want to make sure that we do that when we use this phrase
do you mind cooking dinner tonight. I'm really tired. Do you mind cooking dinner tonight?
Again, the verb here I'm using after the phrase is cook so I add -ing cooking. Another way we
could start instead of do is replacing it with the word "would". Would you mind helping me
with my homework tonight? This sounds very polite and if you are asking someone for a favor that
perhaps you haven't asked them for many favors or you don't know them as well
using the word would makes it sound very polite and gentle. Would you mind helping me with this?
Another phrase you could use is this one
could you possibly could you possibly give me a lift. A lift is another way to say a ride
and I hear more americans say the word ride when you're asking someone to take you in their vehicle
let's say from work to your house. Could you possibly give me a ride?
By adding the word possibly you're kind of saying you know if you could let me know if not
that's okay you're giving you're not sounding too demanding. Could you possibly give me the
directions to the restaurant notice that after the phrase here that I'm using again
the base form of the verb. In this case, the example is the word give not giving
could you possibly give me the directions to the restaurant? This last phrase is this one
could you possibly do me a favor and walk the dogs phrase here "could you possibly do me a favor"
could you possibly do me a favor and make some copies of this flyer? All right practice time.
I'm going to give you the ending of the question and I want you to choose the best answer
for how would you phrase this so here's the first one. blank turn down the music
which one would you choose? The correct answer is "would you please" would you
please turn down the music? Here's the next one number two watching the kids for me tonight?
Let's say you have a date with your loved one you want someone to help you watch your children
how would you start this one? The correct answer here is "would you mind" would you mind
watching my kids for me tonight? Here's the next one to clean your room. To clean is in
the infinitive form so what would you choose? If you said "could I ask you" you are correct.
Could I ask you to clean your room? And here's the last one for practice. to translate my document ?
What would you choose to begin this question? I'm using the infinitive form to translate. If you
chose could I ask you you, are correct. Could I ask you to translate this document for me?
Let me know in the comments section below what you thought of this lesson and feel free to add any
suggestions for further lessons as well so tell me what kind of favors have you asked for before
how did you ask them go ahead write down in the comments section below and feel free to
share so that other viewers can also see and we can all give each other some feedback.
If you like this video you want to check out some of my other past lessons feel free to
go to my channel's page or go to the links in the description box for more videos. Alright everybody
that's it for me today. Take care. I hope you all are staying safe and make sure to
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new lessons come out on this channel. Have a great rest of your week. Until next time!