Select a Polite Communication Move
A short polite phrase has a specific function: requesting, thanking, replying, apologizing or ending a conversation.
About 20 minutes, plus any extended practice
Supplied materials
- Paper or a browser scratch area; no audio recording, account or private information is needed.
- The fictional speaker needs to request a repetition. Which supplied phrase performs exactly that move? Glosses: repetir=repeat; más despacio=more slowly; ayudarme=help me; gracias=thanks. Candidate answers: (A) De nada. (B) Muchas gracias. (C) ¿Puede hablar más despacio, por favor? (D) ¿Puede repetir, por favor?
- The fictional speaker needs to thank a helper. Which supplied phrase performs exactly that move? Glosses: repetir=repeat; más despacio=more slowly; ayudarme=help me; gracias=thanks. Candidate answers: (A) De nada. (B) Muchas gracias. (C) ¿Puede hablar más despacio, por favor? (D) ¿Puede repetir, por favor?
Learn the idea
A short exchange works when the reply addresses the actual question and respects the situation. Use the fictional identities given here; nobody needs to disclose a real name, location or age. A short polite phrase has a specific function: requesting, thanking, replying, apologizing or ending a conversation. Recognizing that function is more useful than treating every courteous sentence as interchangeable.
Identify the exact communicative aim in the supplied scene. Compare the candidate meanings, using the provided glosses: repetir=repeat, más despacio=more slowly, ayudarme=help me, no entiendo=I do not understand.
Respectful usted-style requests use puede here. Tú-style speech is also legitimate in an appropriate relationship, but it is not the requested convention in these scenes. Politeness does not require disclosing any private difficulty.
- Copy the supplied example and underline its speaker, noun, time cue or evidence words.
- Apply the shown language rule; keep any required ending, accent or paired punctuation.
- Solve the changed independent check, then explain why one offered alternative fails.
- Complete all three new practice cases and use the model to correct the precise word or meaning.
See the method in action
Supplied case: The fictional speaker needs to request a repetition. Which supplied phrase performs exactly that move? Glosses: repetir=repeat; más despacio=more slowly; ayudarme=help me; gracias=thanks. Candidate answers: (A) De nada. (B) Muchas gracias. (C) ¿Puede hablar más despacio, por favor? (D) ¿Puede repetir, por favor? Solution: The stated aim is to request a repetition. ¿Puede repetir, por favor? directly performs that function. The rejected phrases may be polite but serve another purpose, so their politeness alone does not make them answer this scene. Final result: ¿Puede repetir, por favor? Respectful usted-style requests use puede here. Tú-style speech is also legitimate in an appropriate relationship, but it is not the requested convention in these scenes. Politeness does not require disclosing any private difficulty.
Check your reasoning
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Helpful tips
- Identify the exact communicative aim in the supplied scene.
- Respectful usted-style requests use puede here.
See the answer and explanation
Muchas gracias.
The stated aim is to thank a helper. Muchas gracias. directly performs that function. The rejected phrases may be polite but serve another purpose, so their politeness alone does not make them answer this scene.
Take it further
The fictional speaker needs to ask for help respectfully. Which supplied phrase performs exactly that move? Glosses: repetir=repeat; más despacio=more slowly; ayudarme=help me; gracias=thanks. Candidate answers: (A) De nada. (B) Muchas gracias. (C) ¿Puede ayudarme, por favor? (D) ¿Puede repetir, por favor? Expected result: ¿Puede ayudarme, por favor? The stated aim is to ask for help respectfully. ¿Puede ayudarme, por favor? directly performs that function. The rejected phrases may be polite but serve another purpose, so their politeness alone does not make them answer this scene.
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More practice: try new cases
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