Requests, Offers and Suggestions
A2 · ElementaryModal VerbsCould, would, shall, and can let you ask someone for help, offer to help them, or suggest doing something together.
What you'll learn
- Could/would you...? for polite requests
- Shall I...? / Can I...? to offer to do something yourself
- Shall we...? / Let's... / Why don't we...? to suggest an activity together
- Would you mind + -ing? for an extra-polite, indirect request
Making polite requests
Could you and would you are common, polite ways to ask someone to do something for you. Would you mind + -ing is even more indirect and polite.
Offering to help
Shall I...? and can I...? both offer to do something for someone else — shall I is especially common in British English for spontaneous offers.
Suggesting an activity together
Shall we...?, let's..., and why don't we...? all suggest doing something together, as a group. Shall we asks specifically about you and the listener together.
Shall I vs. shall we
Shall I offers to do something yourself, for the other person. Shall we suggests doing something together, as a pair or group — the difference is who ends up doing the action.
Real English
Watch out
Use the base form of the verb after could/would you, not the -ing form.
Don't add to after shall — it's followed directly by the base form.
Would you mind is followed by the -ing form of the verb, not to + base verb.
Real life — Helping a neighbor move
"Could you give me a hand with this box?"
"Sure! Shall I take the heavier one?"
"That would be great, thanks. Shall we take a break after this?"
"Good idea — let's get some water first."
Practice
Exercise 1 · Choose the correct sentence
Choose the correct sentence — a polite request.
Exercise 2 · Choose the correct sentence
Choose the correct sentence — an offer.
Exercise 3 · Choose the correct sentence
Choose the correct sentence — a suggestion.
Exercise 4 · Choose the correct answer
Which is a more polite, indirect request?
Exercise 5 · Choose the correct sentence
Choose the correct sentence — an offer to help.
Exercise 6 · Choose the correct answer
Which best fits offering to do something yourself?
Exercise 7 · Choose the correct answer
Which best fits suggesting an activity together?
Exercise 8 · Choose the correct sentence
Choose the correct sentence — a suggestion.
Exercise 9 · Complete the sentence
Complete (polite request): '___ you pass the salt, please?'
Exercise 10 · Complete the sentence
Complete (offer): '___ I get you something to drink?'
Exercise 11 · Sort into groups
0 / 6 sorted
Quick challenge
Five quick questions to check what stuck.
Question 1 / 5
Score: 0/0
Choose the correct sentence — a request.
You learned
- Could/would you...? make polite requests.
- Shall I...? and can I...? offer to do something yourself.
- Shall we...?, let's..., and why don't we...? suggest an activity together.
- Would you mind + -ing? is an extra-polite way to make a request.
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