In daily life, English speakers use a small set of fixed expressions for common social actions. To ask someone to do something politely: Could you...? or Would you mind...? To suggest doing something together: Let's..., How about...?, Why don't we...? To apologise: I am sorry, Excuse me, I apologise. These are not built from grammar rules each time — they are fixed chunks that native speakers use without thinking. Students who know the chunks sound polite and natural in real situations. Students who try to translate from their first language often produce sentences that are grammatically correct but feel rude or strange. Could you to a friend who has just stepped on your foot? Probably wrong context. I am sorry to ask someone the time? Polite and correct. This lesson covers the most useful daily-situation chunks at A2 and shows how to drill them into automatic use.
Before you start — think honestly about your own teaching and experience.
Look at the examples. Answer each question before reading the explanation — this is how your students will learn too.
DIRECT (often rude): Open the window!
POLITE: Could you open the window, please?
VERY POLITE: Would you mind opening the window?
ALSO POLITE: Can you open the window, please?
Which would you use with each of the following: a close friend, a teacher, a stranger?
The direct command Open the window! is too strong for most situations. With a close friend you might say Open the window or Can you open the window? With a teacher or someone older, Could you open the window, please? is safer. With a stranger, Would you mind opening the window? is the most polite. The right level of politeness depends on the relationship and the situation. Students need to learn the polite forms first because they work in any situation — direct commands work only with close friends or family. The key chunks to memorise are Could you...?, Would you mind...?, Can you...?, and please. These three patterns plus please cover almost every polite request situation in everyday English.
Let's go to the market on Saturday.
How about going to the market on Saturday?
Why don't we go to the market on Saturday?
We could go to the market on Saturday.
All four suggest the same thing. What is the small difference between them?
All four are common ways to make a suggestion, with small differences. Let's is direct and friendly — it includes the speaker (we). It is followed by the base verb (Let's go, not Let's going). How about is followed by an -ing form or a noun (How about going, How about a film). Why don't we is a question form that works as a suggestion. We could is the softest — it presents the idea as one option among many. Students need all four because they fit slightly different situations. Let's is for confident suggestions among friends. How about is good when offering an idea. Why don't we is gentle and inviting. We could is the softest, used when the speaker is not sure. Mixing them up rarely sounds wrong, but using only one of them all the time sounds repetitive.
Getting someone's attention: Excuse me, do you have the time?
Apologising for a small interruption: Excuse me, I need to ask a question.
Apologising for a bigger problem: I am sorry, I broke your cup.
Apologising for a serious mistake: I am very sorry, I should not have said that.
A formal apology: I apologise for arriving late.
Quick informal sorry: Sorry! (after bumping into someone)
What is the difference between Excuse me, I am sorry, and I apologise?
Each phrase fits a different kind of situation. Excuse me is the lightest — it is for getting attention (Excuse me, where is the bus stop?), making space (Excuse me, can I pass?), or politely interrupting (Excuse me, may I ask a question?). Sorry or I am sorry is for actual apologies — when you have done something wrong, made a mistake, or caused a small problem. The intensity can be increased: I am sorry, I am very sorry, I am really sorry. I apologise is more formal — used in professional contexts, in writing, or for serious situations. Students often use Sorry where Excuse me would be better (saying Sorry to get someone's attention is less natural than Excuse me) and use Excuse me where Sorry is needed (Excuse me, I broke your cup is too light — should be I am sorry). Teaching the right phrase for the right situation is the core of this lesson.
| Expression | Function | Example | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Could you...? | Polite request | Could you open the window, please? | The standard polite request. Works in almost any situation. Followed by the base verb. |
| Can you...? | Casual request | Can you pass me the book? | Less formal than Could you. Fine with friends and family. |
| Would you mind...? | Very polite request | Would you mind closing the door? | Followed by -ing form (closing, opening, helping). Note the response: No (= I do not mind, I will do it). |
| Let's... | Direct suggestion (we both do it) | Let's go to the market. | Followed by base verb. Friendly and includes the speaker. |
| How about...? | Offering a suggestion | How about going for a walk? / How about pizza for dinner? | Followed by -ing or a noun. Gentle and inviting. |
| Why don't we...? | Friendly suggestion | Why don't we ask the teacher? | Question form working as a suggestion. Includes the listener. |
| We could... | Soft suggestion | We could try the new shop near the market. | Presents the idea as one option. Used when the speaker is not pushing. |
| Excuse me | Getting attention or small interruption | Excuse me, where is the head teacher's office? | For starting an interaction with someone, asking to pass, or interrupting briefly. |
| I am sorry | Apologising for a mistake or problem | I am sorry, I forgot your book at home. | For actual apologies. Can be intensified with very, really. |
| Sorry | Quick informal apology | Sorry! I did not see you there. | The casual short version. Common after small accidents. |
| I apologise | Formal apology | I apologise for arriving late to the meeting. | Used in professional contexts, formal letters, or for serious situations. |
NOTE 1 — Could you and Can you for requests: Could you is more polite than Can you, but both are fine in most situations. Could you for adults you do not know well, teachers, customers in shops. Can you for friends, family, classmates. Always add please for extra politeness: Could you help me, please? Without please, even Could you can sound a little flat.
NOTE 2 — Would you mind takes -ing: Would you mind is followed by an -ing form: Would you mind closing the door? (not Would you mind to close the door?). The response is also tricky: No, I would not mind means I will do it (because I do not mind doing it). Yes, I would mind means I do not want to do it (which sounds rude). To agree: No, of course or No, not at all or No problem.
NOTE 3 — Suggestion patterns: Let's is followed by the base verb (Let's go, Let's eat). How about is followed by -ing or a noun (How about going, How about a film). Why don't we is a question (note the question mark). We could is the softest. Mixing the patterns is fine — using all four through a conversation sounds natural; using only one sounds repetitive.
NOTE 4 — Excuse me vs Sorry: Excuse me is for getting attention, asking to pass, or polite interruption — before something happens. Sorry / I am sorry is for actual apologies — after something has gone wrong. Excuse me, can I ask a question? (politeness before asking). I am sorry I broke your cup (apology after the breaking). Mixing them up is one of the most common social-language errors at A2 level.
NOTE 5 — Intensifying apologies: I am sorry can be made stronger with very (I am very sorry), really (I am really sorry), or so (I am so sorry). For very serious apologies: I am terribly sorry, I am extremely sorry, I cannot apologise enough. The word choice signals how serious the apology is — students need to match it to the size of the problem.
Daily-situation expressions are essential for any real-life use of English. A student who can speak grammatically correct sentences but cannot ask for things politely or apologise appropriately will struggle in actual social situations. The good news is that the set of useful chunks is small — perhaps 15 to 20 expressions cover most everyday social needs. The chunks need drilling until they come automatically, because in real-time social situations there is no time to think. Could you, Excuse me, How about, I am sorry — these need to be on the tip of the tongue. Teachers should integrate these expressions into every lesson where students interact, not just as a separate vocabulary topic.
Set up role-play situations and require students to use the polite expressions every time. Asking a partner for the time. Apologising for being late. Suggesting an activity for the weekend. Excusing themselves to ask a question. Real-time use under mild pressure forces the chunks into active retrieval. Correct mistakes immediately and have students repeat the correct version. Over time the chunks become automatic.
Choose the best expression for each situation. Think about whether it is a request, a suggestion, or an apology.
Each sentence has a wrong expression for the situation. Suggest a better one and explain.
Use this sequence directly in class — guided discovery, no textbook needed. Tap each step to mark it done.
STEP 1 — Three social actions, three expression sets (5 min): Write three headings on the board: REQUESTS / SUGGESTIONS / APOLOGIES. Establish that English has fixed phrases for each. Today's lesson covers the most useful ones at basic level. Show one example for each: Could you...? / Let's... / I am sorry.
STEP 2 — Polite requests (5 min): Drill Could you...?, Can you...?, Would you mind...? Show the pattern with each: Could you + base verb (close the door). Can you + base verb (pass the salt). Would you mind + -ing form (closing the door). Practise with five real-life requests. Add please for extra politeness.
STEP 3 — Suggestions (6 min): Drill Let's, How about, Why don't we, We could. Show the patterns: Let's + base verb. How about + -ing or noun. Why don't we + base verb. We could + base verb. Have students suggest activities for the weekend using all four. The variety drills the patterns.
STEP 4 — Excuse me vs Sorry (5 min): Show the key distinction. Excuse me — for getting attention or small interruptions, BEFORE something. Sorry / I am sorry — for actual apologies, AFTER something has gone wrong. Drill with situations: approaching a stranger (Excuse me), bumping into someone (Sorry), interrupting a conversation (Excuse me), apologising for being late (I am sorry).
STEP 5 — Role-play (4 min): In pairs, students practise three short scenes: asking a stranger for directions, suggesting an activity for next week, apologising for being late to a meeting. Each scene must use the right expression. Swap partners and try again. The repeated practice fixes the chunks into active use.
Use directly in class — copy, adapt, or read aloud. No printing needed.
For each strategy, choose the option that best describes where you are now.
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