audio file of Eslpod 9 Asking for Favor.

transcription of Eslpod 9 Asking for favor

Welcome to English as a second language podcast number nine.
Welcome to another edition of English as a second language podcast.
brought to you by “ www.eslpod.com”.
I’m your host, Dr. Jeff McQuillan, senior researcher at the center for educational development hear in Los Angeles, California.
Esl Podcast is specially made for you, those who are trying to improve their English listening and speaking.
If this is the first time listening to this podcast, I recommend that you go to our website, “ www.eslpod.com”, to read more about how best to use this podcast to improve your English.
There are 2 parts to every Esl podcast.
First, we have a conversation or interview with a native speaker.
second, we have an explanation of vocabulary and expressions used during the first part of the podcast.
Today, I’m going to talk about asking for a favor or asking for something in a perhaps somewhat difficult situation.
How do we ask people formally and politely for things? I’m going to talk a little bit about my own experience with this and then as usual, we will go back and talk about some of the specific expressions and vocabulary.
Let’s get started.
There have been several times in my work where I had to ask permission or for a favor that was somewhat difficult and so, I wanted to ask very nicely, very politely.
One time, I went in to my boss’s office and asked if I could have some vacation time, near one of the big holidays. So, I went to her and I said, “Excuse me Miss Chain, may i ask you a question?” and she said ” sure! go ahead.” Well, I said “I was wandering if would be ok with me to take a few days off next week?” she then asked me “Could you tell me why you need to take a day off so near a holiday?” I said, “Well,I was hoping that I could combine my vacation with the holiday to have more time.” She said, “I’m sorry, but I can’t give you any vacation time next week.” Another time, i went in to my manager’s office to ask him for raise. I wanted more money.
Now, I was very nervous. But I thought if I ask politely enough, he might just say yes. So, I went to him and I said, “Excuse me Mr. Hill Deager, I wander if I ask you a question?” Of course he said. Well, I said “I was interested in what the company’s policy was on pay raises. would you mind telling me how often people get a raise in this division?”
he looked at me and said, “Not very often.” Well, even though I asked politely, I did not get a raise. Another time, I was working in a small office here in Santa Monica, California and there was a girl there that I really liked. Her name was Jooly. Anyway, I finally got up the nerve to ask her out to go on a date with me. So, I said, “Hey Jooly, could you tell me what you are doing this weekend?” She said, “Oh, nothing much.” then I said, “Well, I was wandering whether you wanted to go to the movies.” She said, “hey, that’s a great idea. I’m gonna call my friend Sam and ask him.” Well, I wasn’t very successful in asking her out for a date. I forgot to say that I wanted her to go to the movies with me.

description of Eslpod number 9 asking for favor.

Now let’s talk about some of the difficult vocabulary in that last segment. We heard several ways of asking for things politely in a business or formal setting as well as informal setting. When I was talking about asking for vacation, I came up to my buss and I said, “May I ask you a question?” The expression may I means you’re asking for permission to do something. It’s a polite way of asking. Then i said, “I was wandering if it would be ok for me?” and et cetera. I went on and asked for a day off. the expression “I was wondering if” is also an indirect way politely bring up a topic, often a somewhat sensitive topic. My buss replied in that first segment “could you tell me why you need a day off?” could you tell me again is a polite way of asking for information. Could you tell me where the restroom is? Could you tell me how long my appointment will last? All of these are polite expressions. In talking about asking my buss for a raise, I used some of those same expressions. When I came in to his office, I said, “Excuse me Mr. Hill deager, I wonder if I could ask you a question.” This is another way of asking for permission. I wonder if I could use your car? I wonder if I could get a new ticket? All of these are similar in asking politely for permission. I also said in that segment “I was interested in what the company’s policy was on pay raises?” To say “I was interested in” is again an indirect way of trying to find out.
It’s the same as I was wondering if and so forth. Would you mind telling me is a similar expression to could you or would you. Would you mind giving me some information? It’s always usually followed by a gerund, so a verb in ing form. Would you mind asking your friend if she is free on Saturday night? This is how we use the would you mind.
It’s usually done when you think that the favor you’re going to ask is something of a burden to the person. A few other expressions we used: Could you tell me, Could you tell me what you are doing this weekend? the really is no difference between could you tell me and would you tell me. Sometimes we thing that would you tell me is a little bit more formal, Not quite as an appropriate for a friend or a work colleague that you know well. So, in this podcast we talked about several ways of asking for permission and asking for favor. May I is always a good way to politely ask for something. May I have your phone number? It’s somewhat formal. If it’s informal if know someone well, we would say, “Can I get your number?” But to say “may i” is a little bit more formal. I was wondering if and I was interested in are both expressions that try to get information somewhat indirectly from a person. Could you tell me, would you tell me or would you mind telling me are all equivalent expressions. Again, would perhaps is slightly more formal than could.
That’s gonna wrap it up for today’s Esl podcast. Tomorrow we’ll come back and we’ll talk more about asking politely, this time on a telephone.
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Esl podcast is produced by center for educational development in Los Angeles, California. This podcast is copy right 2005.