Unit 5: Polite Requests
Learning Objectives
- Identify six levels of politeness in English requests
- Transform a request to increase its level of politeness
- Understand which level of politeness is appropriate in different contexts
What Are Polite Requests?
A polite request asks someone to do something in a way that respects their autonomy and feelings. English has a sliding scale of politeness — from direct commands to very tentative, face-saving forms.
Choosing the right level of politeness depends on your relationship with the listener, the context (work vs. friendship), and the size of the favour being requested.
From most direct to most polite: Command → Please → Can/Will → Can/Will Please → Could/Would → Could/Would Please
The Six Levels of Politeness
Expand each level to see examples.
The most direct form. Appropriate between close friends or in urgent situations.
Adding please softens the command slightly without restructuring the sentence.
Turns the request into a question. More polite because it gives the listener a choice.
Combines a question form with please for a warmer, more considerate request.
Using past-tense modals creates social distance, which reads as more polite and formal.
The most polite standard form. Appropriate in formal, professional, or sensitive situations.
Tool: Polite Request Escalator
Enter a request or command at any level of politeness. The tool will show you all the more polite alternatives, stepping up through the levels.
Try: "Send the report." or "Can you help me?"
Check Your Understanding
Which request is at Level 6 (most polite)?
Why does using 'could' make a request more polite than 'can'?
In which context is Level 1 (command) most appropriate?
Watch
Video coming soon
Review
| Level | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Imperative | Send the file. |
| 2 | Please + imperative | Please send the file. |
| 3 | Can/Will + subject | Can you send the file? |
| 4 | Can/Will + subject + please | Can you please send the file? |
| 5 | Could/Would + subject | Could you send the file? |
| 6 | Could/Would + subject + please | Could you please send the file? |
Yes — the tool also processes negative requests (e.g., "Don't open the door") and steps them up through polite negative forms (e.g., "Couldn't you please not open the door?"). The logic is the same but uses not and contracted negative modals.
Proceed to Unit 6: So & Neither when ready.