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How to Ask Permission Politely in English – CAN, COULD, MAY, and DO YOU MIND
Politeness, formality, and necessity are all important parts of asking permission. In this lesson I explain how CAN, COULD, MAY, and DO YOU MIND can all be used to ask permission in English, with different effects. If you would like to learn more about how to be a polite English speaker, have a look.
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53 Comments on “How to Ask Permission Politely in English – CAN, COULD, MAY, and DO YOU MIND”
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Marcos
Hi, very nice lesson, but I couldn’t understand what you said
at 1:37 of the video, Do you mind to write that sentence?
“maybe ???? pencil, who Knows”
Thanks
Hi Marcos,
At 1:37, I said “Maybe they need their pencil. Who knows?”
Let me know if you have any other questions, or if you would like anything else clarified!
Thanks for watching. :)
AlexESLvid
Eeng
hi Alex ^_^
I didn’t find the word who said
where is it ????
thank you :)
Reinoni
That’s nice. Sometimes i have troubles to ask somethings using (can, could, may), now is clearly to me.
Raul
Hi Alex
Your video was very nice and intersting. I hope you could do some video with the usage of words “must”, “should” and “have to”. I always have problem how I should use those word.
Thank you for your lesson
Raul
kate
Hello~~this is my first time to watch your video lesson, it’s very interesting it can help me to build my english, thank you….
paciencia
and me it’s a first time. its wonderful video. i need o continue beacause i want same.
First
Alex, Thanks alot for a nice lesson,
useful to understand english more.
Tara
Alex thanks a lot
ram
Alex nice presentation, you can include other modul auxialaries, how does it help asking permission?
robert
thanks
obiman
June 14,2009
Hello Mr Alex,
My best wishes for you, you realy teach good grammar and writing,
this is Enrique Gonzalez nice to meet you. I ‘m learning very much with you, I am actualy taking English clases at Santiago College in Orange California and you have helped me a lot thanks God bless you
Sincerely Enrique Gonzalez
Cristobal
Thankyou very helpful!!
karimkhan
Alex u doing great job,carryon….bes of lucks~
sujith Malavisooriya
You are teaching us English very well. You are successful in teaching us English. I am interested in English. I am making attempts at new ways of learning English. It’s worth being able to speak English. You help us learn English. I am anxious to thank you. You are excellent.
Reynaldo
Hi Alex I´m glad for your classes,do you mind continue teaching us,can we to learn faster?.
Thank you a lot.
melody
hi Alex…nice job!
however, my student said that she learned from her studies that the most polite way to ask permission is …..do you mind if i borrow your pencil…..how do you think???
As mentioned in the lesson, “do you mind” is the most polite way to ask for permission, because you feel that your request might bother the other person. It is the most kind and gentle way to ask for something.
AlexESLvid
undaiaal
Thank you Alex! Good lesson. :)
Gladis
This lesson was really interesting. I have a question,though.
Is it possible to answer: “Sure” to a question beginning by “Do you mind if I….?”
wassila younes
Hello, Alex
Can I borrow your pencil?(permission)
Can you sing?( request)
Is it true that we use the pronoun”I” to ask for permission and the pronoun”you” to ask for requaest with the modal verb ”can”.
i will be very grateful if you answer my question.
Raulo
Hi, Alex ! It was a good lesson. This questions are very common, and you had clarified all the items. Thank you a lot 1
Anni-Bel
Hello, Alex!
The lesson is really great!!! The explanation is so simple and clear, that even a beginner will understand it easily!
flory
How can I ask permission from the teacher to leave the class in the middle of the lecture, as I must arrive somewhere else?
Pavoreal01
Excellent class.
Natalia
Hi Alex! Your lessons are very, very clear to understand. You are a fantastic teacher. Congratulations!
yusuf
these lessons are very useful for me and my students. i would like to say thanks so much. umm..
mano
Hi,
you are very good
Mano
antanas
Alex.Thanks a lot.You did great job.But actally I cant see diferents between could or may.
Neelam777
Thanks. The lesson is great.
zinkhaing
i want to learn english lesson but i dont know how do to learn
asifmeo
Hi i m Asif from Pakistan, i like your programme & teaching methods, thanks for this
akram
Hi Alex. I’m confused here.
what is the most formal? is it can or may.
thanks.
hary
your lessons is very nice and we quickly understand everything from you
you are amazing teacher
thank you
best regards
JOSE
Alex.Thanks a lot.You did great job.But actally I cant see diferents between could or may.
your lessons is very nice and we quickly understand everything from you,
Excellent class
THANK YOU
JOSE
manu1129
hi sir i want to know abt would be how it use
Anand
nice lesson alex.
Vera
Thanks Alex, it’s helpfull
prithvi
Its so helpful to me in Indian school scholar examination.Thank you very much.
anly
Do you mind if i say thank you very much Alex…………
rajae
hello Alex, thank you for clarifying the difference and how ask permission politely instead of using canI…? all the time.
I’m confused concerning some verbs, how i use them( lie, lay, sit, set,rise,raise)
I will be very grateful if you help me in this case.
thank you once again.
regards
jamileh
Hi Alex,
I really like your lessons, definitely those that use in conversations. Actually I’m a newcomer to Canada and it is very vital for me to handle with English as soon as possible. Do you mind introducing some books to help me? And also I have another question. what is the deference between “Do you mind” and ” Would you mind”.
Thank you.
el
Thank you, Alex! Very good lesson. For me it was always difficult to understand “do you mind”, but now it`s clear.
khalid
you really good teacher and i like your methods
khalid
Qatar
Peiling
Thanks! I have been arguing with my friends the most polite way to ask for permission. They don’t believe me. Here you hit the nail on the head!!
Will watch more of your lessons and recommend them to others.
Ali
Dear Sir,
I have problem I can’t understand the word like when it is used in the starting of a sentence. For example, Like my father she gets up early in the morning. Please tell what is the word “like” in parts of speech in the above example?
I would be highly thankful to you if you kindly teach me about the word “like” with examples.
Ali.
kalad
hi teatcher im very happy to send you and may allah to help us THANKS your saudi student
Emil Ibragimov
Hi Alex!Good job!
Alex,can i say”WOULD YOU MIND giving me PENCIL”?
Hsb
nise lesson thank you very much.
Zoka
Hello,
This is my first time to watch engvid.com videos. It is really a wonderful and powerful webside.I would like to thank you Mr. Alex your video was easy and gave me a good idea about how to use the above auxiliaries. I have a little problem about how to use the present perfet and the present perfect continuous. Do you mind if you explain me what is the different between them? What is the different in the meaning between “I have been studying English for 8 years” and I have studied English for 8 years”
Thank
dede
Like you!!!! :-*
Jean Wong
I like your lesson very much. Thanks for your teaching.
Ranj M
hello really now i undrstand which polite words use d for permission .Thank u and rest of engvid teachers.with best wishes to all