Negative Outcome: Permission Denied
The request is politely but firmly denied, and the person must decide how to proceed.
Dialogue
Listen and follow along with the conversation
Vocabulary
Essential words and phrases from the dialogue
rush
A hurry or need to do something quickly; used when someone is short on time, like 'I'm in a rush to catch my train.'
hurry
Feeling or state of needing to move or act fast; similar to 'rush,' often in phrases like 'in a hurry' to explain why you're asking for a favor.
appointment
A planned meeting or scheduled event, such as a doctor's visit or business meeting; useful for explaining why you can't wait.
exception
A special case where normal rules are not followed; in polite refusals, like 'I can't make an exception' to say no without being rude.
fair
Just or equal treatment; used to explain reasons for denying a request, as in 'It's not fair to others' to emphasize equality.
appreciate
To feel grateful for something; a polite way to thank someone even if they say no, like 'I appreciate your honesty.'
honesty
Being truthful and straightforward; used to acknowledge someone's direct refusal positively.
Key Sentences
Important phrases to remember and practice
Excuse me, I'm really sorry to ask, but I'm in a bit of a rush and I need to catch a train.
This is a polite way to start a request for a favor; it uses 'excuse me' for attention, apologizes first, and explains the urgent reason. Useful for making requests without offending others; the structure is: apology + reason + question.
Would it be possible for me to quickly go ahead of you in line?
A soft, indirect question to ask permission; 'Would it be possible' makes it polite and less demanding. Great for intermediate learners to practice conditional questions in social situations like queuing.
I understand you're in a hurry, but I've been waiting here for quite a while myself.
This shows empathy before refusing; 'I understand... but' is a common pattern for polite disagreement. Useful for responding to requests by acknowledging the other person's situation while stating your own.
I'm afraid I also have an important appointment, so I can't let you cut in line.
A firm but polite refusal; 'I'm afraid' softens bad news, and 'so' connects the reason to the decision. Practice this for denying requests gracefully in everyday scenarios.
I'm genuinely sorry, but I really can't make an exception right now.
Emphasizes sincere apology in refusal; 'genuinely' adds honesty, and 'make an exception' refers to breaking rules. Ideal for situations needing fairness, teaching adverb placement and modal verbs like 'can't.'
Okay, I appreciate your honesty. Thanks anyway for considering it.
A gracious way to accept refusal; 'thanks anyway' shows politeness despite the negative outcome. Useful for ending conversations positively; note the use of 'appreciate' for gratitude.