17
Selecting speech acts
nClose the door.
nI want you to close the door. I’d be much obliged if
you’d close the door.
nCan you close the door? Are you able by chance to close
the door?
nWould you close the door? Won’t you close the door?
nWould you mind closing the door? Would you be willing to
close the door?
nYou ought to close the door. It might help to close the
door. Hadn’t you better
close the door?
nMay I ask you to close the door? Would you mind awfully
if I were to ask you to close the
door? I am sorry to have to tell you to please close the door.
nDid you forget the door? Do us a favor with the door,
chap. How about a bit less breeze?
OK, Johnny, what do big people do then they come in?