1. Sue: Jim, can you give me a hand? (request)
Jim: Ok, in a moment.
Yes. "Can you give me a hand?" is a request for help. Jim is busy, so he says he will help as soon as he can. However, if Jim's boss was speaking, Jim's reply would have to be different.
2. Boss: Jim, can you give me a hand? (instruction)
Jim: Ok, in a moment.
No Even though this looks like a request, it is really an instruction. The boss is saying "Come here and help me." If Jim can't come, he should say sorry, and explain why he can't help.
3. Jill: Can you pass me the salt, Harry?
Harry: You are here.
No. Harry is using the right words but in the wrong order. When someone asks you to give something to them, as you give it the correct thing to say is "Here you are."
4. Bill: Could you give me a lift please, Sally?
Sally: No problem!
Yes "No problem" means that the person who has been asked to do something can do it easily. It is another way of saying "Yes, of course". It is usually used with friends or people you work with.
5. Mr Wilson: Excuse me, can you tell me the time?
Mr Smith: Yes, of course.
No. Mr Wilson doesn't really want to know if Mr Smith knows the time. He wants Mr Smith to tell him the time. Mr Smith hasn't done this. So Mr Wilson still does not know the time, and Mr Smith has not answered the question correctly.
6. Teacher: Come here, would you Jill?
Jill: What for?
No. Jill is using the wrong register. She is asking why she should do what the teacher says, and not asking politely. You can only use "what for?" to answer instructions with people you know well and who will not be angry.
7. Boss: Jenny, pass me another notebook please.
Jenny: I'm sorry, we don't have any more books.
Yes. The boss gave an instruction for Jenny to do something she couldn't do. So Jenny says sorry for not doing what the boss wanted, and then she explains why she can't do it.
8. Mrs Thompson: Goodbye. Have a nice time.
Mr Thompson: See you later.
Yes. This is not really an instruction or a request. It is really just something friendly to say, in the same way as people in the United States often "instruct" you to "have a nice day."
