Hey there! This is TOP episode 258. How to Make a Request? Useful Expressions.
Are you tired of lacking confidence when speaking English? Does it block you from achieving your true goals? This podcast is the place for you. This is Teacher Ola Podcast. My name’s Ola Mierniczak and I empower English learners to become confident speakers. The key to fluency is in your pocket. You’ll boost your vocabulary, brush up your grammar and improve your pronunciation. Enjoy your journey to fluency!
Hello hello! TWelcome to another episode! Today it’s gonna be mixed. Vocabulary and grammar. And pronunciation. We’re putting it all together because that’s how language works. Vocabulary is not detached from grammar and both don’t exist in separation from pronunciation. So! I’ve prepared a list of 5 ways you can use to express a request.
Let me remind you that you can watch a video-lesson titled “How to Stop Translating in Your Head”. Lot’s of people keep on asking how to stop translating word for word, so I have recorded a video-lesson, just watch it and let me know if it helped. Sign up if you haven’t yet at teacherola.com/lekcja. One more thing! Next SIOL edition starts in mid October, that’s plenty of time. If you want to start your journey now email me! contact@teacherola.com. Maybe you need 1:1 lessons? Let’s get in touch and figure out what will work for you. We can meet online for 20 min consultation and discuss your situation and see what is better for you. SIOL course? Or 1:1 lessons? contact@teacherola.com. Ok! Let’s get back to the episode!
Great! Let’s break down these five different ways of making a request. We’ll talk about when to use each one, how polite they are, and how to say them smoothly in conversation. I’ll also give you examples you can use in real life.
One. “I was wondering if you could…”
This phrase is a very polite way to make a request. It’s perfect for when you don’t want to seem pushy or demanding. It’s polite and slightly formal. Also good for semi-formal situations or when you’re asking for a favor that might be inconvenient.
This phrase is followed by the base form of the verb. Infinitive, like “help,” “lend,” “do”. Example sentences:
I was wondering if you could help me with this project.
I was wondering if you could drive me to the station tomorrow.
Two. “Do you think you could…?”
This is another polite way to ask for something, but it feels a bit more friendly and casual. It’s great when asking someone who might need a little encouragement to help you.
It’s not a formal expression, it’s rather direct. Good for everyday conversations or polite requests. The verb stays in its base form after “could”, like “help,” “lend”. So infinitive, yet again.
The phrase can be blended smoothly. The first sound is actually /dʒ/, listen: Do you think you could help me? This is what happens when people speak fast. It’s not easy to get what they mean if you don’t know how sounds behave when spoken in a natural way. So the sounds undergo some processes and here we’re dealing with one of them, ok? So it’s not: ‘Do you think’, but ‘Juthink’? Check out these sentences:
Do you think you could pick me up later?
Do you think you could explain that again?
Three. “Would you be able to…?”
This is another polite and respectful way to make a request. It’s slightly more formal than “Do you think you could…?” and it’s good to use when you’re not sure if the person can actually do what you’re asking.
It’s suitable for work situations or polite requests because it’s semi-formal. The phrase is followed by the base form of the verb, like “help,” “join,” “give”. Would you be able to help, Would you be able to join et cetera.
The words “Would you” can sound like “Would yuh…” when spoken casually. Ok? I’ve already spoken about this. /d/ sound and /j/ sound combine into /dʒ/. Would you. Listen to these example sentences:
Would you be able to send me the notes?
Would you be able to finish that by tomorrow?
Four. “Would you mind…?”
This phrase is super polite and is used when you want to show a lot of respect. You’re basically asking, “Is it okay if you do this?” It’s ideal when making sensitive or important requests.
Very polite hence good for formal situations or when asking something that could be inconvenient. This time, be careful, use the verb in the -ing form, like “closing,” “waiting,” “helping”. Would you mind doing, would you mind helping, would you mind closing. When it comes to pronunciation, the same process occurs. In fluent speech when one word ends in a /d/ sound and the next word begins in a /j/ sound, the two sounds come together and change to a /ʤ/ sound. You also might have noticed that the /uː/ in ‘you’ can change to schwa. So ‘would you’ becomes ‘would you’, or even ‘would ya’ This is an example of assimilation. Examples:
Would you mind helping me with lunch?
Would you mind waiting here for a minute?
Five. “I need you to…”
This one is more direct and straightforward. It’s not a suggestion or polite request—more like telling someone what you expect them to do. It’s often used when something is urgent or important.
It’s informal and commanding so use this when you’re in charge or in urgent situations. Follow this phrase with the base form of the verb, like “listen,” “do,” “come”. I need you to do, I need you to listen. Two sentences:
I need you to be quiet.
I need you to focus on the task at hand.
The best way to remember the language is by repeating, revising. So, that’s what we’ll be doing just now. Let’s listen and repeat the sentences out loud. Then download the Worksheet and complete it with the same sentences. Here we go:
I was wondering if you could help me with this project.
I was wondering if you could drive me to the station tomorrow.
Do you think you could pick me up later?
Do you think you could explain that again?
Would you be able to send me the notes?
Would you be able to finish that by tomorrow?
Would you mind helping me with lunch?
Would you mind waiting here for a minute?
I need you to be quiet.
I need you to focus on the task at hand.
Here you have it! We went through 5 ways you can express a request. If you like learning English here with me, help me a little. The best way to help me is by sharing this podcast with someone you think needs it. Thank you so much!
Don’t forget to download the Worksheet. If you’re a member of TOPeople you already have it in your inbox. If not, go and grab it at teacherola.com/258.
I love you, I believe in you, I know you can be fluent in English if you really want it. I’ll be back next week. Stay fearless, say it out loud and take care! I’m your teacher, Teacher Ola, and you were listening to Teacher Ola Podcast. Bye for now.