Asking for time off, permission and help

What's in the lesson

1. 1Warm-up
2. 2In this lesson
3. 3Guess the words (1)Vocabulary exercise
4. 4Guess the words (2)Vocabulary exercise
5. 5Check the wordsVocabulary
6. 6Useful phrasesVocabulary
7. 7Check your understandingReading comprehension
8. 8Listen: Mateo's voicemailListening comprehension
9. 9Use the new wordsVocabulary exercise
10. 10What does it mean?Grammar exercise
11. 11Find the requests for permissionGrammar exercise
12. 12Asking for permission and helpGrammar rule
13. 13Choose the right formGrammar exercise
14. 14A message to the managerGrammar exercise
15. 15Polite requestsGrammar exercise
16. 16Say it naturallySpeaking practice
17. 17Can I ask you something?Speaking practice
18. 18Let's discussDiscussion
19. 19Wrap-up

Homework

1. 1Homework: closest meaningVocabulary exercise
2. 2Homework: your sentencesVocabulary exercise
3. 3Homework: fix the requestsGrammar exercise
4. 4Homework: a message to your managerDiscussion

Words

• time off/ˌtaɪm ˈɔːf/

  time when you are not at work: a few hours, a day or longer

• PTO/ˌpiː tiː ˈoʊ/

  paid time off: days you can take off work and still get paid

• shift/ʃɪft/

  a set period of work in a job where people work at different times (the morning shift, the night shift)

• swap/swɑːp/

  to give someone something and get something from them instead (swap shifts with a colleague)

• short notice/ˌʃɔːrt ˈnoʊtɪs/

  very little warning before something happens (on short notice)

• approve/əˈpruːv/

  to officially say yes to a request or a plan

• request/rɪˈkwest/

  the act of asking for something, often in writing (a time-off request); also a verb, to ask for something

• make up/ˌmeɪk ˈʌp/

  to work later for the time that you missed (make up the hours)

• heads-up/ˈhedz ʌp/

  a short warning or message about something that will happen (give someone a heads-up)

• give someone a hand/ˌɡɪv ˌsʌmwʌn ə ˈhænd/

  to help someone, often with something practical

Two slides from the lesson

Warm-up

Let's talk about time off and schedules.

1. When did you last ask your manager (or a teacher) for permission to do something? What was it?
2. Who covers your work when you are away?
3. Do you prefer one long vacation or several short breaks in a year? Why?

Grammar rule

Asking for permission and help

Permission: you want to do something

Ask	Example	Notes
Can I / Could I + verb	Could I borrow your stapler for a minute?	Could is a little more polite. Here it is not past.
Is it OK if I + present	Is it OK if I park in the visitors' lot today?	very common at work
Do you mind if I + present	Do you mind if I take the last donut?	It asks "Is it a problem?", so "No" means yes, you can!
Would you mind if I + past	Would you mind if I took the afternoon off?	very polite; the past form (took) is about now or the future
Would it be possible (for me) to + verb	Would it be possible to use the big meeting room on Friday?	polite, good for bigger requests

Help: you want someone to do something

Can you / Could you + verb: Could you check these numbers for me? · Could you give me a hand with + a noun: Could you give me a hand with this report? (Also + -ing: Could you give me a hand setting up the room?)

Answering

Yes	No: give a reason, or offer another idea
Sure, go ahead. · Of course. · No problem. · Not at all. (only for Do / Would you mind…?)	I'm afraid not. Two people are already off that day. · I'd rather you didn't (= please don't). Could you do it on Friday instead? · I'm sorry, but…

After if I in Is it OK…? and Do you mind…?, use the present, not will: Is it OK if I send it tomorrow? (not if I will send). After Would you mind if I…?, the past is the careful form (left, took, worked); in conversation, you will also hear the present. After can and could, use the verb with no to: Could I try the new coffee machine? (not Could I to try). Many Americans answer Do you mind…? with "Sure!" or "Go ahead!", and that means yes, too.