Polite Request With “I” and “You”

May I Could I	a. May I (please) borrow your pen? b. Could I borrow your pen (please)?	May I and Could I are used to request permission. They are equally polite. Note in (b): In a polite request, could has a present or future meaning, not a past meaning
Can I	c. Can I borrow your pen?	Can I used informally to request permission, especially if the speaker is talking to someone s/he know fairly well. Can I is usually not considered as polite as may I or could I
	Typical responses: Certainly, Yes, Certainly. Of course, Yes, of course. Sure. (informal)	Often the response to a polite request consists of an action, a nod or shake of head, or a simple “uh-huh.”

‘Might is also possible: Might I borrow your pen. Might I is quite formal and polite; it is used much less frequently than may I or could I.

Would you Will you	a. Would you pass the salt (please)? b. Will you (please) pass the salt?	The meaning of could you and will you in a polite request is the same. Would you is more common and is often considered more polite. The degree of politeness, however, is often determined by the speaker’s tone of voice.
Could you	c. Could you pass the salt?	Basically, could you and would you have the same meaning. The differences is slight: Would you = Do you want to do this please? Could you = Do you want to do this please, and is it possible for you to do this? Could you and would you are equally polite.
Can you	d. Can you pass the salt?	Can you is often used informally It usually sounds less polite than could you or would you.
	Typical responses: Yes, I’d (I would) be happy to. Yes, I’d be glad to. Certainly. Sure. (informal)	A person usually responds in the affirmative to a polite request. If a negative response is necessary, a person might begin by saying, “I’d like to but ….(e.g., “I’d like to, but I can’t reach it.

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