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Unit 30. Can, could, may and would: requests, permission, offers, and invitations
A.
 We often use can or could when we ask someone to do something:
Can you wait a moment, please?
Ann, can you do me a favor?
Excuse me. Could you tell me how to get to the bus station?
Do you think you could lend me some money?
I wonder if you could help me.
We also use would to ask someone to do something:
Ann, would you do me a favor?
Would you wait here, please?
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B.
To ask for something you can say Can I have… ? / Could I have…? / May I have…?
(in a gift shop) Can I have these postcards, please?
(at the dinner table) Could I have the salt, please?
C.
Asking for and giving permission
We often use can, could, or ma to ask permission to do something:
(on the telephone) Hello, can I speak to Tom, please?
“Could I use your telephone?” “Yes, of course.”
“Do you think I could borrow your bicycle?” “Yes, help yourself.”
“May I come in?” “Yes, please do.” To give permission, we use can or may (but not could):
You can (or may) smoke if you like.
D.
We sometimes use can or may when we offer to do things. (May is more formal.):
“Can I get you a cup of coffee?” “That’s very nice of you.”
(in a store) “May I help you, ma’am?” “No thank you. I’m being helped.”
E.
For offering and inviting we use Would you like… ? (not do you like):
Would you like a cup of coffee? (not do you like)
Would you like to go to the movies with us tomorrow evening? (not do you like to come)
I’d like (= I would like) is a polite way of saying what you want or what you want to do:
I’d like some information about hotels, please.
I’d like to try on this jacket, please.
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