Could you please, check it?

Question

Dear teachers,

In the following dialogues could you please, check the green sentences and tell me if they are correct? (if possible show me alternatives for them. Okay?) Thank you so much!

Supposing a dialogue between a cabdriver (A) and a passenger (B):

Dialogue nº 1:

(A) Good morning, sir. May I help you?
(B) Good morning. Please, take me to the centre/center.

(A) where abouts? (if possible could you show me options here? Because "where abouts" is too informal)
(B) To the National Art Gallery, please.
(A) Do you know where it is? (or do you know where is it ?)
(B) It's on Merrion Square West & Clare street.
(A) Okay. I can take you there / Okay. There's no problem. I can take you there right now. (here I intend to say that there is no trouble to take him to his destination).

(B) Do you know how long it will take? / How far is it to the art gallery?
(A) It takes about 20 minutes/ Probably 20 minutes/ Probaby it will take 20 minutes, sir / lady.

(A) Is it your first trip to Ireland? Is it your first time in Ireland?
(B) Yes and I'm enjoying it very much. (is it wrong to say: "Yes, I'm liking it very much" ? And is it wrong to ask: "Are you liking the place, sir?")

(A) Here we are, sir. And that'll be $ 23.15
(B) All right. Here it is. Keep the change.

(A) Thank you. sir. And Here is my card.
(B) Thanks!

Dialogue nº 2:

(A) = cabdriver (B) = passenger

(A) Good morning, lady.
(B) Good morning, sir. Could you please, take me to the Phoenix Park?
(A) Yes. Please, get in, relax and make yourself comfortable (here my intention is to tell the passenger to get in and relax).
(B) Is there a church near here?
(A) Yes. It is about 15 minutes from here. Do you know Saint Patrick's Cathedral?
(B) No. I haven't had the opportunity yet, sir.
(A) So, I'll take you there before going to the Phoenix Park . What do you think about?
(B) Ok, that's a great idea!

After reaching Phoenix Park....

(A) Here we are, lady. That'll be $ 32.00. And here is my card. My phone number is 661 5343. In the event of you need a taxi just phone/call me.Okay?
(B) I'll need to go to The Playhouse nightclub tonight!
(A) What time (or: At what time?) will you need a taxi? / What time can I pick you up? (here my intention is to ask at what time the passenger will need the taxi)
(B) Pick me up in front of the Inn at 8:00 p.m / 8 o' clock.
(A) So, at 8 o'clock. Ok. I'll be in front of the Inn on the scheduled time. (Here my intention is to confirm the schedule and tell the passenger that I'll be there = at the Inn in this case, on the scheduled time).
(B) Thanks. See you later, sir.
(A) See you later then!

My final question is: If a passenger answers the cabdriver: "Ok, cheers!" in reply to: "Please get in and relax". What does it mean?

Thank you very much,
Anon.

Clive · Accepted Answer

Hi,
In my experience, cab drivers don't usually hand out cards. However, let's assume that they do.

My other comment is that ESL learners tend to make such dialogues too long. Cab drivers are not usually very chatty with their customers. at leasy not in my experience. Perhaps they are, where you live?

In the following dialogues could you please, check the green sentences and tell me if they are correct? (if possible show me alternatives for them. Okay?) Thank you so much!
Supposing a dialogue between a cabdriver (A) and a passenger (B):

Dialogue nº 1:

(A) Where to?
(B) The National Art Gallery, please. How long will that take, please?
(A) about 20 minutes. Is this your first trip to Ireland? (Is this your first time in Ireland?)
(B) Yes and I'm enjoying it very much.

(is it wrong to say: "Yes, I'm liking it very much" ?
And is it wrong to ask: "Are you liking the place, sir?")
These are OK.

The passenger just sees what the fare is, because it is shown prominently on the taxi's meter.
((B) Keep the change.

(A) Thank you. Here's my card.
(B) Thanks!

Dialogue nº 2:

(A) = cabdriver (B) = passenger

(B) Phoenix Park, please.

(A) Yes. Please, get in, relax and make yourself comfortable (here my intention is to tell the passenger to get in and relax). Cab drivers don't say things like this.

(B) Is there a church near here?
(A) Yes, about 15 minutes from here. Do you know Saint Patrick's Cathedral?
(B) No, I don't.
(A) Do you want to go there instead?
(B) Yes, please.

After reaching Phoenix Park..

It would not be common to make an arrangement like this, unless one were in a small town where there were only a very few cabs.

(A) That'll be $ 32.00, please. And here is my card. If you need a taxi just phone/call me.

(B)I'll need to go to The Playhouse nightclub tonight!
(A) What time will you need a taxi? / What time can I pick you up?
(B) Pick me up in front of the Inn at 8:00 p.m / 8 o' clock, please. (what inn?)
(A) OK. I'll be in front of the Inn at 8.
(B) Thanks.
(A) See you later then!

My final question is: If a passenger answers the cabdriver: "Ok, cheers!" in reply to: "Please get in and relax". What does it mean? It means 'OK, thanks'. But a cab driver wouldn't say such a thing.

Best wishes, Clive

Anonymous · Answer

Hi Clive

Thanks for cheking the dialogues. Of course we can't generalize, but if cabdrivers are not usually very chatty with the customers in your country, so you must get in a taxi in mine and you will see how chatty they are. I'm from "Itabuna". It's a city of Bahia state, in Brazil.
Things you said that they don't usually do there, here for sure they do. For instance: some of them hand out their cards, they ask if we would like them to turn up the air conditioning; if you want to read, there are some magazines/newspapers available; offers you candy if they have some (it's very rare, but happens), as soon as you get in a taxi (if you are a tourist) they usually tell you to make yourself comfortable, relax. Also, during the ride they talk about daily occurrences in the politics, soccer, traffic...One can even tell you a joke if they notice you are so friendly and also wants to chat. It is already a joke, isn't it? Once a cabdriver handed me in (is it correct to say handed me in?) his family album to show the photos of his sons, wife, ... Can you believe it?

. Well I just don't know if they assume/have such behavior when they get foreigners.
They also tell you the fare at the end of the ride (in spite of it is shown on the taxi's meter). And commonly some of them will ask you: " * Do you know how to get there? " (sometimes they are new in the region and so they really don't know the path, but other times that's why they are sly/slicker ones expecting that you say a distant way just to earn more in the end. It may also be their intention when they ask: "Which way do you prefer,sir?).
As you can see, it's better think twice before saying e.g.: "A cab driver wouldn't say such a thing", "it would not be common to make an arrangement like this" or that "learners tend to make such dialogues too long", isn't it? Well, I will stop talking about it otherwise you'll start to be in doubt who is really chatty: the taxi driver or me! Aha aha ha ha ha!

Now here are my final questions concerning your corrections and also taking into consideration the behavior of the cabdrives in my city:

1) When the passenger just say e.g. "To the center, please." he's not being specific. So the taxi driver will say : where abouts (informal) or where to? (OK? Just to confirm);

2) The passenger answers: "To the National Art Gallery, please. And then * the taxi driver asks: Do you know where it is? (here my doubt: Should I say ...where it is or where is it? Or both?);

3) In: "Is this your first trip to Ireland? (or) Is this your first time in Ireland? Why can't I say "Is it your..." ? But only Is this...?

4) Why can't I write: "Here is my card", but "Here's my card" ?

5) And considering what some taxi drivers in my city say when tourists get in their taxis: " Please, relax and make yourself comfortable" Is this sentence correct? I mean gramatically speaking?

6) Finally I understood that : "Are you liking the city?" ; "I'm liking the city" , "I'm enjoying the city" , and "Okay, no problem, sir. I can take you there right now." are all correct, aren't they?

Thank you so much for the attention and help,
Anon.

Clive · Answer

Hi,

Thanks for cheking the dialogues. Of course we can't generalize, but if cabdrivers are not usually very chatty with the customers in your country, so you must get in a taxi in mine and you will see how chatty they are. I'm from "Itabuna". It's a city of Bahia state, in Brazil.
Things you said that they don't usually do there, here for sure they do. For instance: some of them hand out their cards, they ask if we would like them to turn up the air conditioning; if you want to read, there are some magazines/newspapers available; offers you candy if they have some (it's very rare, but happens), as soon as you get in a taxi (if you are a tourist) they usually tell you to make yourself comfortable, relax. Also, during the ride they talk about daily occurrences in the politics, soccer, traffic...One can even tell you a joke if they notice you are so friendly and also wants to chat. It is already a joke, isn't it? Once a cabdriver handed me in (is it correct to say handed me in? No, don't say 'in'. ) his family album to show the photos of his sons, wife, ... Can you believe it?

. Well I just don't know if they assume/have such behavior when they get foreigners.
They also tell you the fare at the end of the ride (in spite of it is shown on the taxi's meter). And commonly some of them will ask you: " * Do you know how to get there? " (sometimes they are new in the region and so they really don't know the path, but other times that's why they are sly/slicker ones expecting that you say a distant way just to earn more in the end. It may also be their intention when they ask: "Which way do you prefer,sir?).
As you can see, it's better think twice before saying e.g.: "A cab driver wouldn't say such a thing", "it would not be common to make an arrangement like this" or that "learners tend to make such dialogues too long", isn't it? Well, I will stop talking about it otherwise you'll start to be in doubt who is really chatty: the taxi driver or me! Aha aha ha ha ha! Big Smile" src="

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Now here are my final questions concerning your corrections and also taking into consideration the behavior of the cabdrives in my city:

1) When the passenger just say e.g. "To the center, please." he's not being specific. That's why I thought he'd jut start by saying 'To The National At Gallery, please'. The 'to' is not very idiomatic in this expression. or where to? (OK? Just to confirm); 'where to' is the more idiomatic choice

2) The passenger answers: "To the National Art Gallery, please. And then * the taxi driver asks: Do you know where it is? (here my doubt: Should I say ...where it is or where is it? Or both?); Say 'Do you know where it is?' The question word order is contained in 'Do you know. . . ' The passenger coiuld answer 'Yes, I know where it is'.

3) In: "Is this your first trip to Ireland? (or) Is this your first time in Ireland? Why can't I say "Is it your..." ? But only Is this...? You could say 'Is it . . . ' but 'Is this . . . ' makes clear that the driver is referring to this specific trip.

4) Why can't I write: "Here is my card", but "Here's my card" ? Both are OK. The short form is used in informal conversation.

5) And considering what some taxi drivers in my city say when tourists get in their taxis: " Please, relax and make yourself comfortable" Is this sentence correct? I mean gramatically speaking? Yes

6) Finally I understood that : "Are you liking the city?" ; "I'm liking the city" , "I'm enjoying the city" , and "Okay, no problem, sir. I can take you there right now." are all correct, aren't they? Yes, except that 'like' is less often used with the continuous.

Best wishes again, Clive

Anonymous · Answer

Hello again,Clive!

Thanks for checking my doubts.

Concerning my doubt nº 1, let me see if I really understood what you have just said:

You meant that every time a passenger just says e.g.:" To the National Art Gallery,please" , the taxi driver should say:"where to ? " because the passenger is also being not so specific in his information (as when he said e.g. “To the center, please.”). "The passenger should say e.g.: To the National Art Gallery on the Sixth street, please" . That's it? And what to say concerning “Where abouts” ? Can I interchange it with where to ?

Anonymous · Answer

Hello again,Clive!

Thanks for checking my doubts.

Concerning my doubt nº 1, let me see if I really understood what you have just said:

You meant that every time a passenger just says e.g.:" To the National Art Gallery,please" , the taxi driver should say:"where to ? " because the passenger is also being not so specific in his information (as when he said e.g. “To the center, please.”). "The passenger should say e.g.: To the National Art Gallery on the Sixth street, please" . That's it? And what to say concerning “Where abouts” ? Can I interchange it with where to ?

Clive · Answer

Hi,

Concerning my doubt nº 1, let me see if I really understood what you have just said:

You meant that every time a passenger just says e.g.:" To the National Art Gallery,please" , the taxi driver should say:"where to ? " because the passenger is also being not so specific in his information (as when he said e.g. “To the center, please.”). "The passenger should say e.g.: To the National Art Gallery on the Sixth street, please" . That's it? And what to say concerning “Where abouts” ? Can I interchange it with where to ?
I think I can also use "where to" :

Passenger: To downton, please.
Cabdriver: Where to? (= please be more specific)
Passenger: To the museum on Great Jones street . All right?

I'm getting puzzled.

We've miscommunicated. Let me try to explain again.

I get in a cab.
The driver can say 'Where to?'. But usually I just tell him before he asks.
Drivers usually know where places are, so I'm usually specific. I wouldn't usually begin by saying 'Downtown'.

'Whereabouts' (all one word) is a more formal word. A driver would more often use 'where to'.

I would also like that you could take a look at these other sentences, please:

(passenger)

Do you have the time? Do you know what time it is? Do you happen to have the time, please?

What time is it now, please?
How much is a taxi to the..? Just say 'How much is the fare to . . . ' or 'How much is it to . . . '

How much do you charge to take me to...?

How much does it cost for a ride from...to ...?

What’s the fare?

Please, put the meter/taxi’s meter on. Where I live, the law says they must.

Please, drop me off near the...

How many blocks is the next subway station?

(cabdriver)

Do you need any help getting in?

Which side do you want to get off? get out

Is there a special place you would like to be dropped off?

In this city you can barter with the taxi driver.

Do you need a sick bag?

Best wishes, Clive

Anonymous · Answer

Thank you for your patience,Clive. Now I understood what you were trying to say. But I will insist in one situation, please! Let’s suppose a foreigner decides to visit New York city for the first time. So he doesn’t know almost anything about the city, but heard something about “Manhattan” and would like to visit it. For some reason when he gets in the taxi he forgets to inform immediately to the taxi driver the place(s) he wants to visit there. And so he just says:

(A) Passenger: “To Manhattan, please.”

So this brave foreigner wants to know a little bit of Manhattan, but as he wasn’t specific enough concerning to the place(s) where he wants to go, the taxi driver asks him:

(B) Cab driver: Where to?

(I mean the taxi driver understood that the passenger wants to go to Manhattan. But he doesn’t know exactly what part(s) of Manhattan the tourist wants to go. Is it East Harlem? Washington Heights or Inwood, for example? And if it is East Harlem, for instance, in what place or address should the cabdriver drop the tourist off?).In this specific situation is that I want to know if the cabdriver will also ask: “Where to?” or if there is another way of asking it. Did you get what I mean?

Now just check, please:

To get in (opposite to get out) = when referring to cars.
To get on (opposite to get off) = when referring to buses. That's it?

Finally,what kind of question would a cab driver make to a passenger in this situation :

The cabdriver wants to know if the passenger would like him to take and return with him from a destination. E.g.: A passenger wants to visit The Louvre museum. So he wants that the taxi driver takes him there, wait for him (for half an hour e.g.) and then return with him from the museum, dropping him off at his hotel in the end of the ride. Would it be something such as:

Taxi driver: “Would you like me to take and return with you from the Louvre, sir?”

P.S.: Ah! By the way here the law also says that cab drivers must put the taxi's meter on, but once in a while it happens, they don't (but it is something very, very rare).

Thanks again!

Anon.

Clive · Answer

Hi,
Now I understood what you were trying to say. But I will insist in one situation, please! Let’s suppose a foreigner decides to visit New York city for the first time. So he doesn’t know almost anything about the city, but heard something about “Manhattan” and would like to visit it. For some reason when he gets in the taxi he forgets to inform immediately to the taxi driver the place(s) he wants to visit there. And so he just says:

(A) Passenger: “To Manhattan, please.”

So this brave foreigner wants to know a little bit of Manhattan, but as he wasn’t specific enough concerning to the place(s) where he wants to go, the taxi driver asks him:

(B) Cab driver: Where to?

(I mean the taxi driver understood that the passenger wants to go to Manhattan. But he doesn’t know exactly what part(s) of Manhattan the tourist wants to go. Is it East Harlem? Washington Heights or Inwood, for example? And if it is East Harlem, for instance, in what place or address should the cabdriver drop the tourist off?).In this specific situation is that I want to know if the cabdriver will also ask: “Where to?” or if there is another way of asking it. Did you get what I mean?

There are lots of things he could say.

eg Where to in Manhattan?
eg Whereabouts in Manhattan?

Now just check, please:

To get in (opposite to get out) = when referring to cars.
To get on (opposite to get off) = when referring to buses. That's it? Yes

Finally,what kind of question would a cab driver~~make to~~ ask a passenger in this situation :

The cabdriver wants to know if the passenger would like him to take and return with him from a destination. E.g.: A passenger wants to visit The Louvre museum. So he wants that the taxi driver takes him there, wait for him (for half an hour e.g.) and then return with him from the museum, dropping him off at his hotel in the end of the ride. Would it be something such as:

Taxi driver: “Would you like me to take and return with you from the Louvre, sir?”

In my culture, I don't think a driver would ever assume that was wwhat the passenger wanted. Maybe in yours, he would.

If so, he might say 'Do you want me to wait for you?'

And when should I use "if" instead of "in the event of".e.g. "Let's suppose if you haven't planned your trip yet..."

You just need to say "Let's suppose you haven't planned your trip yet..."

P.S.: Ah! By the way here the law also says that cab drivers must put the taxi's meter on, but once in a while it happens, they don't (but it is something very, very rare).

Thanks again!

Clive

Anonymous · Answer

Hi, Clive

Thank you very much for all your attention up till now. And I should say that here, in my country,since passenger and cab driver agree on a price, the cabdriver takes the passenger to his destination, and only returns at a specific time or he takes and wait till the passenger returns from his event (of course that in the latter, not all taxi drives accept it).

Best wishes,
Anon.

Could you please, check it?

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