📝 Daily Practice
🎯 Lesson Goal
In this lesson, you will learn how to make polite requests using modal verbs. You will practice asking for help or permission in everyday situations.
🧠 Grammar Focus
We use modal verbs like ‘can’, ‘could’, and ‘would’ to make polite requests. Use these to ask for help or permission. For example, ‘Can you help me?’ or ‘Could I open the window?’ Use ‘can’ for informal situations, and ‘could’ or ‘would’ to be more polite. The structure is: Modal verb + subject + base verb. Examples: Can you help me? Could I have some water? Would you open the door? Please, can you wait here? Could you tell me the time?
📖 Short Reading
Anna is at a cafe. She wants to ask the waiter for a glass of water. She says, ‘Could I have a glass of water, please?’ The waiter replies, ‘Yes, of course.’ Later, Anna asks, ‘Can you tell me where the restroom is?’ The waiter shows her the way. Anna is happy because she can make good requests. She says, ‘Would you bring the menu, please?’ The waiter smiles and brings it quickly.
✏️ Exercise 1 – Fill in the Blanks
1. ____ you help me with my homework? (Can / Do / Are)
2. ____ I open the window, please? (Could / Will / Do)
3. ____ you bring me a coffee, please? (Would / Are / Does)
4. She asked, ‘____ you show me the way?’ (Can / Is / Do)
5. ____ I use your phone? (Can / Did / Have)
6. ____ you speak slowly, please? (Would / Are / Do)
7. ____ he help us with bags? (Could / Does / Is)
8. ____ I see the menu? (Could / Has / Was)
🔗 Exercise 2 – Matching
1. Can you help me?
2. Could I have some water?
3. Would you open the door?
4. Can I use your phone?
5. Could you tell me the time?
6. Would you wait here?
✅ Exercise 3 – Multiple Choice
1. ____ you help me with my bag, please?
2. ____ I borrow your pen?
3. ____ you close the window, please?
4. She wants to ask: ____ you open the door?
5. ____ I use your phone for a minute?
6. ____ you help me find my keys?
📝 Writing Practice
1. Write a short request to ask for help at a store.
2. Write 2 sentences using ‘Can’ and ‘Could’ to make requests.
3. Write a short request asking for permission to do something.
📚 Key Vocabulary
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| request | ask for something politely |
| modal verb | a helping verb like can, could, would |
| polite | showing good manners |
| permission | allowing someone to do something |
| help | to do something for someone |
| waiter | a person who serves food and drinks |
| glass of water | a cup filled with water |
| restroom | a bathroom |
| menu | a list of food and drinks |
| quickly | fast |
🔎 Answer Key
- exercise_1_fill_blanks: Can, Could, Would, Can, Can, Would, Could, Could
- exercise_2_matching: 1-Asking for help, 2-Asking for something politely, 3-Making a polite request, 4-Asking for permission, 5-Asking for information, 6-Requesting someone to wait
- exercise_3_multiple_choice: Can, Could, Would, Can, Can, Could
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