Can you help me, please?

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ESL forum > Grammar and Linguistics > Can you help me, please?

Can you help me, please?

tagoreluz1

Can you help me, please?

Do you ever use Shall I....? to ask for permission. Can I say: Shall I come in?

Thanks a lot

14 Dec 2014

anapauladopazo

Hi! shall is used for offers. to ask for permission you should use MAY/COULD/CAN. For example: may/could I come in?

14 Dec 2014

alien boy

�Shall � is also very old fashioned. You really don �t find it commonly used by native English speakers at all.

15 Dec 2014

You can use "shall" in very formal English to ask for confirmation that something you were going to do anyway is acceptable to the other person. "Shall I pour the tea?" or "You look cold. Shall I close the window?" for example. If you think that your action may be unwelcome, or you need clear permission to do it, then "may" is better.

15 Dec 2014

pcxx

I agree with alien boy that it �s quite old fashioned. Everybody is right. You use shall for offers.

15 Dec 2014

Maybe it �s old-fashioned if used to make a statement, but it �s quite usual for a question.

15 Dec 2014