Mastering Polite English Requests and Writing Skills
Polite Requests
Key Phrases
Keywords: please, excuse me; use could, would you mind, may.
Request Models
- “Could you please help me…?”
- “Would you mind explaining that again?”
- “May I borrow your book, please?”
Quick Responses (1.1)
- Lend a pen: “Could you please lend me your pen?”
- Repeat instructions: “Would you mind repeating the instructions, please?”
- Open window: “Could you open the window, please?”
- Ask the time: “Excuse me, could you tell me the time, please?”
- Lower volume: “Would you mind lowering the volume, please?”
Asking for Instructions/Data (1.2)
Formula: Can/Could/May + you + base verb + details + please.
Examples: “Can you explain how to solve this problem?”, “Could you tell me the results of the experiment?”, “May I know the deadline for the project?”
Exercise Responses:
- “Could you explain how to complete this exercise?”
- “Can you tell me when the next exam is?”
- “Could you provide me with last year’s survey statistics?”
- “Can you explain the first step of the experiment?”
- “Could you tell me what this word means?”
Questioning Experts (1.3)
Rule: Ask clear, courteous questions relevant to the expert’s topic.
Templates:
- “Could you tell me how renewable energy helps the environment?”
- “Professor, what study strategies would you recommend for exams?”
- “Could you explain the main events of our country’s independence?”
- “Could you tell me techniques to manage stress effectively?”
- “Doctor, could you explain why exercise is important for health?”
Writing Practice
Daily Journal Writing (2.1)
Function: Short entries about experiences, ideas, reflections.
Ready Models:
- “Yesterday I studied English and helped my mother at home.”
- “During the weekend, I went to the park and read a book.”
- “This week, I learned how to use polite requests in English.”
- “I enjoyed drawing and listening to music in my free time.”
Writing Strategies (2.2)
Paragraph Structure: Main idea + supporting details + conclusion.
Models:
- Favorite food: “Pizza is my favorite food… Eating pizza makes me happy.”
- Benefits of reading: “Reading is very beneficial… Therefore, reading should be a daily habit.”
- Sports: “Soccer is a popular sport… and is very entertaining.”
Descriptive Paragraphs (2.3)
Describe family, school, news, science, or sports using details.
Models:
- Family: “My family is supportive and caring. We share meals together and help each other.”
- School: “My school is large with many classrooms, a library, and a playground.”
- Science sentence: “Photosynthesis is the process by which plants make food using sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide.”
- Sports news: “News was about the national soccer team winning a game.”
Academic & Creative Writing
Essay Structure (3.1)
Essay: Introduction + body + conclusion; expresses an organized opinion.
Models:
- Importance of English: “Studying English is very important… provides opportunities… use it responsibly.”
- Technology in Daily Life: “Technology is part of our lives… helps communication, study, work… use it responsibly.”
- Environment: “Protecting the environment is necessary… recycling, saving water, planting trees.”
- Sports & Health: “Sports keep the body active, reduce stress, teach discipline.”
- Dream Career: “My dream career is to be an engineer… contribute to society.”
Poetry & Stories (3.2)
Poetry: Focus on rhyme, rhythm, imagery; Stories: include characters, setting, problem, solution.
Express Models:
- Friendship Poem: “Friendship is like a star, always shining from afar.”
- Lost Object Story: “I found a wallet and returned it to its owner; they were thankful.”
- First Day Story: “My first day at school was exciting; I met new friends and my teacher was kind.”
- Dreams Poem: “Dreams are wings that let us fly, reaching stars up in the sky.”
- Nature Poem: “The river flows, the flowers grow, nature’s beauty starts to show.”