E-mail to a professor

[MissUna]

:?: Is the following sentence correct, are there any mistakes:

Could You be kind and tell us what is going to be on the test so we could prepare ourselves?

 

[mmasny]

:?: Is the following sentence correct, are there any mistakes:

Could You be so kind and tell us what is going to be on the test, so that we could prepare ourselves?

This is how I would say it. I am however not a native speaker, so you'd better wait for someone else's answer. I am posting it in case it is an urgent thing.
Good luck.

 

[MissUna]

Thank you for your reply. :-D

But I would now really like to know whether saying just "would you be kind" (instead of "so kind") is incorrect? Or is "so kind" just more polite?

P.S. It is not urgent.

 

[Searching for language]

It should be either so kind or kind enough etc.

To say only kind, is not something a native speaker would say.

I am not a teacher, but a native speaker.

 

[MissUna]

Thank you all for your replies...

Tell me also this please - I have used the word "could" at the beginning of my sentence. Is this correct? Maybe I should have used "would" instead? What is the difference?

 

[Searching for language]

Thank you all for your replies...

Tell me also this please - I have used the word "could" at the beginning of my sentence. Is this correct? Maybe I should have used "would" instead? What is the difference?

You are right, you should be using "would"

The difference is that could asks the question, is the professor capable of doing this. Obviously the answer is yes, he/she is capable.

Using would means is the professor willing to do this. Again, obviously, it is up to the professor to decide whether or not to do this. You are asking if he/she is willing to do it.

Good for you for catching the difference.


I am not a teacher.

 

[bhaisahab]

Thank you all for your replies...

Tell me also this please - I have used the word "could" at the beginning of my sentence. Is this correct? Maybe I should have used "would" instead? What is the difference?

I would use "would". The difference is that "could" is asking if the person is capable of doing something, whereas "would" is asking if they will do it.