So Polite!

Elementary (A1-A2) 30 minutes
ESL Could You game for A1-A2 elementary: forming polite requests, miming, speaking, group practice

ESL Could You Game - Speaking: Forming and Reforming Sentences, Miming, Freer Practice - Group Work

In this free polite requests game, students make polite requests with 'Could you..., please?' and respond with 'Thank you' and 'You're welcome'. In groups, students take turns picking up a card...

ESL Could You Game - Speaking: Forming and Reforming Sentences, Miming, Freer Practice - Group Work In this free polite requests game, students make polite requests with 'Could you..., please?' and respond with 'Thank you' and 'You're welcome'. In groups, students take turns picking up a card and changing the command on the card into a polite request starting with 'Could you' and ending with please, e.g. 'Could you tell me your name, please?' The other group members then race to do or mime the requested action. The student who made the request says 'Thank you' to the first student who does the action correctly. That student wins the round, keeps the card, and replies with 'You're welcome'. The student with the most cards at the end of the game wins.
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Perfectly Polite

Pre-intermediate (A2) 25 minutes
ESL polite expressions board game for A2 pre-intermediate: forming sentences, guessing, speaking, group practice

ESL Polite Expressions Board Game - Vocabulary and Speaking: Forming Sentences, Guessing, Freer Practice - Group Work

In this engaging polite expressions board game, students race to say polite expressions and requests that match different situations. In groups of three, one student...

ESL Polite Expressions Board Game - Vocabulary and Speaking: Forming Sentences from Prompts, Guessing, Freer Practice - Group Work In this engaging polite expressions board game, students race to say polite expressions and requests that match different situations. In groups of three, one student starts by picking up a card and reading the situation to the student on their right, who responds with a polite expression or request. If the student says the correct polite expression shown in bold on the card, they roll the dice and move their counter along the board accordingly. If not, the next student gives their answer. If no one answers correctly, the reader gives clues to the two students and the first to answer correctly moves their counter along the board. It is then the next student's turn to pick up and read out a card to the student on their right. The first student to reach the finish wins the game.
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Ask Me Nicely

Intermediate (B1) 30 minutes
ESL polite requests game for B1 intermediate: forming responses, speaking, communicative group practice

ESL Polite Requests Game - Speaking: Forming Responses, Communicative Practice - Group Work

In this imaginative polite requests game, students compete against each other to come up with polite requests for various situations. In groups, students take turns picking up a card and reading the...

ESL Polite Requests Game - Speaking: Forming Responses, Communicative Practice - Group Work In this imaginative polite requests game, students compete against each other to come up with polite requests for various situations. In groups, students take turns picking up a card and reading the situation on the card to the group. The other students then race to make a polite request. The first student to make an appropriate polite request for the situation wins and keeps the card. It's then the next student's turn to pick up a card and for the group to use another polite request phrase, and so on. The student with the most cards at the end of the game is the winner.
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Levels of Politeness

Intermediate (B1) 30 minutes
ESL politeness worksheet for B1 intermediate: categorising, identifying, gap-fill, rewriting, writing questions, practice

ESL Politeness Worksheet - Vocabulary Exercises: Categorising, Identifying, Gap-fill, Rewriting Sentences, Writing Questions

This useful being polite worksheet helps students learn how to achieve different levels of politeness in various situations. First, students categorise variations of the request 'Open the window' according...

ESL Politeness Worksheet - Vocabulary Exercises: Categorising, Identifying, Gap-fill, Rewriting Sentences, Writing Questions from Prompts This useful being polite worksheet helps students learn how to achieve different levels of politeness in various situations. First, students categorise variations of the request 'Open the window' according to their level of politeness. Students then find examples of different politeness strategies in the requests. Next, students complete polite request frames with their own ideas. After that, students rewrite requests to make them more polite and appropriate for each situation. Finally, students write requests that are appropriate for different situations.
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I'm sorry to interrupt, but...

Upper-intermediate (B2) 50 minutes
ESL polite interruptions activity for B2 upper-intermediate: gap-fill, table completion, debating, communicative group practice

ESL Polite Interruptions Activity - Vocabulary Exercises: Gap-fill, Table Completion - Speaking Activity: Debating, Communicative Practice - Pair and Group Work

In this creative being polite activity, students review expressions for interrupting politely and then participate in mini debates to practice the expressions...

ESL Polite Interruptions Activity - Vocabulary Exercises: Gap-fill, Table Completion - Speaking Activity: Debating, Freer and Communicative Practice - Pair and Group Work In this creative being polite activity, students review expressions for interrupting politely and then participate in mini debates to practice the expressions. First, in pairs, students discuss two questions about interrupting. Students then complete expressions used to interrupt politely with words from a box. Next, students read expressions used to accept or reject an interruption and add more expressions of their own under each heading. After that, students participate in a debating activity to practice using the interrupting expressions. In groups of three, one student takes on the role of judge and timekeeper. That student picks up a debate card and reads it aloud. The other two students decide between them which side of the debate they will argue. The two students then debate the topic for two minutes, arguing their stances and using the expressions to interrupt their partner at least once. When the time is up, the judge stops the debate and declares the student whose argument they found the most convincing the winner and gives them the debate card. Students then swap roles and begin a new round. The student with the most cards at the end of the activity wins.
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Polite Partners

Upper-intermediate (B2) 30 minutes
ESL polite expressions activity for B2 upper-intermediate: gap-fill, matching, dictation, pair work

ESL Polite Expressions Activity - Vocabulary, Reading and Listening: Gap-fill, Matching, Dictation - Pair Work

Here is a rewarding being polite activity to help students practice commonly used polite expressions. First, working alone, students complete polite expressions with words from a box. Next, students take...

ESL Polite Expressions Activity - Vocabulary, Reading and Listening: Gap-fill, Matching, Dictation - Pair Work Here is a rewarding being polite activity to help students practice commonly used polite expressions. First, working alone, students complete polite expressions with words from a box. Next, students take turns reading out a situation to their partner, who chooses a polite expression from Exercise A that they think matches the situation. If their partner agrees that the expression matches, they write it above the situation. The activity continues until all the situations have been matched with a suitable polite expression. Afterwards, check the correct answers with the class.
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Polite Phrases

Upper-intermediate (B2) 25 minutes
ESL polite phrases worksheet for B2 upper-intermediate: matching, gap-fill, error correction, writing sentences, vocabulary practice

ESL Polite Phrases Worksheet - Writing and Vocabulary Exercises: Matching, Gap-fill, Error Correction, Binary Choice, Writing Sentences

This politeness worksheet helps students practice common polite phrases. First, students complete each polite phrase with its correct ending. Students...

ESL Polite Phrases Worksheet - Writing and Vocabulary Exercises: Matching, Gap-fill, Error Correction, Binary Choice, Writing Sentences from Prompts This politeness worksheet helps students practice common polite phrases. First, students complete each polite phrase with its correct ending. Students then use the polite phrases to complete sentences. Next, students find mistakes in sentences that contain polite phrases and correct them. After that, students underline the correct polite phrase to complete each sentence. Finally, students read each situation and write a corresponding polite sentence using the phrases from the worksheet.
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Using Politeness in English

Polite language in English relies on specific words and phrases, such as 'Could you..., please?' or 'Would you mind...?', to soften requests, responses, and interruptions so they sound respectful rather than blunt. When students skip these phrases and use direct commands or blunt language instead, they can come across as rude or demanding even when they don't intend to, which damages how native speakers perceive their tone in everyday and workplace interactions.

This page covers politeness in English across four levels from elementary to upper-intermediate, with seven activities ranging from group card games and a board game to gap-fill worksheets and a paired debate activity, including one free download.

This table maps common request structures from most direct to most indirect, showing how the phrasing shifts the level of politeness.

Level of PolitenessStructureExample
Direct command Imperative verb 'Open the window.'
Simple polite request Could/Can + you + verb + please 'Could you open the window, please?'
Formal request Would you mind + verb-ing 'Would you mind opening the window?'
Very formal / tentative request I wonder if + subject + could + verb 'I wonder if you could open the window.'
Indirect polite question Do you think + subject + could + verb 'Do you think you could open the window?'

When to Use Polite Expressions

Asking a Favor of a Stranger or Superior: A speaker reaches for an indirect phrase like 'Would you mind holding the door?' instead of a blunt command when talking to someone they don't know well or someone above them at work, because the situation calls for extra care.

Declining an Invitation Without Causing Offense: A speaker softens a refusal with a cushioning phrase such as 'I'd love to, but I'm afraid I already have plans' rather than a flat 'No', because a direct refusal can sound cold or dismissive to the listener.

Delivering Criticism or Bad News Gently: A speaker wraps negative feedback in a softer frame like 'I don't want to be difficult, but there's an issue with the report' instead of stating the problem bluntly, because direct criticism can make the listener defensive or upset.

3-Step Framework for Teaching Polite Expressions

1. Model the Core Polite Request Pattern: Give students one reliable structure they can lean on right away: turning a blunt command into a request that starts with 'Could you' and ends with 'please'. Have them take turns changing a plain command on a card into that polite form, then get the rest of the group to mime or carry out the action, with the winner saying 'Thank you' and the actor replying 'You're welcome' so the exchange feels complete.

2. Expand the Phrase Across Real Situations: Once the core pattern feels automatic, push students to apply it under pressure and across a range of everyday contexts. Have them pick up a card, read the situation aloud to the group, and race each other to produce the most fitting polite request for that context, rewarding whoever gets it right first by letting them keep the card.

3. Stretch Politeness Into Extended Speech: Move students beyond single-line requests into sustained polite communication, like interrupting someone respectfully during a conversation. Assign one student the role of judge and timekeeper, then have two others debate for two minutes while each must interrupt the other at least once using a polite interrupting phrase, with the judge awarding the round to whoever argued the most convincingly.

Common Mistakes with Polite Expressions

Relying on "Please" Alone for Politeness: Students often add 'please' to a direct command and assume that alone makes it polite, without changing the sentence structure to a proper request form. Wrong: 'Give me the salt, please.' Correct: 'Could you pass the salt, please?'

Wrong Verb Form After "Would You Mind": Students often follow 'would you mind' with a to-infinitive instead of the correct gerund form, producing an unnatural or incorrect request. Wrong: 'Would you mind to open the window?' Correct: 'Would you mind opening the window?'

Common Questions About Teaching Polite Expressions

What is a fun board game for practicing polite expressions?

The board game Perfectly Polite has students race to match the right polite expression to each situation. One student reads a situation card aloud, the student on their right responds with the correct phrase shown in bold, then rolls the dice and moves their counter forward. It's an effective way to build functional phrase recognition under pressure.

Which is a good worksheet for teaching polite phrases?

Polite Phrases is a worksheet that takes students through five varied exercises with common polite phrases. They complete phrases with correct endings, fill gaps in sentences, find and correct mistakes, underline the best phrase in context, then write their own polite sentences for new situations.

What is an engaging speaking activity for practicing polite expressions?

In the speaking activity Polite Partners, students first complete polite expressions using words from a box, then take turns reading situations aloud so their partner selects the matching expression from the list. The back-and-forth structure gives students repeated exposure to each phrase in a realistic context rather than in isolation.

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