favour_1 noun – Definition, pictures, pronunciation and usage notes | Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary at OxfordLearnersDictionaries.com

Express Yourself

Asking for permission/​a favour

Asking for permission/​a favour

You are more likely to get what you want if you can ask for it politely. Here are some ways of asking whether you may do something:

• • Would you mind if

    I opened the window?

• • Could I possibly

    borrow your phone?

• • I hate to ask, but could I please

    borrow your phone?

  (North American English)

• • Do you happen to have

    a pair of gloves I could borrow for the evening?

• • Would it be all right if

    I left five minutes early?

• • Is there any chance that we could

    stay at your house the night before our flight?

• • Would it be OK to

    leave my bag here?

Responses:

• • Yes, of course.

• • Go ahead.

• • That’s fine.

• • I’d rather you didn’t, if you don’t mind.

• • I’d prefer it

    if you asked somebody else.

• • If there’s someone else you can ask, I’d be grateful.