Online English private lessons and group courses with native speakers.

Click now to take advantage of discounts up to 50%.

Polite request / offer / suggestion Exercises

( Free Online English Grammar Lessons )

Read time : 1 minute

In English we use phrases to ask for something we want politely.

I'd like... =  I would like...  / Can I have...? / Could I have...?

Examples sentences : 

  • I'd like a bottle of water, please.
  • Can I have the bill, please?
  • Could I have the chicken salad, please?

We use Would you like...? for offers (when we want to give something or help someone)

Examples sentences :

  • Would you like a drink?
  • Would you like cheese in your burger?
  • Would you like a cup of tea?

Notes for use of polite request / offer / suggestions :

'Would you like' has the same meaning as 'Do you want' but is a more polite way of offering something!

In English we use the question phrase 'Why don't you / we...?' to make a polite suggestion.

  • Why don't you see a doctor?
  • Why don't you go home and go to bed?
  • Why don't you take the day off?
  • Why don't we get a bottle?
Polite request / offer / suggestion example sentences
Before we start, would you like me to play some music?Soll ich etwas Musik anmachen, bevor wir anfangen?
Okay, shall we go to Tesco, then?Okay, sollen wir dann zu Tesco gehen?
Where would you like to sit, Cate?Wo möchtest du sitzen, Cate?
Yes sir, what would you like to order?Ja, der Herr. Was würden Sie gerne bestellen?
There are 3 types of parmesan, which one would you like me to get?Es gibt 3 Arten von Parmesan. Welchen soll ich für uns kaufen?
Okay, we'd like to sit outside.Okay, wir würden gerne draußen sitzen.
Would you like to get some cashback?Würden Sie gerne Bargeld abheben?
Erm, I was going to ask if you would like to come to Brighton with me tomorrow.Hm, ich wollte dich fragen, ob du morgen nicht mit mir nach Brighton kommen willst.
Yes, thank you, we would like to order half a duck with pancakes.Ja, dankeschön. Wir würden gerne eine halbe Ente mit Pfannkuchen bestellen.
Shall we get a bottle of chardonnay?Holen wir uns eine Flasche Chardonnay?
Anyway, would you like me to bring you the wine list?Jedenfalls, willst du, dass ich dir die Weinkarte bringe?
Shall we leave, then?Sollen wir losgehen?
Would you like me to order you two something else?Soll ich euch zwei etwas anderes bestellen?
Anyway, would you like to go out for breakfast?Wie auch immer, möchtest du frühstücken gehen?
While we are here, shall we get the drinks, too?Sollen wir uns hier auch gleich was zu trinken kaufen?
I got one big one, shall we get some tomatoes?Ich habe eine Große genommen. Sollen wir auch ein paar Tomaten kaufen?
It's getting late, shall we leave soon?Es wird spät. Sollten wir nicht bald losgehen?
Shall we check if they have that very special rice first?Sollen wir zuerst schauen, ob sie diesen speziellen Reis haben?
Cate, why don't we ask Rocco to get us some wine?Cate, warum bitten wir nicht Rocco uns etwas Wein zu bringen.
Do you mind if I join you?Macht es dir was aus, wenn ich mich zu euch setze?

\
500\
\
\

user profile picture preview
cem277698   1+ w
Be going to
Be going to passive
Be used to / Get used to
Comparative
Defining relative clause
Echo tag
Expression
First conditional
Future
Future continuous
Future perfect continuous
Future perfect passive
Future perfect simple
Future simple passive
Greeting
Have/Get something done
Imperative
Implied conditional
Indirect question
Infinitive of purpose
Interjection
Mixed conditional
Modal
Modal passive
Non-defining relative clause
Other
Past continuous
Past continuous passive
Past perfect continuous
Past perfect passive
Past perfect simple
Past simple
Past simple passive
Polite request / offer / suggestion
Present continuous
Present continuous passive
Present perfect continuous
Present perfect passive
Present perfect simple
Present simple
Present simple passive
Question tag
Reduced relative clause
Reported speech imperative
Reported speech question
Reported speech request
Reported speech statement
Second conditional
Short answer
Superlative
Third conditional
Used to / would (past habit)
Was/were going to
Was/were supposed to
Wish
Would rather
Zero conditional