How To Be Diplomatic & More Polite in English PART 2

In this lesson, I share more great tips on how to be diplomatic & polite in English. Learn how to make your English sound more polite and diplomatic and practise what you learn in the task at the end.

Tip number 1 is to change the grammar - for example, sometimes the present simple tense can sound a bit too direct.
In these examples, we’ll change the tense from present simple to past simple:
When is the next meeting?
When did you say the next meeting was?
What’s your name?
What did you say your name was?

By changing the tense, the style becomes more friendly, diplomatic and less direct.

Tip number 2 is to use "I was hoping" to sound more polite and less direct:
I want to finish this meeting by 2pm.
I was hoping to finish this meeting by 2pm
I want you to help me with this email.
I was hoping you could help me with this email.

Tip number 3 is to use "I was wondering" when making requests:
Can I take next Tuesday off ?
I was wondering if I could take next Tuesday off?
Can we meet on Wednesday afternoon?
I was wondering if we could meet on Wednesday afternoon?

Tip number 4 is to use the passive form to make things sound less personal:
Your assistant told us that the documents were sent on Monday.
We were told that the documents were sent on Monday.
You promised that the goods would arrive today.
We were promised that the goods would arrive today.

Tip 5 is to use "Would you mind" when asking people to do things:
Get me a coffee, please.
Would you mind getting me a coffee, please?
Check these figures again, please.
Would you mind checking these figures again, please?

Tip 6 is to avoid 'finger-pointing' statements with the word 'you':
Why don’t you understand?
Perhaps I didn’t make myself clear.
You didn’t explain that very well.
I’m afraid I don’t quite follow.

Task
1.) When is the conference? (tip 1)
2.) We want to finalise the contract today. (tip 2)
3.) Can we change the date? (tip 3)
4.) He told us that we would get a 5% discount. (tip 4)
5.) Give Tom a hand with the report, please. (tip 5)

Timestamps
0:00 Intro
1:16 Tip 1 - Change the grammar
2:22 Tip 2 Use "I was hoping"
3:06 Tip 3 - Use "I was wondering"
3:42 Tip 4 - Use the passive voice
4:32 Tip 5 - Use "Would you mind"
5:22 Tip 6 - Avoid "finger-pointing" statements
6:07 Your turn - practise what you've learned

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Music credits: Intro music: Far Away by MK2
Background music: Honey and Milk by The 126ers

Very useful lesson! Thanks.
Tip1: Change the grammar - Present simple -> Past Simple
When is the next meeting? -> When did you say the next meeting was?
When is the conference? -> When did you say the conference was?

Tip2: Use "I was hoping"
We want to finalize the contract today -> We were hoping to finalize the contract today.

Tip3: Use "I was wondering"
Can we change the date? -> I was wondering if we could change the date?

Tip4: Use the passive form to make it sound less personal
He told us that we would get a 5% discount -> We were told that we could get a 5% discount.

Tip5: Use "Would you mind" when asking people to do things
Give Tom some help with the report, please. -> Would you mind giving Tom some help with the report, please.

[mailtopanicker]

Your way of presentation is very simple and easy to follow. Thank you.

[saisarojarani]

1.When fid you say the conference was?
2.we are hoping to finalize the contract today.
3.would you mind changing the date please?
4.we were told we would get 5% discount
5.would you mind to give some help with the report

[darktempest]

1.) When is the conference? (tip 1)
When did you say the conference was?

2.) We want to finalise the contract today. (tip 2)
I was hoping we could finalise the contract today.


3.) Can we change the date? (tip 3)
I was wandering if we could change the date?

4.) He told us that we would get a 5% discount. (tip 4)
We were told that we would get a 5% discount.

5.) Give Tom a hand with the report, please. (tip 5)
Would you mind giving Tom a hand with the report, please?

[alinaadilbekkyzy]

When did you say the conference was ?
We were hoping to finalize the contract today.
I was wondering if we could change the date?
We were told that we would get a 5% discount.
Would you mind helping Tom with the report, please.

[mariavittoriabevilacqua]

when did you say the conference was? - I was hoping to finalise the contract today- I was wondering if we can change the date - We were told we would get a 5% discount - would you mind giving some help to Tom with the report?

[vaibhavmishra]

When did you say that conference was
I was hoping to finalise the contract today
I was wondering if you could change the date
We were told that we could get 5 % discount.
Would you mind helping tom in the report please.

[imarithkongtho]

Thank you so much for such a useful video. I was hoping you could further develop this kind of video.

[JessieTunieJessieTunie]

Tip 1: would you mind telling me when is the conference?
Tip 2: Are we finalizing the contract today?

[ashishjain]

When is the conference? -> When did you say the conference was?
We want to finalize the contract today -> We were hoping to finalize the contract today.
Can we change the date? -> I was wondering if we could change the date?
He told us that we would get a 5% discount -> We were told that we be getting a 5% discount.
Give Tom some help with the report, please. -> Would you mind helping Tom with the report, please.

[marias.]

Your channel is Amazing . I been looking for a channel like yours. With helping to write professional and diplomatic. Specially now that we work from work we use more the writing. Please do more videos for writing emails . I have to write to directors and I have hard time please help with more introduce sentences and examples. By the way I will share your channel

[mohammedajaz]

Your videos is highly useful for me .... Thanks sir for making the videos for us....

[hassanmgao]

How can I improve my communications skills especially speaking and writing skills

[Sai_Bhargavi_vlogs]

Superb! Thanks a lot for the wonderful content.

[oleksandrlymar]

Hello Derek,
Thank you for such a helpful lesson.
1) When did you say the conference was?
2) We were hoping to finalize the contract today.
3) I was wondering if we could change the date?
4) We were told that we would get a 5% discount.
5) Would you mind giving Tom some help with the report?

[mauriceokide]

Is it correct to say the meeting began with the word of prayer

[lukeenglishaddict]

Maybe lesson is short but full of content.

[이재원-ju]

Also I was hoping that you might provide useful word set to speak in English.

[sabrinasabrina]

Excellent you can explain witvout efforts. Keep doing

[이재원-ju]

1) when did you say the conference was?
2) we were hoping to finalize contract today.
3) I was wondering if we can change the date.
4) we were told that we wont get 5% discount.
5) would you mind giving tom some help with the report?
How about these corrected phrases??