To Offer help and favor

Activity 1.
Warm Up (Lets get started):

Did you offer help today? Who did you offer? Did they take your offer?

Background:

When you want to help someone, how do you make your offer in English? It is common for
English speakers to make helping offers in a conversation in order to be polite and helpful. In
this lesson you will learn some useful expressions that you can use to offer help.

There are many good reasons to offer help. If you see someone is lost, you can offer someone for
directions. If someone cannot lift a heavy object, you can offer someone to help he /she lift it. If
someone doesnt know what time it is, if you have a watch on, you can offer to. Offering help is
an important part of everyday life

Which do you prefer: getting help or giving help? Why?

Activity 2
Grammar Points

Responding to offers
Expressions to Offering Help Following phrases can be Following phrases can be
used to accept someones used to decline an offer:
help:
Can I.? Yes, please. Its ok, I can do it myself.
(followed by a verb without Yes please, Id like to. Dont worry, Ill do it.
using the word to) Yes please, Id love to. No, thank you
Example: How kind of you. No, thanks. Ill be alright
Can I Help you? Thanks a lot soon.
Can I get you some juice? Thanks. Im very much No, its okay. Thanks.
Can I bring some food obliged. Id love to but
over? That would be so kind. Not for me, thanks
Can I give you a hand? Thank you. I'm afraid I can't, thanks
If you wouldnt mind.
Shall I ?
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(Followed by a verb without Thank you that would anyway
using to) be great.
Example: Thanks. Thats just Thank you for offering,
Shall I help you with your what I need but
project? That would be very
Shall I bring your laptop nice
to the office? With pleasure
Shall I get you another Oh really? Thanks a
drink? million.
May I?
(followed by a verb without
using the word to)

May I help you?

May I offer my
assistance?

Would you?
(Followed either by a noun or by
the verb with to)
Example:
Would you like to drink
some coffee?
Would you like another
piece of cake?
Would you like some
help?

Do you ?
( This expression is used when
you are not sure if your offer will
be welcomed)
Example:
Do you need something
from the store?
Do you want me to go
through your files before
you submit?
Do you need any help?

Id be glad to /
Id be happy to .
( This expression is used when
you are really happy to help
someone)
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Example:
Id be glad to design your
wedding dress for you.
Id be glad to cook for
you.
Id be happy to type the
letter for you.

Activity 3
Some examples of offering Help dialogues
1. A : Excuse me maam, Could I help you with your bags?
B : That would be great thanks.

2. X : May I help you cook it?

Y : With pleasure.

3. A : If you have anything to ask about my presentation, please feel free to come to my
office ?
B : That would be very nice.

4. Waiter : Good morning miss. What can I do for you?

Inda : Oh thanks, I want something special in this restaurant?

5. X : Let me help you cross the road?

Y : How kind of you. Thanks a lot

Activity 4
A. Work in pairs, make a dialog offering help based on the situation below:
1. Someone cannot find the drugstore.
2. Someone does not understand how to get money from the bank
3. Someone wants to know what time it is.
4. Someone cannot find his/her cat.
5. Someone bought a new TV and need help carrying it.

B. Share your partners answers with the group

Activity 5
In pairs, make a dialog based on the model below.

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 Activity 6
A. Read the following dialog. Then practice it with your friends in front of class.
Mechanic : Good morning, Subang Auto Garage, can I help you?

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 Man : Yes, I hope so. Im having trouble with my car engine. It wouldnt start this
morning. Can you come to my house and repair it for me, please?
Mechanic : hmm What can I say? Mm my men are working on some cars right now,
sir. I think youll have to wait for a few hours. What if we come to your house
tomorrow?
Man : But I need the car tomorrow
Mechanic : You could try other garages.
Man : I want to, but I dont have any contact. Besides, I have been your loyal
customer for a long time.
Mechanic : I have a friend who might help you. He is also a car mechanic like me and I can
guarantee that he will repair your car as well as we do. Let me call him for you
now
Man : oh, thats very kin of you to offer. Thanks.

B. Answer the following questions.

a. What is the dialog about?

.
b. Can the mechanic repair the mans car right away? Why?

c. Does the man accept or refuse the offer? Why?

.
d. Underline all expression to offer help and responses!
e. Put the underlined expression in the correct columns of the provided table.

Offering Help Accepting Offers Refusing Offers

C. Classify the following expression into their correct function. One has been done for you
as an example
No Expression Offering Accepting Refusing

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 Help Help Help
1 Would you like something to eat?
2 No thanks, I can carry it my self
3 Is there anything I can do for you?
4 What can I do for you ?
5 Id love to, but I have to do it by myself
6 Yes, please
7 May I offer my assistance?
8 Need any help?
9 Sure, I wouldn't mind.
10 Would you like me to close the window?
11 I can assist you with that.
12 I think I can do that for you.
13 I'm pleased to do that.
14 I'd like to, but I have ...
15 Can I get you something to drink?

Activity 7
A. One of your friends, a girl called Dina, has just arrived at your birthday party. It is the
first time that Dina has been to the house. What offers can you make?

Example:
Get you something to drink. :
The answers:
Shall I get you something to drink?/
Would you like me to get you something to drink?/
Ill get you something to drink.
1. An Orange juice :..
2. Make you some coffee :..
3. Something to eat :..
4. Introduce Dina to some of the people here :..
5. Show Dina around the house. :..

B. It is the morning after the birthday party and Danny is visiting your house. The house
needs clearing up after the party, but you arent feeling very well. Danny wants to help.
What offer can he make?

Use these ideas:

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 1. some furniture needs moving :
2. The carpet needs cleaning :
3. The record player needs repairing :
4. Some rubbish needs putting outside :
5. The goldfish needs feeding :
6. Some shopping needs doing :
7. You need some aspirin and hot drink :

C. How kind and helpful are you? Your partner will tell you his/her problems. Offer to
help.

Suggested Problems: Example:

1. Im cold A: Im cold
2. Im not feeling very well B: Shall I close the window?
3. Ive got a lot of shopping to do A: Oh, yes, please. Thanks
4. I cant do my homework
5. Ive got a letter for the post
6. Ive left my bag in the school canteen
7. Ive left my money at home

Activity 8

1. There are four stories below. Each should be read by a different student. Together you
decide which person you are going to help. And how to express the offerings (5 min)

Helping people

a) Jane, age 22, is a young professional tennis player who came from a small village but is on
her way to become the first one ever to represent her country at the Olympics. One day, she
fell and suffered severe spinal injuries. She now needs a very expensive surgery she has no
money for, or she will stay in a wheelchair for the rest of her life.
b) A family of six, parents (Kate and John) and kids, Rose (15), Danny (10), Hannah (7) and
Max (2), have suffered a great tragedy. Their house burned down with all their belongings so
they are homeless now. The children had to leave school since only the dad has a job and
education for all of them is very expensive. They need a great amount of money to get a new
place to live and to get back on their feet.
c) Harry (12) and Ginny (21) are brother and sister who lost their parents in a car accident.
Ginny is 21 so she can legally take care of her brother but she doesnt have a job and a place
for them to stay. They have nobody to help them. They will have to be separated into two
different families unless she finds enough money to provide for them both.
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d) Mr. Wilson (52), is one of the most favorite and beloved professors at the University of
California. He has done a lot of scientific research and has been helping his students all his
life. He has been diagnosed with a serious heart disease that made him unable to teach
anymore. Because he is all alone, his students want to raise money for his expensive
treatment so he can come back to the University.

2. Decide how you would help them. Write a short paragraph, five to six full sentences.
Make a detailed plan. Here are some questions that will help you.

a. Who are you going to help and why?

b. What kind of event would you organize? (For example a school plays a football game, a
concert, etc.)
c. Where and when is it going to take place?
d. How would you attract people? (Advertising your event, interesting activities, etc. )
e. Who would attend an event? (Students, their parents, teachers, anyone, etc.)
f. How would you earn profit? (Sell tickets, charitable donations, selling something etc.)

3. Report your charity event to your classmates.

SELF-REFLECTION

Before studying this chapterI didnt understand about:

When I was studying this Difficulties:
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How I overcome the difficulties:





Having studied this chapter I think: