How to Make Offers in English

Hello English learners. Welcome to a new lesson. Today, we will learn how to make offers in English.

Why is it important to know conversational English?

Being able to speak English is not only about talking to native speakers. As the third most widely spoken language in the world and a global language, English is a perfect tool for communication to pretty much everyone. Conversational English is the language native people use for everyday communication. That language can be more or less formal or polite, depending on who you are talking to and what about. We need to know the natural expressions and phrases that are used to make suggestions, advice, recommendations, offers, etc. to be truly proficient.

How to Make Offers in English

Making offers with modal verbs

We can use the modal verbs can, could, may, shall and would to make offers. Can is the least formal, could is more formal, while may is considered the most formal way to make an offer. We use shall only in questions in the first person singular and plural (shall I? and shall we?)

Can I help you with your homework? (less formal)
Could I make you a cup of tea? (more formal)
May I clean the table? (most formal)
Shall I give you my phone number?
Would you like me to come with you?

Making offers with “want”

We can use the phrases “Do you want…?” and “Do you want me to…?” to make offers.

Do you want to go for a drink after work?
Do you want to play cards with us?
Do you want me to carry your bag?

How to Make Offers in English

Making offers with “let” and “let’s”

We can use “let” with an object pronoun to make a polite offer and let’s with a bare infinitive to make an informal offer.

Let me offer you some advice.
Let me give you an example.
Let’s have dinner and go for a walk afterwards.
Let’s go back home, it’s getting cold.

Visit our bookshop

How to accept an offer

Here are the phrases you can use to accept an offer politely.

Thanks a lot, I’d like/love to.
You are very kind/That’s very kind of you.
Thank you. That would be great/nice of you.
Yes, please. That would be lovely.
Thank you, I’d like that very much.

How to Make Offers in English

How to refuse an offer

Here are the phrases you can use to reject an offer politely.

No, thanks/thank you.
It’s very kind of you, but… (give your reason for refusing the offer)
I appreciate your offer, but ….
It’s OK, I can do it myself.
Don’t worry, I can manage it myself.
Let me sleep on it.

How to Make Offers in English

Published by My Lingua Academy on 17 Mar 202417 Mar 2024