Starting a question with 'Could you' vs. 'Can you'? [duplicate]
Both are fine grammatically, but it appears that you are aiming for a relatively formal setting in which case "Could" is slightly more formal-sounding. Neither would be incorrect, however. "Could" also implies more of a polite request which may be refused, rather than a polite order, although this is a soft implication and does not make "Can" rude.
"Can you please" vs. "Could you please" [duplicate]
Mar 10, 2013 · If taken literally, "Can you" is equivalent to asking the person if they're capable of doing something. "Could you", on the other hand, implies that the action can be completed under some circumstances by the person. The usage of can you is idiomatic, and hence, is more popular used phrase of the two. Using either of them doesn't make them ...
Which one is correct in "How can I ..."? VS "How I can ..."
Oct 10, 2014 · How I can. I'm answering that way. When asking a question, the pronouns should be followed by an (auxiliary) verb. So, the structure in general is - What/How/Which etc. + verb + pronoun. A simple example is - What can you do for me? If you reverse the order, the phrase remains a sentence and not a question. What you can do for me is unknown.
What is the difference between can and could in 'Can/could you …
Can deals with actual, literal ability to perform an action. When you ask if someone can explain something, you are literally asking whether they are capable of explaining it. Edit: It is important to note that, as @J.R. has pointed out, this is by no means the only use (or even the most common use) of the word can or the phrase can you ....
Does “you can go now” sound rude? Context provided in question
Nov 4, 2023 · "You can/may go now" is what a high-status person would say to a low-status one, implying "You came here at my command, and you now have my permission to leave". The professor (a high-status role in an academic community) had come to you so that you could do your job of helping him, so it wasn't your place to dismiss him.
politeness - Which is more polite, "Would you" or "Could you ...
Jan 22, 2015 · literally you are asking if the person knows the way to the station and can tell you. As a question it is implied that you are hoping for the answer, but permission or whether the person wishes to answer is not addressed.
"You are" vs. "you're" — what is the difference between them?
You are is normally contracted to you're in speech, because English doesn't like two vowels without a consonant to separate them, and one of them gets deleted. Either you're or you are can be used; speaker's choice. The same thing applies to I'm, he's, she's, we're, and they're, among other contractions. It's just colloquial English, that's all.
word usage - English Language Learners Stack Exchange
Apr 4, 2017 · If you say "check out this link", it's a way to tell someone to generally look at it, and it sounds casual, so it doesn't sound rude in the way that "look at this link" may sound if you don't know someone very well. Also, you can refer to the link without telling your friend to look at it: Here's a link for an example: BLABLABLABLABLALINKLINKLINK
You can still contact me "through" your phone vs. "via" your phone?
Nov 6, 2015 · You are not being specific about the precise method used on the phone to contact you - i.e. you don't care if he/she calls you, texts you, emails you, Skypes you or anything else the phone can do. the person who you are talking to is not expecting to be able to use a phone for some reason, or doesn't realize a phone is available to him (maybe ...
"if you want to" vs "if you want" - in the end of a sentence
This is a matter of elision, the removal of words that are predictable, done to speed up our communications. Here is your intended thought with progressive elisions: You can use this, if you want to use it. You can use this, if you want to. You can …