Pleaseandthank you

We usually putpleaseat the end of a request withcould,canandwould, but we can also put it at the beginning or in the middle.Pleasein the mid position makes the request stronger.

When talking to adults, children often usepleasein front position to adults when making a request or asking for permission.

We usepleasewith the imperative form of a verb to express a polite request or order. We often find this in a classroom situation or in polite notices or written requests using the imperative. We usually putpleasein front position, at the beginning of the request, particularly in written requests and notices:

[in a classroom]

Pleaseturn to page 10.(orTurn to page 10,please.)

Pleasenote that credit cards are not accepted.

Pleasesend your application, including details of your skills, qualifications and work achievements, to …

In speaking, we often usepleaseto make an order less direct:

Pass the salt,please.

We often usepleaseto accept something politely, particularly with food and drink:

A:

What would you like to drink?

B:

Orange juice,please.

A:

I’m making a cup of tea. Would you like one?

B:

Ooh, yes,please.

A:

Do you want a lift to the station?

B:

Yes,please.That would be great.

We usepleaseto encourage or, more strongly, to beg someone to do something:

A:

I’ll give you a call if I hear anything more.

B:

Pleasedo.

Pleasebelieve me.

But,please, don’t worry about it.

We can usepleaseon its own to express disbelief, surprise or annoyance:

A:

They took a taxi 100 metres down the road.

B:

Oh,please.I can’t believe that.

Please. Just stop doing that. It’s really irritating.

We usepleaseas a verb:

You can come and go as youplease.(as you like)

She was very hard toplease.(to make happy)

Thank youfororthanks forcan be followed by the-ingform:

Thank you forhelping us.

Thanks forsending a card.

We can usethank youas a noun, often withbig:

A bigthank youto all those who helped with the sale.

We can usethankas a verb, always with an object and often withfor+ noun andfor+ -ing:

Ithankyou for your advice.(quite formal)

We would like tothankeveryone for their generosity.

I’d like tothankyou for coming here tonight.

We saythank God, notthanks God, when we are pleased that something has happened which we feared would not happen, or vice versa:

Thank Godyou’re home! I was so worried that you’d had an accident.

Not:Thanks God you’re home.

We reply tothankswith expressions such asyou’re welcome(more formal),not at all, no problem. We don’t usepleaseas an answer tothank you:

A:

Thanksfor the flowers. You shouldn’t have.

B:

You’re welcome.

Not:Please. orNothing.

A:

Thank youfor fixing the internet connection.

B:

No problem.

We often usethanks toto mean ‘because of’. It is more common in writing than speaking:

[from a newspaper report; Ipswich is a town in England]

An Ipswich man is back home from hospital and planning his summer wedding,thanks toa life-saving heart transplant.

Thanks tocancer research, John is now fit and well.