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j) Fill out the card below and …

3. Examine the directives used in the literary text for your home reading. Are there any
differences in directives of male and female characters?

4. Analyze how the following directives are mitigated (their syntactic form and politeness).
1. I'm not quite sure how long you've known the Fieldings (J Fowles).
2. "I'm dying to know what you did with all the lions you slauntered," said Susie Boyd
(S.Maugham).
3. I'd like to know why she's gone off like this (J.Foles).
4. I'm sorry to have disturbed you, Madam… I only wondered whether you wished to see
me (D. Du Maurier).
5. I only want to know the truth, if you will tell it to me (E. Voynich).
6. May I ask you where you are staying? (C. Snow).
7. Might I inquire if you are the owner? (L. Jones).
8. What are your main ideas so far, sir, if you don't mind my saking ? (K. Amis).
9. I should be very much obliged if you would tell me as exactly as possible how Mrs.
Haddo died (S. Maugham).
10. Would it bother you, if I asked you a question about how you lost your job with
Axminster? (D. Francis).

5. Do you agree with the following strength continuum? Why? Why not? Ask English-speaking
instructors or students to rank these sentences.
1. Tell me, does she live alone?
2. Doesn't she live alone?
3. Does she live alone?
4. She lives alone, doesn't she?
5. I suppose she lives alone?
6. I wonder if she lives alone.
7. I'd like to know whether she lives alone.
8. Do you happen to know if she lives alone?
9. Could you tell me whether she lives alone?
10. I want to ask you if she lives alone.
11. May I ask you if she live alone?
12. I hope you don't mind my asking you, but I was wondering if you could tell me whether
she lives alone.

 COMMISSIVES

1. Read and comment the following extract. Do you agree that having used the words “I swear”/
“I promise”, you can later claim that strictly speaking you did not make a promise or that you
are not bound by a vow because you meant smth else?

“ I want to know, if you will tell me,” Montanelly went on; “whether you have found yourself
by a vow, or – in any way”.
“ There is nothing to tell, dear Padre; I have not bound myself, but I am bound.”
“ I don’t understand – “