• We use ‘Could you’ to tell someone politely to do something.

• Imperatives are not very polite.

• We also use ‘Could you’ to ask someone politely for help.

• We use ‘I would like’, ‘Would you mind’, ‘Do you think you could’ to make requests.

1. When we want to tell someone to do something, we can use ‘Could you’, ‘Will you’, ‘Would you’. ‘Could you’ is very polite.

Could you just switch off the light behind you?

‘Will you’ and ‘Would you’ are normally used by people in authority. ‘Would you’ is more polite than ‘Will you’.

Would you tell her that Adrian called?

Will you please leave the room?

Note that although these sentences look like questions they are not really questions.

2. If someone in authority wants to tell someone to do something, they sometimes say ‘I would like you to do this’ or ‘I’d like you to do this’.

Christine, I would like you to get us the files.

I’d like you to finish this work by Thursday.

3. We can use an imperative to tell someone to do something but this is not very polite.

Stop her.

Go away, all of you.

However, imperatives are commonly used when talking to people you know very well.

Come here, love.

Sit down and let me get you a drink.

We often use imperatives in situation of danger and urgency.

Look out! There is a car coming.

Put it away before Mum sees you.

4. When we want to ask someone to help us, we use “Could you?”, “Would you?”, “Can you?”, or “Will you?”

“Could you?” and “Would you?” are used in formal situations or when we want to be very polite, for example if we are asking for something which requires a lot of effort. Could you?” is more polite than “Would you?”

Could you show me how to do this?

Would you do me a favour?

“Can you?” and “Will you?” are used in informal situations, especially if we are not asking for something that requires a lot of effort.

Will you post that for me on your way to work?

Can you make me a copy of that?

5. We also use “I would like” or “I’d like” followed by a to-infinitive or a noun group to make a request.

I’d like to ask you one question.

6. we can also make a request by using:

• “Would you mind”, followed by an ing-form

Would you mind doing the washing up?

• “Do you think you could”, followed by the base form of the verb.

Do you think you could help me?

• “I wonder if you could”, followed by the base form of the verb.

I wonder if you could look after my cat while I am away?

SUGGESTIONS – COULD, MAY, MIGHT, SHALL

• We use ‘could’, ‘couldn’t’ or ‘shall’ to make a suggestion.

• We use ‘Shall we’ to suggest doing something with someone.

• We use ‘You might like’ or ‘You might want’ to make polite suggestions.

• We use ‘may as well’ or ‘might as well’ to suggest a sensible action.

• We use ‘What about’, ‘Let’s’, ‘Why not, and ‘Why don’t’ to make suggestions.

1. We use could to suggest doing something.

You could phone her.

We also use ‘couldn’t’ in a question to suggest doing something.

Couldn’t we do it at the weekend?

2. We use ‘shall we’ to suggest doing something with someone else.

Shall we go and see a film?

You use ‘Shall I’ to suggest doing something yourself, especially if you are fairly sure that your request will be accepted.

Shall I contact the chairman?

3. We use ‘you might like (want)’, to make a suggestion in a very polite way.

You might want to try another shop.

4. We use ‘may as well’ or ‘might as well’ to suggest doing something but only because it seems the sensible thing to do or because there is no reason not to do it.

He might as well take the car.

5. We can also make a suggestion by using:

• ‘What about’ or ‘How about’, followed by an –ing-form

How about using my car?

• ‘Let’s’ followed by the base form of a verb

Let’s go outside.

• ‘Why don’t I (you/we)’ followed by the base form of a verb.

Why don’t we just give them what they want?

• ‘Why not’ followed by the base form of a verb

Why not bring him along?

WISHES AND WANTS – WILL, WOULD

1. Will is used to express wish in present or future. Would is used to express wishes in the past.

I will speak.

Very often will is used in conditional clauses where it retains its modal meaning of volition.

Will expressing volition is translated as хотеть.

You may laugh if you will.

2. Would in this meaning is used mainly in negative sentences.

I don’t know why she did it, she wouldn’t say. (она ни за что не хотела сказать)

3. We use would not or will not to speak about lifeless things as if they had their own will, thus expressing irritation and annoyance.

It’s no use trying to open the door, it will not open.

4. Both will and would have another meaning. They express persistence.

‘Don’t tell me!’ – ‘But I will tell you.’ (А я все равно скажу)

OBLIGATION AND NECESSITY – HAVE TO, HAVE GOT TO, MUST, MUSTN’T

1. We usually express obligation in the English language by means of must and have to.

You must come to the meeting tomorrow.

I enjoy parties, unless I have to make speech.

2. Sometimes there is a difference between must and have to. The difference in meaning between them can be fine and often depends on whether or not the speaker sees the obligation as one they are imposing.

a) We often use must to express an obligation imposed by the speaker, i.e. if we express our opinion about the necessity or obligation to do something.

I must be very careful not to upset him.

We must eat before we go.

I must get up earlier – I waste so much time in the mornings.

b) We use have to to express an obligation or necessity to do something arising out of circumstances, i.e. an obligation we see as outside our control.

He has to travel to find work.

Students have to wear school uniforms in the sixth form.

c) Besides have to is usually used for things that happen repeatedly, especially with such adverbs as often, always, regularly:

I always have to do the shopping.

You often have to wait a long time for the bus.

3. Mustn’t is used to express that it’s important that something is not done or doesn’t happen.

They mustn’t find out that I came here.

Нельзя, чтоб они узнали о том, что я был здесь. (Они не должны узнать…)

NOTE: mustn’t does not mean the same as not have to. Must not do something means, that it’s very important not to do it; don’t have to do something means there is no necessity to do it, but if you want you can do it.

4. Must means necessity and obligation only in the present or future. If we are speaking about the past it’s necessary to use had to.

She had to catch the six o’clock train

Она должна была сесть на шестичасовой поезд.