Chapter 2: Requests and Responses
Introduction
Watch this chapter’s video. It takes place at Claire’s campground office. Roshan and Kerry show up and so does Ivan, one of Claire’s neighbours. Everybody is trying to get a lot done. Notice how they adjust the way they speak to different people when they suggest, request, or give instructions.
Focus Questions 
In this chapter, Claire and Gilles have conversations with people in the community. There is a common reason for chatting with, or writing to, neighbours. Almost everyone wants to get things done. They need others to do their part.
Write your answers to the following questions.
1. What would you say to the following people to get them to move their vehicle, which is blocking your car?
a) To my brother or sister, I would say,
“________________________________________________.”
b) To my teenage child, I would say,
“________________________________________________.”
c) To my new neighbour, I would say,
“________________________________________________.”
d) To a police officer, I would say,
“________________________________________________.”
2. Indicate what kind of messages these questions and sentences are. 
| Suggestion | Request | Instruction | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Can you help me talk to Mr. Broz? | |||
| How about we let them know we’ll be late? | |||
| You’d better take the keys. | |||
| Don’t tell my wife. | |||
| Let’s keep the lines of communication open. |
3. Decide if relationships change how you speak.
Read the descriptions in the boxes on the left and on the right.
Count how many points are most true for you.
Place a 
on the dot closest to the way you communicate.
Count how many points are true for other Canadians.
Place a letter 
on the dot closest to the way you think other Canadians communicate.
| I use the same words and expressions with everyone I don’t adjust for relationships. I use fewer words and expressions to be clearly and easily understood. If there is a problem or a conflict, I say exactly what I feel and what I mean. |
I choose different words and expressions depending on the relationship. I use more words and phrases to be calm and not misunderstood. I expect people to “read between the lines” in my tone or body language. If there is a conflict, I ask a third person to help me talk about it. |
Objectives
In this chapter, we will
- recognize how people change their word choices to speak directly or indirectly
- compare how close or distant relationships show up in talking and writing
- identify reasons people close to or distant from each other talk or write to each other
- look for patterns of directness or indirectness in suggestions, requests, and instructions
- adjust how we speak and write.
You will build up your language skills in
- vocabulary through synonyms, word families, homonyms, homophones, and idioms
- accuracy through
- grammar practice with gerunds, infinitives, and modal verbs
- pronunciation of stressed words
- fluency through writing and speaking tasks related to making and responding to requests
- interpreting meaning through inferencing, summarizing or restating, and scanning word choices for indications of register and tone.
