Question about sentences
Dear all,
I would like to get your help. I know that "Could I have your phone number" is more polite form of "Can I have your phone number". But recently one of my friends who is a teacher has argued that"Could I have your phone number" is the past form of "Can I have your phone number". She also advised me to use "I would like to get your phone number" if I wish to be polite. Kindly enlighten me.
Thank you.
Top answer
cat navy 425 recently one of my friends who is a teacher has argued that"Could I have your phone number" is the past form of "Can I have your phone number". Yes, that's true. 'could' may be considered the past tense of 'can' — though 'could' is used in so many ways other than to express past time that it's just as well if we consider it a form with many uses.
- cat navy 425 recently one of my friends who is a teacher has argued that"Could I have your phone number" is the past form of "Can I have your phone number".
- Yes, that's true.
- 'could' may be considered the past tense of 'can' — though 'could' is used in so many ways other than to express past time that it's just as well if we consider it a form with many uses.
- The past tense in English is used to express past time, and the past may be thought of as remoteness in time, but the past tense also expresses other kinds of remoteness, for example, interpersonal remoteness.
- Interpersonal remoteness consists in being deferential to others, "keeping our distance" from them, and that's interpreted as politeness.
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cat navy 425recently one of my friends who is a teacher has argued that"Could I have your phone number" is the past form of "Can I have your phone number".
Yes, that's true. 'could' may be considered the past tense of 'can' — though 'could' is used in so many ways other than to express past time that it's just as well if we consider it a form with many use
0cat navy 425She also advised me to use "I would like to get your phone number" if I wish to be polite.
That is also polite, but your other choice "Could I ...?" is also polite. You can use either one.
CJ
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