通过改变句子时态来缓和语气
内容介绍
在英语中，当大家对其他人提出需要或疑问的时候，用一般目前时未免语气有的过于直接。譬如：“I want to ask you something.” —— 如何让这句话听上去更客气些？本集 “一分钟英语” 视频告诉你怎么样通过将句子改为过去时和进行时来弱化语气，听上去更礼貌。
文字稿
We can use apast tenseto talk politely about something in the present.
In English, you can sometimes usepast tensesto be less direct and more polite.
Iwantedto ask you something.
Ihopedyou would make lunch.
This isnt the past – I want to ask you something now and I still hope youll make my lunch, but its less direct.
Using acontinuous tensecan seem less permanent and also less direct.
Im thinkingyou should buy the ingredients.
Im not planningto help you.
To really distance yourself, you can do both:
Iwas hopingyou were going to make dessert.
Iwas expectingyou to do the washing up.
Im being unreasonable, but Im usingpast and continuous tensesas distancing to sound polite while I do it.
And now, Im really hungry.
使用方法概要
1.用过去时谈论目前的事，可以防止过于直接，听上去更礼貌。
I wanted to ask you if youd make dinner.
I thought youd go to the shops.
2.用进行年代替一般时态，可以看上去陈述的事件并不是永久性的，从而减弱语气。
Im thinking itd be better if you went.
Im hoping youll do the work.
3.结合上述两条，用过去进行时，可以进一步弱化语气，可在提出不太适当的需要时用。
I was hoping youd lend your car to me.
I was thinking about asking him to get the bill.
I was expecting to use your discount voucher.
