This document provides guidance on being polite in English conversations. It explains that indirect questions using phrases like "I'd be interested to know" or "Could you tell me" are typically more polite than direct questions. It recommends being polite with strangers, bosses, teachers, grandparents, and parents. The document offers examples of direct versus indirect questions and provides rules for making questions more indirect and polite by removing "do/does/did", putting the verb at the end, and adding "if/whether" for questions without a question word.

1. HOW TO BE POLITE IN ENGLISH
A very English problem….

2. SO WHICH ONE IS CONSIDERED POLITE?
• I want a sandwich! • Would you mind if I
had a sandwich?

3. INDIRECT QUESTIONS
• I’d be interested to know…
• Could you explain…
• Would you mind telling me…
• We’d like to know…
• I was wondering if you could tell me…

4. POLITE
• Strangers
• Your boss
• Your teacher
• Your grandma
• Close friends
• Your brother and sister
• Your parents*
• (*careful)
DIRECT
WHO SHOULD YOU BE POLITE TOO?

5. POLITE
1. Could you tell me what the time is?
2. Would you mind telling me where he
works?
3. I’d like to know when you first
started singing
1. What is the time?
2. Where does he work?
3. When did you first start singing
DIRECT
LOOK AT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE
QUESTIONS…WHAT ARE THE RULES?

6. 1) REMOVE DO/DOES/DID…
e.g. Where do you live? Can you tell me where you live?

7. 2) PUT THE VERB AT THE END =
SUBJECT + VERB
e.g. What time is it?  Can you tell me what time it is?

8. 3) ADD IF/WHETHER IF NO QUESTION
WORD (WHERE/WHO/WHAT/HOW/WHY/WHEN)
e.g. Are you married?  Could you tell me if/whether you
are married?

9. HOPE THAT HELPS!