Asking for Help Politely
Practice friendly ways to ask for help in stores, at stations, and in other public places.
Preview
Questions with solutions-
1. Оберіть правильну відповідь.
How do you politely get this person's attention?
A stranger is walking past. You need to ask for directions.
- Excuse me. Could you help me?
- You're welcome. Could you help me?
- Goodbye. Could you help me?
Show solution
- Excuse me. Could you help me?
“Excuse me” is a polite way to get someone's attention before asking a question.
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2. Оберіть правильну відповідь.
What do you ask a library worker?
You are outside the library, but you cannot find the entrance.
- What time does the library close, please?
- Where is the entrance, please?
- Can I borrow this book, please?
Show solution
- Where is the entrance, please?
An entrance is the place where you go into a building.
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3. Заповніть пропуск.
Your suitcase is too heavy to pick up alone.
Could you help me ___ this suitcase, please?
- lock
- open
- lift
You need help moving the suitcase upward.
Show solution
Could you help me lift this suitcase, please?
Asking for help with a heavy bag can make it safer to move.
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4. Оберіть правильну відповідь.
What do you ask a store worker?
The box you want is on a high shelf. You cannot reach it.
- Could you put that box on a higher shelf, please?
- Could you help me carry that box outside, please?
- Could you get that box down for me, please?
Show solution
- Could you get that box down for me, please?
“For me” shows that you want someone to do something to help you.
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5. Розташуйте слова в правильному порядку.
Your hands are full, and you need help entering a building.
- open the door
- for me,
- please?
- Could you
Show solution
Could you open the door for me, please?
“Could you” is a friendly way to ask someone to do something.
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6. Оберіть правильну відповідь.
What do you ask the cashier?
You want to buy a shirt, but there is no price on it.
- Could you tell me where I can return this?
- Could you tell me how much this costs?
- Could you tell me when the store closes?
Show solution
- Could you tell me how much this costs?
“How much” asks about a price. You can point to the shirt while asking.
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7. Заповніть пропуск.
The bus driver is speaking too fast for you to understand.
Could you speak more ___, please?
- loudly
- slowly
- quietly
The problem is speed, not sound.
Show solution
Could you speak more slowly, please?
You can ask someone to change how they speak when you need help understanding.
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8. Оберіть правильну відповідь.
What do you ask the driver?
You are waiting at a bus stop. A bus stops, and you need to know if it goes to the hospital.
- Excuse me, how much is a ticket to the hospital?
- Excuse me, how long is the trip to the hospital?
- Excuse me, does this bus go to the hospital?
Show solution
- Excuse me, does this bus go to the hospital?
Check where a bus goes before you get on.
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9. Послухайте та введіть відповідь.
At a train station.
Show solution
- Could you show me how to use this machine?
Asking someone to show you is useful when you need to see what to do.
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10. Оберіть правильну відповідь.
You want a library worker to look at the printer. What do you say?
At the library, the printer has stopped working.
- Could you check the printer, please? It isn't working.
- Could you show me where the printer is, please?
- Could you tell me how much printing costs, please?
Show solution
- Could you check the printer, please? It isn't working.
A short explanation of the problem helps the other person know what you need.
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11. Оберіть правильну відповідь.
How do you politely ask the worker to help you next?
A worker is helping another customer. Your question can wait.
- Could you stop helping them and help me now?
- When you're free, could you help me?
- Could you help us both at the same time?
Let the worker finish helping the other customer.
Show solution
- When you're free, could you help me?
“When you're free” shows that you are happy to wait.
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12. Заповніть пропуск.
At the station, someone says, “Sorry, I don't work here.” You want to find the right person to ask.
Could you tell me ___ I can ask for help?
- when
- why
- who
You need information about a person.
Show solution
Could you tell me who I can ask for help?
Someone who cannot help directly may still know a person who can.
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13. Розташуйте слова в правильному порядку.
A worker has just given you an address. You may forget it, so you want it on paper.
- Could you
- for me,
- please?
- down
- write the address
Begin with the polite request opening.
Show solution
Could you write the address down for me, please?
“Write down” means to put information on paper so you can keep it.
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14. Оберіть правильну відповідь.
Which question checks that you understood the directions?
Station worker: Use the second door on the left.
- Could you open the second door on the left for me?
- Is there another way to get there?
- So, it's the second door on the left, right?
Show solution
- So, it's the second door on the left, right?
Ending with “right?” is a simple way to check that you understood.
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15. Оберіть правильну відповідь.
How can you respect the rule and still ask for help making a call?
At a hotel, you need to make a call, but your phone is dead.
Worker: I'm sorry, you can't use this phone. It's for staff only.- I understand. Is there another phone I can use?
- I understand. Could I use this one just for a minute?
- I understand. Can I use this one when you're not here?
Look for a different way to make your call.
Show solution
- I understand. Is there another phone I can use?
After someone says no, you can politely ask about another way to get help.