Elementary podcasts -> Podcast 08 Home-> Conversations
This page has the online practice materials for:
LearnEnglish Elementary Podcast Magazine No. 08
Section 1 - Conversations in English
You can listen online or download the podcast at Podcast 08 Home
You can also get print versions of the practice materials below in our Podcast 08 Support Pack (pdf file - 363 KB)
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“I wanted to ask you something” – asking for a favour
This section starts at the beginning of the audio file, immediately after the Introduction, e.g. when the counter on your audio player is on 00mins.19secs
Section 1 is based on the Introduction. This section looks at how to ask someone you know to do you a favour and what to say if someone asks you to do them a favour.
Suggestion: One way to use this is to read the transcript, and then look at Tom's tip in this section. You can then do some exercises to help you to learn the common phrases. A good idea is to practise these with a friend who speaks English or is also learning English.
Transcript
Tess: Hello again and welcome to the LearnEnglish Elementary podcast number eight. I’m Tess, from London.
Ravi: And I’m Ravi, from Manchester. You’re looking great as usual Tess, how are you?
Tess: Thanks, Ravi. I’m very well thanks. How are you?
Ravi: I’m fine thanks. Actually, I’m very well. You know I told you I was looking for a new flat?
Tess: Yes.
Ravi: Well, I found a new place over on Carswell Road – near the swimming pool. It’s really nice. Much bigger than the one I’m in now.
Tess: What’s the rent like?
Ravi: Well, it is quite expensive, quite a bit more than I pay now. But it’s a lot nicer.
Tess: Great. When are you moving?
Ravi: Well, I wanted to ask you about that. What are you doing on Saturday?
Tess: Nothing special? Why?
Ravi: Well, do you think you could help me move some stuff to my new place? Can you spare two or three hours in the afternoon?
Tess: Yeah, I suppose so.
Ravi: You can say ‘no’ if you want to you know.
Tess: No, it’s OK, I don’t mind.
Ravi: That’s brilliant. Thank you. I’ll tell you what, I’ll make dinner for you at the new flat after we’ve moved my things. Does that sound OK?
Tess: Ooh. That’ll be lovely, thanks.
Ravi: Great. Have a think about what you want to eat. Right. Well, we’d better get on.
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Practice materials: Exercise 1
Asking for a favour: read the conversation between Stella and Dave and fill in the blanks.
Tom’s tip
Asking for a favour:
Sometimes we need help, and we need to ask another person to help us. We know that the other person doesn’t have to help us, and that we are using their time and effort, but we still need their help. This is called 'asking for a favour'.
British people normally don't ask for help directly. Look at the table below. The dialogue between Stella and Dave is a very good example of how to ask for a favour.
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1. Person A sends a signal that he/she is going to ask for help – this gives Person B some time to prepare what he/she is going to say |
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"I wonder if you could do me a favour?" |
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2. Person A then says when he/she needs the favour… |
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"Are you doing anything on Friday after work?" |
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3. …this again allows Person B to say he/she is busy, or can't help |
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"Let me think. Friday? No, I don’t think so. Why?" |
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4. Person A then explains what help he/she needs, and asks if Person B will help |
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"Well, I need to take a box of books home for the weekend, and my car’s in the garage at the moment, and they’re really heavy. So, do you think you could give me a lift?" |
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5. Person B says yes or no |
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6. Person A then gives Person B another opportunity to 'escape' – to say no. |
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"You don’t have to, I can get a taxi." |
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7. Person B says again that he/she will help |
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"No, don’t be silly. You’ll never get a taxi on a Friday evening. I’ll take you. I’m going in your direction anyway. " |
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8. Person A thanks Person B… |
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9. … and sometimes offers a 'reward' - something that Person B will enjoy… |
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"You can come in for a coffee or something if you’ve got time. You’ve never seen my flat have you? " |
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10. … and asks Person B to agree |
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"OK, that sounds great. It’s a date." |
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Practice materials: Exercise 2
In the podcast Ravi asks Tess to do him a favour. Does the dialogue follow the same structure as the dialogue between Stella and Dave?
Without looking at the tapescript, decide where the phrases that Ravi and Tess use below (they are jumbled) should go in the table below. The answers are at the bottom of the page.
(1) Ravi: Does that sound OK?
(2) Ravi: I’ll tell you what, I’ll make dinner for you at the new flat after we’ve moved my things.
(3) Tess: No, it’s OK, I don’t mind.
(4) Tess: Nothing special? Why?
(5) Tess: Ooh. That’ll be lovely, thanks.
(6) Ravi: That’s brilliant. Thank you.
(7) Ravi: Well, do you think you could help me move some stuff to my new place? Can you spare two or three hours in the afternoon?
(8) Ravi: Well, I wanted to ask you about that.
(9) Ravi: What are you doing on Saturday?
(10) Tess: Yeah, I suppose so.
(11) Ravi: You can say ‘no’ if you want to you know.
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1. Person A sends a signal that he/she is going to ask for help – this gives Person B some time to prepare what he/she is going to say |
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2. Person A then says when he/she needs the favour… |
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3. …this again allows Person B to say he/she is busy, or can't help |
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4. Person A then explains what help he/she needs, and asks if Person B will help |
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5. Person B says yes or no |
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6. Person A then gives Person B another opportunity to 'escape' – to say no. |
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7. Person B says again that he/she will help |
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8. Person A thanks Person B… |
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9. … and sometimes offers a 'reward' - something that Person B will enjoy… |
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10. … and asks Person B to agree |
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Practice materials: Exercise 3
Read the 22 phrases below:
A. Ah, yes – I wanted to ask you something
B. Are you busy this evening?
C. Great idea!
D. I can always ask somebody else.
E. I haven't got any plans. Why?
F. I'd like to buy some plants but I can't carry them home on the bus. Could you give me a lift?
G. I'll buy you a drink afterwards
H. Is that alright for you?
I. It’s really no trouble at all.
J. It's no problem if you're too busy
K. Let me take you out for dinner as a thank-you
L. I wonder if you could do me a favour?
M. No, don’t worry, that's fine.
N. Not much. Why?
O. Of course I will.
P. Oh thank you so much
Q. That's really kind of you, thanks.
R. Well, I'm going to paint my living room, and I'd really like some help
S. What are you up to on Sunday?
T. What do you say?
U. Yeah, okay. That's fine.
V. You're on! Thank you!
Use the 22 phrases above to complete a dialogue
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Next:
Continue to: Practice materials: Section 2: I'd like to meet
Return to: Elementary Podcast 08 Home Page
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Answers to Exercise 2:
The correct order is: 1. (8); 2. (9); 3. (4); 4. (7); 5. (10); 6. (11); 7. (3); 8. (6); 9. (2); 10. (1); 11. (5)
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