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Paul Sparks - Online English Lesson Plans, Lesson Material and Ideas for Oral English Lessons, Hunan University of Science and Technology...

Lesson Objective: Students will recognize different levels of politeness.

Being Polite: Politeness in requests can be marked in a variety of ways in English, not only with the word "please". Asking other people to do things is known as making a request. Requests take many different forms and may be very polite, moderately polite or not very polite (rude).


ACTIVITY: Students form groups and look at the list of requests on the handout. They need to sort the request forms into three categories: Very Polite, Moderately Polite and Not Very Polite (there will be some differences in opinion). Sort these request forms into the three categories:

• Won't you sit down?

• Could you sit down?

• Can't you sit down?

• Sit down, why don't you!

• Would you like to sit down?

• Please sit down.

• May I ask you to sit down?

• Will you sit down?

• Would you sit down, please?

• Please! (gesture towards the chair to indicate sitting down)

• I'd like you to sit down.

• Sit down.

• Sit down, will you.

• Sit down would you.

• Would you mind sitting down?

• I was wondering if you would like to sit down.

• Could I get you to sit down?

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