2. Practice Section

Exercise 1. Choose the right answer.

1. When it is someone's birthday you say:

a. Congratulations on your birthday. b. Best wishes.

c. Happy birthday.

2. When someone is getting married you say:

a. Good luck. b. I hops you will be very happy. c. Many happy returns of the day. 3. When someone is going to a party you say:

a. Enjoy yourself. b. All the best. c. I wish you every happiness.

4. When you see a friend off to Moscow (he is going on business) you say: a. Have a good journey. b. Have a good time. c. Good luck.

Exercise 2. What would you say in the following situ­ations?

1. It's your friend's birthday.

2. Your aunt has just had a baby.

3. Your brother has passed an exam.

4. A colleague’s work has been published.

5. It's New Year's Day.

6. An acquaintance has recently got married.

7. You visit a sick relative.

8. You meet a friend who is going for an interview.

9. A fellow-student has won a sporting competition.

10 .Your sister is going to a party with her friends.

11. It’ s a Women's Day. .

12. Your parents are going away on holiday.

Exercise 3. Reply immediately to the following.

1. Congratulations on your promotion.

2. Many happy returns of the day.

3. Good luck (in your exam).

4. Enjoy yourself (at the dance).

5. Have a nice weekend.

6. Merry Christmas.

7. I hope you’ll soon feel better.

8. Happy birthday.

9. Congratulations on winning the contest.

10. Have a good holiday.

Exercise 4. Make up your own dialogues based on those given below.

(i)

A. Merry Christmas!

B. Thank you very much. Same to you!

A. Are you doing anything special?

B. We’re having some friends round. What’re you doing?

A. I expect I’ll stay with my family.

(ii)

A. Happy Easter!

B. Thanks. And you, too!

A. Are you going anywhere?

B. I thought about visiting my sister’s. How about you?

A I’ll probably just stay at home.

7. R E Q U E S T S

1. Discussion

When we want someone to do something we may use the imperative with “please”.

e.g. Sit down, please.

Please sit down.

“Please” in initial position tends to be more emphatic.

Note that there is.no pause (and no comma) after it. Nor is there a pause before “please” in the first type of sentence, in spite of the comma.

In many situations however the imperative with ^“please^” is not considered polite enough. Then we use one of the following phrases which are listed in order of increasing politeness (formality).

Will you …, (please)?

Would /Could you …, (please)?

Do you think you could ... ?

Would you mind ... ing?

Will / Would you be so kind as to ...? - very formal

The choice between the various alternatives given above depends on:

1) how large the request is (and therefore how much trouble or inconvenience it will cause);

e.g. a.Will you pass the salt, please?

b. Would you mind posting this letter for me?

2. how well we know the person we ask. Thus the same request may be formulated with different degrees of politeness.

e.g. a. Open the window, please,

b. Will you open the window?

c. Would you open the window_, please?

d. Would you mind opening the window?

e. Would you be so kind as to open the window?

The usual replies are:

(Yes,) certainly. - formal

(Yes,) of course. - semi-formal, informal

All right. - expressing a lesser degree of willingness

OK - very informal (only among friends and relations)

(Yes,) here you are. - when handing someone something he has asked for.

_{Not at all/ in the least . - in reply to “Would you mind …?”}

I'm afraid I can't. – formal, semi-formal

(I'm) sorry, I can't. - semi-formal, informal

No, I can't/ won't. - a point-blank refusal. Abrupt, possibly rude.