Being Courteous: How To Be Polite 

To write courteous sentences, you need to use the first "P" - be polite.

Imagine that you have received the memo below from your manager. How does it make you feel?

The memo is very clear and concise. However, it's not very polite, is it?

Look at the final sentence.

"Everyone must submit at least one idea by 5:30 pm on 10 April."

It sounds like an order or command, doesn't it?

How can you rewrite that "command" to make it sound more polite?

Suggested revision:

"Please submit one idea by 5:30 pm on 10 April."

You can change a command into a polite request by changing a few words.

Remember, you only need to change a few words to make a sentence more polite.

Look at the original "command" and the two revisions below:

"Everyone must submit one idea" (original)

"I would like everyone to submit one idea... " (revision)

"May I ask everyone to submit one idea... " (revision)

The revisions sound more polite. Do you know why?

USE MODAL VERBS 

Using a modal verb - eg could, would, may, might - also makes a sentence sound much more polite.

Look at the sentence below.

"Send me all the information on overdue accounts."

How would you use a modal verb to make this sentence more polite?

"I would like you to send me all the information on overdue accounts."

Your sentences will be polite if you use "magic words" and modal verbs. Is there anything else you can do?

TURN STATEMENTS INTO QUESTIONS 

You also can make a sentence more polite by turning it into a question.

Turn the original "command" below into a question...and see the difference.

"Would everyone submit one idea...?"

"Could everyone submit one idea...?"

When you turn a statement into a question, you give your reader a choice. Giving people a choice makes them more likely to do what you ask.

So there are three ways to write polite sentences. You can use "magic words" and modal verbs. You can also turn statements into questions.

What would happen if you used all three strategies at the same time?

Try to turn the original "command" below into a question, and use "magic words" as well as modal verbs

"Could everyone please submit one idea...?"

When you use all three strategies together, you write a very polite request, don't you?

Look at the statements below.

"You have to be at the meeting!"

"You must be on time!"

You use the modal verbs "must" and "have to" when giving orders or commands. So, you should avoid using these verbs when writing to customers.

But what about this statement?

"You should be more careful!"

Would you write such a statement to a customer?

You use the modal verb "should" when you are giving advice. If a customer asks you for advice, you may want to use "should". However, you should generally avoid using this word when writing to customers.

Exercise:

The following sentences are not very polite. Revise the sentences to make them more polite. Type your revisions in the spaces provided

1) Send proof of your income.

2) You must pay the annual fee without delay.

3) Bring the supporting documents to our office.

4) You should fill in the application form.

5) To ensure security, choose a password with numbers and letters.

Suggested revisions:

1) Could you please send proof of your income?

2) Would you please pay the annual fee by 20 March 200x?

3) Please bring the supporting documents to our office.

4) Would you mind filling in the application form?

5) To ensure security, please choose a password with numbers and letters.

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