making a request
For non-writing communication, what's a good way of making a request other than saying "Could you.."?
I find myself keep using "Could you.." to make a request and I find it embarrassing.
I know you can also use "Please..." but this sounds too formal in a conversation, especially between classmates, so I'm hesitant to use it.
What are alternatives to this?
Thanks, Josh Lalonde.
I'm just wondering, but does the fact that I was stuck with one expression and couldn't find another alternative one indicate that I'm not proficient in English?
Can native speakers be like this, too?
In other words, can native speakers self-generate the expressions they need, or do they have to imitate or use the ones already made by forerunners? Sorry if this question sounds weird.
That's a somewhat theoretical subject, isn't it? It is clear that both native speakers and learners of a language can generate new expressions they have never heard before, but I think that most of the time people just repeat things they've heard.
<< I'm just wondering, but does the fact that I was stuck with one expression and couldn't find another alternative one indicate that I'm not proficient in English? >>
It might if you say a long series of requests, one after another, using the same structure every time. "Could you do this? Now could you do that? OK, could you..." But otherwise, I think most people wouldn't notice.
- Kef