Cambridge Grammar of English Hardback with cd-rom a comprehensive Guide

MODALITY AND DIRECTIVES (COMMANDS, REQUESTS, ADVICE)

412

Directives are speech acts where the speaker intends the listener to act in a

particular way. 

In sections 413–416, we divide directives into the more direct type (commands,

instructions) on the one hand and the more indirect type (warnings, requests,

advice, suggestions, permissions) on the other hand, and we look at the way

modal verbs are used to realise such acts.

COMMANDS, INSTRUCTIONS

413

Commands and instructions are speech acts which are intended to make the

receiver act in a particular way. The person who performs the speech act usually

needs to have authority to issue the command or instruction for the act to be

recognised by the receiver.

Declaratives with can

413a

Declarative structures with can are occasionally used in polite commands and

instructions:

[in the kitchen, to a guest holding a used plate]

You can just leave that on the draining board

. I’ll wash it later.

(note the inclusion of softener just)

[travel agent (A) issuing tickets to a customer (B)]

A: That’s lovely. I’ve actually debited your credit card. 

B: Mm mm. 

A: The price of it is one twenty four by two, and sixty two pounds for the little

boy. So in total that’s three hundred and ten pounds. And it’s been debited

as a telephone order. 

If you can just keep your receipt and check it against

your statement

.

B: Okay.

(note the non-conditional polite use of if, which further softens the instruction)