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

Please

423e

Please

is used more to soften directives in English than its equivalent in some other

languages.

Compare the bare imperatives with their more polite realisations:

Come in.

Please come in.

Pass me the phone book.

Pass me the phone book, 

please.

Give me a call on the number I’ve just given you.

Please give me a call on the number I’ve just given you.

In interrogative directives, please is most typically used in end position:

[guest has just been served a cup of coffee]

Can I have some sugar, 

please?

(preferred to: Please can I have some sugar?)

However, children often use please in front position in such contexts:

[child at table]

Please can I have more bread?

Please

is especially frequent in requests during service encounters in shops, restaurants,

etc., and is used by both customers/clients and servers, even though the customer/client

may consider themselves more important than the server:

[customer (A) to waiter (B) in a restaurant]

A: Can I have the bill, please? 

B: You want the bill?

A: Thank you. 

[renewing an insurance policy over the telephone] 

A: Okay and what’s your first initial Mrs Leach?

B: G. 

A: And your occupation please? 

B: Housewife. 

A: And your date of birth please? 

B: Twenty four, eleven, forty-nine.

A: All right, okay.

Yes please

is often used in response to offers:

A: Would you like some more coffee?

B: Yes please.