Language Functions
Language Functions
Language Functions
- Offer
- Request
- Suggestion
- Obligation
- Apology
- Condolence
- Agreement/Disagreement
- Defining Concepts
It is common that English speakers make offers in conversations in order to be polite and
helpful. When they do so they use these expressions:
Can I… ?
Shall I… ?
Would you like … ?
How about ...?
English learner must be able to make offers as well as accept or reject them. The
following are useful expressions to do so.
Making offers:
Examples:
Remember:
Shall, can and will are followed by the verb without to.
Example:
"Can I help you?"
"Shall I bring you the mobile phone?
Shall is more formal than can.
Would you like… is followed either by a noun, or by the verb with to.
Example:
"Would you like some tea ?"
"Would you like to drink some coffee?
Responding to offers
Accepting Declining
Yes please. I'd likeIt's
to.OK, I can do it myself. Don't worry, I'll do it.
That would be very kind of you. Yes please, that wouldNo, be
thanks No, thank you
lovely.
Yes please, I'd love to. If you wouldn't mind.
If you could.
Thank you, that would be great.
Examples:
Making Request:
Responding to request:
is either
The following English phrases and expressions are all used to make suggestions and give
advice to people.
Making s
uggestions:
Accepting suggestions:
Refusing suggestions:
Dialogue:
Things to remember:
1. The difference between "Have to" and "must" is that "have to"indicates that someone
else has imposed conditions on us.
must / have to = 100% obligation. "When the traffic light turn red, you
must stop."
should = 50% obligation. It's more an advice than an obligation. " You
look tired. you should have a rest."
Dialogue:
Policeman: Don't you know that you must stop when the traffic lights are red?
Driver: Sorry sir. I was so absent-minded that I didn't pay attention to the
traffic lights.
Policeman: Well sir, you'll have to pay a fine!
Expressing Apology
o apologize is to tell someone that you are sorry for having done something that has caused him inconvenience or unhapp
xamples:
must apologize to Isabel for my late arrival. I'd like to apologize for my trouble making.
ains may be subject to delay on the northern line. We apologize for any inconvenience caused.
ere are some expressions you can use to make and respond to apologies
aking apologies:
I do apologize for...
I must apologize for...
I apologize for...
I'd like to apologize for...
I am so sorry for...
I shouldn't have...
It's all my fault.
I'm ashamed of...
Please, forgive me for...
Excuse me for ...
I'm terribly sorry for...
Pardon me for this...
Please, forgive me for my....
Please, accept my apologies for...
Accepting apologies:
Remember:
"I'd like to apologize" is the short form of "I would like to apologize"
Related material
When you fail to understand what has been said to you you can use these expressions:
When you don't understand what someone has said, you can ask for clarification using the
following expressions:
Expressing condolence
Sometimes you will have to sympathize with a person who has experienced pain or grief
for the loss of someone dear to them. This page presents some of the phrases that you can
use to express condolence in English.
Expressing condolence:
Agreement:
It is worthwhile saying that silence is not understood as agreement. If you agree with an
opinion or an idea, you are expected to say so.
Expressions
Disagreement:
Expressions
You can also agree but with reservation especially when there is a doubt or
Expressions
can be defined as
can be described as
X Y
refers to
means
Examples
Citizenship can be defined as the status of being a with its rights and duties.
Stereotype can be described as a conventional, formulaic, and oversimplified
conception, opinion, or image.
Illiteracy means the condition of being unable to read and write.
Culture refers to the arts, customs, and habits that characterize a particular
society or nation
Asking for and giving permission
When you ask for permission to use something that belongs to someone else you have to
do your best to be polite. It is desirable to use the word "please."
Giving Permission:
Dialogue:
Liza, eight years old, is asking her mother for permission to use the computer...
Examples
Examples:
Owing to and due to are used interchangeably by native speakers although some state
that there is a difference.
a. Due to:
If you can use caused by then you can also use due to:
Example:
"The cancellation of the flight was due to (caused by) high winds."
b. Owing to:
If you can use because of then you should use owing to rather than due to:
Example:
Use of thanks to
Example:
"Thanks to his intelligence he managed to find the solution to that math problem."
Example:
a. Due to, because of, owing to and thanks to are followed by a noun.
b. Because, since, as, for are followed by a verb.
Due to + Noun
Because of
Owing to
Thanks to
because
Subject + Verb
since
as
for
Examples: