284 could/will/would you?等表示请求

 

带有星号的各形式请见下面K中的注释。

A could you* 是一种非常有用的表示请求的形式:

Could you please show me the way

请您给我指一指路,好吗?

加上possibly则可以表示说话人的要求是有所逾越的:

Could you possibly lend me 500

你能否借给我500英镑?

couldnt表示说话人希望得到比对方刚才表示的较为有利一些的回答:

I cant wait

Couldnt you wait five minutes

—我不能等了。

—你不能等五分钟吗?

you couldntcould you?可用来表示一种成功希望不大的请求:

You couldnt wait five minutescould you

你不能再等五分钟,是吗?

You couldnt give me a hand with thiscould you

这事你帮不了我,是吗?

(在以上两种情况说话人并不真的预期能得到满意的回答。)

B will/would you *please)?形式:

Will/Would you please count your change

请点一点找给你的钱好吗?

would youplease)与could you的意思是同样的。

will you有命令的含义,因此不够礼貌。

will/would you可位于一个短语之后:

Shut the doorwill you

把门关上,好吗?

但这种形式只能用于非常友好、随便的场所。否则就会显得很无礼。

will/would也可用于对第三人称的请求:

Would Mrs Jonespassenger to Leedsplease come to the Enquiry Desk

去往利兹的旅客琼斯夫人请到问讯处来,好吗?

Will anyone who saw the accident please phone this number

目睹事故发生者请拨这个电话号码……(警方通告)

C youllwont you?是一种劝导性的请求,主要用于亲朋好友之间:

Youll write to mewont you

你会给我写信的,是吗?

D would you mind* +动名词(参见第263节):

Would you mind moving your car

请您移动一下您的车,您不会介意吧?

E perhaps you would表示说话人自信另一方将答应其请求。它通常不用于谈话或信件的开头,但可以在稍后使用:

Perhaps you would let me know when your new stock arrives.相当于:

Please let me know when your new stock arrives

新货到达时请通知我。

F if you would…是一种非常有用的请求形式。这是英语口语中一种例行的纯属礼貌性质的请求,说话人确信他的请求会得到答应:

If youd fill up this form/take a seat/wait a few minutes

请填写这份表格//等几分钟。(在办公室)

If youd sign the register/follow the porter

请在登记本上签名/跟服务员走。(在旅馆里)

这种请求中常加上just用来表示所要求做的事是很简单、容易的:

If youd just put your address on the back of the cheque

请在支票背面写下你的地址就可以了。(在商店)

G would you like to…?也是一种表示请求的形式:

Would you like to take a seat?相当于:

Please take a seat

请坐!

H I should/would be very grateful if you would…是一种王要用于信函中的正式的请求形式;也可用于口语中:

I should be very grateful if you would let me know if you have any vacan-cies

如能通知我是否有空缺我将十分感谢。

I Would you be good/kind enough to keep me informed

请随时告诉我一些情况,好吗?

Would you be so kind as to keep me informed

(译文同上。)

J I wish you would也是一种表示请求的形式,有时含有说话人认为对方本应该已经帮助他或本应已提出要给予帮助的意思(参见第301节):

I wish youd give me a hand

我希望你能帮我一下。

K 带有星号的 would could形式可由短语如do you think?或

I wondered if I was wondering if等引导(参见第 104节):

Do you think you could lend me 500

你借我500英镑行吗?