Key Competencies Kit
for Facing Lifelong Learning
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This Project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This communication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission can not be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein. |
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When asking for something you must use “please”
(“please” is also used as a polite way of saying yes to an offer)
E.g.
Please, may I take the notebook?
May I please go out for ten minutes?
Could I please have some chocolate?
Please can also be used to show satisfaction:
I am pleased with my new car.
My new job gives me a lot of pleasure.
Can I offer you a glass of water?
Yes, please.
Using “Thank you” means a polite way to show how grateful you are when you receive something or somebody helps you with something, and you want to return that person’s generosity verbally.
Besides the common “Thank you”, we can also use:
When somebody asks something, it is normal and polite to offer a response, a reply, an answer. By doing this, you show respect to other people.
The answer can be a simple one:
Yes/no/maybe/perhaps
Or a more complex one, by adding conditions or reasons
E.g.
Please, may I borrow this book?
Yes, but only for one week because everybody needs it.
Please, may I use this pen?
No, because it doesn’t work.
Can I please go to the mountains?
Yes, you can but make sure you take warm clothes.
Whenever answering “No”, you must be ready to say why because the person will ask you “Why not?”
If you answer “Thank you” or the other person will say “Thank you”, one must come with a reply:
Thank you.
When asking for direction, you should start with “Excuse me”
E.g.
Excuse me, is this the right road to the railway station?
Yes, it is.
Or
No, you are going the wrong direction.
Other directions:
Other questions related to asking for direction:
How far is it to Madrid?
How long would it take to Paris?
How long would it take to London by car/by train/by plane/by motorbike/by bike?
Possible answers:
It takes you twenty minutes/two hours/three days/one month
Or
It’s a ten-minute walk
It’s a four-hour drive
Making requests is a normal thing to do, if we really want something.
(do not forget to start with a “please”)
Please, may/can I use your
Please, can you show me how to:
Do you have any:
Please, can I borrow your/please, can you lend me your:
Would you please help me:
The verb “to be” is one of the most important verbs in English.
Affirmative
I am
You are
He/she/it is (he and she for persons, it for anything else)
We are
You are
They are
Negative
I am not
You are not
He/she/it is not
We are not
You are not
They are not
Interrogative
Am I?
Are you?
Is he/she/it?
Are we?
Are you?
Are they?
Form of Present Tense Simple
Verb plus e/es (in the third person singular)
Affirmative
I go to work. We go to the city hall.
You go to school. You go downtown.
He/she/it goes outside. They go to the restaurant.
Negative
I don’t go to work. We don’t go to the city hall.
You don’t go to school. You don’t go downtown.
He/she/it doesn’t go outside. They don’t go to the restaurant.
Interrogative
Do I go to work? Do we go to the city hall?
Do you go to school? Do you go downtown?
Does he/she/it go outside? Do they go to the restaurant?
Uses of present tense simple
I send messages every morning.
I usually eat ice-cream after lunch.
I always speak with my friends on Sunday.
France is in Europe.
Water boils at 100o C.
Cats like mice.
The plane leaves tomorrow in the morning.
The meeting starts at nine o’clock this evening.