Essential Grammar : Unit 3 - Indirectness

3 INDIRECTNESS: Making requests

We will be using the term indirectness in this unit to refer to ways of sounding polite or reasonable in the demands you make of other people. It may be that you will find yourself needing to ask for advice and help in a range of situations in your Department, the ccommodation !ffice, the dvice "lace, and so on. #he $nglish you use when you first approach the person can influence the way they receive you. %ritish people value indirectness more than other $nglish-speaking communities, and so in this unit we e&amine a number of ways of being effectively indirect.
Task 3.1 What is the common feature of the si& sentences below' (#hey are separate items - not a conversation) Could I ask you a favour? I wanted to make an appointment with Dr Flowers I was hoping to see Dr Flowers What was the name? Suppose I came back some time tomorrow morning? Would it be ok if I waited till shes back?

What they share is the use of a "ast verb form (could, or "ast *ontinuous, or "ast +imple) to convey respect and reasonableness. ,sing a more direct-sounding form such as or
I want to make an appointment Im hoping to see Dr Flowers

could give the impression that you are impatient, or that you are e&pecting other people to fit in with your needs. ($ven if you are, it-s more effective with %ritish people to appear not to.)
Task 3.2 #hink about how you would translate the si& sentences into your first language. Would you e&press the verbs as past forms, or would it be done differently in your language'

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Essential Grammar : Unit 3 - Indirectness

Written requests: Letters and emai s

While studying at $dinburgh you are likely to need to send various types of written messages to individuals or institutions. 1ou may have to write to arrange an appointment, or to apply for funding, or for a 2ob. In this sort of writing - especially in letters - it is important to follow the established conventions of formal $nglish, and to e&press your re3uests politely.
Task 3.3 4ead the three letters on this page and the ne&t, and underline the e&pressions that mark politeness. LETTER 1 Dr ary Close Department of Chaotics !" #uccleuch $lace %dinburgh %&" 'D( ) *ugust )++" Dear Dr Close I am currently studying on the Sc in *pplied Chaotics, and am now considering

whether to apply to do a higher degree- During the course of my studies, I have become increasingly interested in some of the more theoretical aspects of environmental chaotics- *s this is your field of special e.pertise, my Course Director, Dr &ector #raine, has suggested that I might ask you for advice- I wonder if it would be possible for me to meet you briefly at some point over the ne.t three weeks to discuss my ideas for research? I am free every afternoon after /-/+, e.cept 0hursdays, and on Friday morningsCould you possibly let me know whether any of these times would be suitable? I would hope not to take up more than half an hour of your time- 1ou could contact me by e2mail, or leave a note in my pigeon2hole in the Department1ours sincerely $aul &siao s+"'++/)!34sms-ed

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Essential Grammar : Unit 3 - Indirectness

LETTER 2 6illian %rown Direct or of +tudi e s $nglish 7angu a g e #eac hin g *entr e /8 9ill "lace $dinbur g h $9: ;D" << Dal=iel #errac e $dinbur g h $9// >%? / @ebru ar y /A8A Dear 6illian %rown, t the sugg e s t i o n of Benn e t h nders o n , I am writing to ask if the $nglish 7angu a g e *entre might hav e nee d of a teac h e r for any of its cours e s in ugust andCor +ept e m b e r . $dinbur g h is my hom e town and working at $dinbur g h would give m e an opport u ni t y to spe n d som e tim e at hom e as well. Dy prefer e n c e would be for work on eith er a gen e r al $nglish or $ " cours e, thou g h I would be rea d y to do other teac hi n g as well. I enclos e a rece n t version of my *E. I look forward to he ari n g from you or one of your collea g u e s . 1ours sincer el y,

LETTER 3 Dr F. Bhan Institute of +ociological 4esearch ,niversity of uchtermuchty Gew ?ealand 8: +eptember /AA: Dear Dr Bhan I would greatly appreciate receiving a reprint of your article H#owards a semiology of graffitiI. @rom what I know of your other work, this article would be very relevant to my research. #hanking you in advance. 1ours sincerely P hil A n d e r e r Task ! ,nderline the instances of would in the three letters.

W"u d

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Essential Grammar : Unit 3 - Indirectness

#he modal verb would occurs fre3uently in formal letters like those we have 2ust looked at, indicating that the situation you are talking about is uncertain or hypothetical. ,sing would in re3uests and suggestions in letters e&presses polite Jdistance-. !ne way of e&plaining why $nglish adopts this form is to think of it as a #idden c"nditi"na : if the person helped, you would be grateful.
Task 3.$ 4ewrite these e&amples as full conditional sentences, like the first one:

My preference would be for evening work. 5 I would prefer evening work if it were available I would greatly appreciate receiving your article. 5 Obviously I would be willing to accept other work K

Task 3.% %elow are /A e&amples of would used in letters of application from teachers looking for work at $7#*. ,nderline the would e&pressions. When you have done all /A sentences, on the ne&t page write down t#e m"st c"mm"n "nes. #hen answer the 3uestions that follow. 1. 2. . ". #. %. '. ). ,. As well as teaching English I would also be interested in teaching Italian or Turkish I would not like to apply for the advertised posts but would very much like to be considered for any possible vacant post on either a part-time or a full-time basis. I would be willing to come over to the !entre to discuss the matter with you at your convenience. I would be very grateful if you could send me further details of the posts and let me know if you would consider me for one of the positions available. I have enclosed my !$ and would be grateful if you could let me know of any vacancies. I would be most grateful if you could let me know whether you are likely to re&uire any teaching staff during this period. If you wish to obtain references( I would suggest that you contact ---- and ----. *ould it be possible to come and see you about the possibility of finding work with the !entre+ I would be able to come and see you any time ne-t week.

1.. I would very much like to have further details. 11. I would be interested in doing some teaching at /ill 0lace during the summer and enclose my !$ for your inspection.

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Essential Grammar : Unit 3 - Indirectness

12. I am particularly interested in the English for 1niversity 2tudies course but would also be willing to assist in 3eneral English courses. 1 . /owever( from 4une this year I5ll be seeking employment of an E67827820 nature and would be grateful if you could keep my application under consideration should any vacancies occur. 1". Alternatively I would be very grateful if you could give me any other addresses to contact. 1#. I am interested in gaining e-perience in the field of E67 teacher training and would be grateful if( in your reply( you could indicate any possibilities of my being able to do so in your department. 1%. If you have any information which might be of use( I would be grateful to hear from you at the address on the enclosed !$. 1'. 9n completion of my contract in April I shall be returning to the 1: and would welcome the opportunity to teach in the language department of a 1niversity or !ollege of /igher Education. 1). I would very much like to be considered for this work and enclose a copy of my !$ which gives my personal details( education and previous e-perience. 1,. In response to your advertisement for an English teacher to work in Edinburgh this summer( I would like to be considered for the post. 2.. I would be most grateful if you could let me know of any post available at the English 7anguage Teaching !entre or elsewhere in Edinburgh.
Data supplied by Dr &ugh 0rappes26oma.

&uesti"ns: 8. #he function of these letters is to apply for 2obs. Why do people usually write I would like to apply rather than I am applying ' /. Which e&pressions are used to make polite requests' Write them below:

<. Write down the e&pressions used to indicate interest.

0. In what ways can the e&pression I would like to be made more emphatic' 5. What about I would be grateful '

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Essential Grammar : Unit 3 - Indirectness

>. 7ook at the sentences which contain if. Do they follow the rules you have previously learned for Jconditional- sentences' (We will come back to conditional sentences in ,nit L).

Would is not the only way to e&press Jpolite distance-. 9ere are some others:
I feel I could contribute to such a department in three ways; teaching EA08E20 to overseas students< assisting with teacher training programmes for both overseas and =domestic= teacher trainees and helping to produce relevant course materials.

2ince then I have found employment teaching general English and commercial English( but I was wondering whether you have any vacancies for after the summer( or whether you could keep me in mind for ne-t year.

I am writing to you to ask if the !entre might need a teacher( or teacher trainer( for any of its courses during August and8or 2eptember.

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Essential Grammar : Unit 3 - Indirectness

T#e anguage "' requests

Task 3.( 7ook up the Wordfinder entry for request. +tudy pages <L0-L5 carefully and complete the gaps in the bo& below.

LANGUAGE BOX: Ma ing a request )sking '"r s"met#ing

to ask someone 77777 something to re8uest something 777777 someone to 7777777 a re8uest 777777 something to apply 7777 someone 7777 something to 77777777 an application

)sking s"me"ne t" d" s"met#ing

to ask someone 7777777 something for you to ask someone if 9 whether 777777777777 do something to ask a favour 77777 someone

Task 3.* +tudy the bottom of page <L5 and write down si& ways of making a re3uest. What do you think is the best way to create an opening (K prepare the reader) for a re3uest'

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Essential Grammar : Unit 3 - Indirectness

Task 3.+ 4ead the email message below and fill in the gaps with an appropriate tense of these verbs: !"# BE $ON%E" &A'E !"OUBLE (OME (AN "EA%

I 7777 sorry to 77777777777 you, but I :ust 7777777777777777 whether you 77777777 ;oan Shearing<s correct email address? I 77777777777 her article on vocabulary in a recent issue of =Independence= and 77777777777777 to email her at the address given, but my message 77777777777 back marked <addressee unknown<- 77777777777 you help? any thanks, if you can0ony 6ynch

Task 3.1, *onsult the Wordfinder entry for )roblem to check that you understand the differences in meaning and in grammar between the items in the bo& below.

LANGUAGE BOX: E*)ressing a )roblem N"uns

difficulty hitch pu>>le dilemma trouble snag 8uestion obstacle

-er.s
to face to arise to be in to work on to sort out to encounter to tackle to overcome to pose to work itself out to resolve to be engaged on

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Essential Grammar : Unit 3 - Indirectness

Extended Writing Task I' /"u #a0e a 1 ace "n t#e tut"red emai c"urse ELTT!2 send /"ur ans3er t" 4NE "' t#ese tasks t" /"ur tut"r.
Task 3.11 #hink of a problem you have faced since you came to $dinburgh and have not been able to resolve. Write an email e&plaining the problem, what you have done and why that hasn-t worked. ,se as many items as possible from the Language Box on page <8. !4 Task 3.12 *hoose !G$ of the following situations and write an appropriate letter C email. If you choose to write a letter, use one of the conventional formats shown earlier in this unit. 8. 1ou intend to do some research (for an D+c pro2ect, or as part of a research degree, for e&ample) in an area that you know relatively little about. 1our course director C supervisor has advised you to talk to Dr lbert +3ueer, a lecturer in the +chool whom you do not know well. Write Dr +3ueer a short letter Cemail asking for an appointment. $&plain briefly why you want to see him, but do not go into too much detail. Indicate the times that would be suitable for you. /. Write a letter C email to your course director, asking her to e&tend a deadline for the writing assignment you are currently working on. 6ive reasons for your re3uest.

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Essential Grammar : Unit 3 - Indirectness

Stud/ N"tes '"r 5nit 3

Task 3.1 ll si& sentences contain a past form: could / wanted / was hoping to / was / came back / waited Task 3.2 !pen 3uestion. Dany $uropean languages also use a verb feature (e.g. "ast or +ub2unctive) to show indirectness, but unlike $nglish some of them also offer a choice of different forms of you - some informal and others more formal. 7anguages such as Fapanese use certain e&pressions to show deference and humility. ("lease let us know about your language, if you have a different way). Tasks 3.3 and 3.! 7etter 8 that I might ask you for I wonder if it would be possible ould you possibly let me know I would hope not to !ou could contact me 7etter / if the entre might ha"e would gi"e me an opportunity to #y preference would be for I would be ready to I would greatly appreciate would be "ery rele"ant

7etter <

Task 3.$ I would greatly appreciate it if you could send me your article ?bviously I would be willing to do other work if the sort of work I want were not available Task 3.% 1. 2. . ". #. %. '. ). ,. As well as teaching English I would also be interested in teaching Italian or Turkish I would not like to apply for the advertised posts but would very much like to be considered for any possible vacant post on either a part-time or a full-time basis. I would be willing to come over to the !entre to discuss the matter with you at your convenience. I would be very grateful if you could send me further details of the posts and let me know if you would consider me for one of the positions available. I have enclosed my !$ and would be grateful if you could let me know of any vacancies. I would be most grateful if you could let me know whether you are likely to re&uire any teaching staff during this period. If you wish to obtain references( I would suggest that you contact ---- and ----. *ould it be possible to come and see you about the possibility of finding work with the !entre+ I would be able to come and see you any time ne-t week.

1.. I would very much like to have further details.

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Essential Grammar : Unit 3 - Indirectness

11. I would be interested in doing some teaching at /ill 0lace during the summer and enclose my !$ for your inspection. 12. I am particularly interested in the English for 1niversity 2tudies course but would also be willing to assist in 3eneral English courses. 1 . /owever( from 4une this year I5ll be seeking employment of an E67827820 nature and would be grateful if you could keep my application under consideration should any vacancies occur. 1". Alternatively I would be very grateful if you could give me any other addresses to contact. 1#. I am interested in gaining e-perience in the field of E67 teacher training and would be grateful if( in your reply( you could indicate any possibilities of my being able to do so in your department. 1%. If you have any information which might be of use( I would be grateful to hear from you at the address on the enclosed !$. 1'. 9n completion of my contract in April I shall be returning to the 1: and would welcome the opportunity to teach in the language department of a 1niversity or !ollege of /igher Education. 1). I would very much like to be considered for this work and enclose a copy of my !$ which gives my personal details( education and previous e-perience. 1,. In response to your advertisement for an English teacher to work in Edinburgh this summer( I would like to be considered for the post. 2.. I would be most grateful if you could let me know of any post available at the English 7anguage Teaching !entre or elsewhere in Edinburgh.

&uesti"ns: 8. I would like to apply emphasises the power relationshipM I am applying sounds too direct. /. $&pressions to make polite requests: any of the ones underlined above. Gotice, too, how if you could follows I would be gratefulN, making a very polite combination. <. $&pressions showing interest in a 2ob: I would like to be considered for@ I would welcome the opportunity to@

0C5- I would very much like to< I would be most grateful 9 very grateful

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Essential Grammar : Unit 3 - Indirectness

Task 3.(

)sking '"r s"met#ing

to ask someone FOR something to re8uest something FROM someone to MAKE a re8uest FOR something to apply O someone FOR something

to MAKE an application

)sking s"me"ne t" d" s"met#ing

to ask someone O !O something for you to ask someone if 9 whether to ask a favour OF someone "E# $A% do something

Task 3.* Will you@ Would you@ Can you@ Could you possibly@ Do you mind@ Would you mind ? !pener A Im sorry to bother you@ BIm sorry to trouble you@ Im sorry to be a nuisance@C Task 3.+ I* sorry to 0D?E#6% you, but I :ust W?FD%D%D whether you &*G%9&*D

;oan Shearing<s correct email address? I D%*D her article on vocabulary in a recent issue of =Independence= and 0DI%D to email her at the address given, but my message C* % back marked <addressee unknown<- C?E6D9C*F you help?

Task 3.1, #he nouns should be straightforward. #he verbs can be grouped like this: Initial identification of the difficulty: O 1"ses a problem we 'ace Cenc"unter a problem K a problem arises we are in difficulty C trouble $ttempt to deal with it: we tack e C 3"rk "n C are engaged "n the problem

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Essential Grammar : Unit 3 - Indirectness

%uccessful dealing with it: we s"rt "ut C "0erc"me C res" 0e the problem +ometimes the problem resolves itself: O has 3"rked itse ' "ut C s"rted itse ' "ut Task 3.11 +ample answer:

When I arrived in %dinburgh, I faced many difficulties- 0he worst problems were the language and the feeling that I would not see my home for almost a year- I found it difficult to make re8uests of people, to apply for things, and to ask people for help- 0hat has always been hard for me, even in my own languageFow the situation is much easier- Fevertheless I still have not managed to resolve all my grammar problems- I probably have not worked hard enough because I am sometimes la>y and write very little in %nglish- 0here is obviously a link between speaking, listening, reading and writing, but I have not solved the pu>>le-

Task 3.12

+ample answer to task type /:

Dr 0 Dewson Department of $hilosophy David &ume 0ower !3 Fovember )++' Dear Dr Dewson, I am writing to ask if it would be possible for me to have an e.tension for my assignmentDecently I have been working on my outline for the conference which I will be attending at the end of this month in anchester- I am fully aware that it is very important for me to hand in my current assignment on time- &owever, as you may know, it would also be very beneficial for my future career if I could get my paper published in the proceedings from the conferenceWould it therefore be possible for you to e.tend the deadline for my assignment by two weeks? I am very sorry if this causes you any difficultiesI look forward to your response1ours sincerely

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