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Thanking someone
You thank someone when they have just done something for you or given you
something. You say `Thank you' or, more casually, `Thanks'.
`I'll take over here.'---`Thank you.'
`Don't worry, Caroline. I've given you a marvellous reference.'---`Thank
you, Mr Dillon.'
`There's your receipt.'---`Thanks.'
`Would you tell her that Adrian phoned and that I'll phone at
eight?'---`OK.'---`Thanks.'
Some speakers of British and Australian English say `Cheers' to thank
someone in a casual way. See entry at cheers - cheerio. Some British speakers
also say `Ta' .
If you need to indicate why you are thanking the other person, you say
`Thank you for...' or `Thanks for...'.
Thank you for the earrings, Whitey.
Thank you for a delicious lunch.
Well, then, good-night, and thanks for the lift.
Thanks for helping out.
emphatic ways of thanking
People often add `very much' or `very much indeed' to be more emphatic.
`Here you are.'---`Thank you very much.'
`I'll ring you tomorrow morning.'---`OK. Thanks very much indeed.'
Note that you can say `Thanks a lot', but you cannot say `Thank you a lot'
or `Thanks lots'.
`All right, then?'---`Yes, thanks a lot.'
If you want to show that you are very grateful, you can say something like
`That's very kind of you' or `That's very good of you'.
`Any night when you feel a need to talk, you will find me
here.'---`That's very kind of you.'
`Would you give this to her?'---`Sure. When I happen to see
her.'---`That's very good of you, Rudolph.'
You can also say something like `That's wonderful' or `Great'.
`I'll see if she can be with you on Monday.'---`That's wonderful!'
`Do them as fast as you can.'---`Yes. OK.'---`Great.'
Even more emphatic ways of thanking are shown below.
`All right, Sandra?'---`Thank you so much, Mr Atkinson; you've been
wonderful. I just can't thank you enough.'
`She's safe.'---`I don't know how to thank you.'
I can't tell you how grateful I am to you for having listened to me.
more formal ways of thanking
People sometimes thank someone more formally by saying `I wanted to thank
you for...' or `I'd like to thank you for...', especially when expressing thanks
for something that was done or given a little while ago.
I wanted to thank you for the beautiful necklace.
I want to thank you all for coming.
We learned what you did for Ari and I want to tell you how grateful I
am.
I'd like to thank you for your patience and your hard work.
You can also express thanks more formally by saying things like `I'm very
grateful to you' or `I really appreciate it'.
I'm grateful for the information you've given me on Mark Edwards.
I'm extremely grateful to you for rescuing me.
Thank you for coming to hear me play. I do appreciate it.
thanking someone for an offer
You can say `Thank you' or `Thanks' when accepting something that is
offered.
`Have a cake.'---`Thank you.'
You say `No, thank you' or `No, thanks' when refusing something that is
offered.
`There's one biscuit left. Do you want it?'---`No, thanks.'
Note that you do not refuse something by just saying `Thank you'.
See entry at Offers.
thanking someone for a present
When you have been given a present, you say `Thank you', or something like
`It's lovely'.
`It's lovely. What is it?'---`It's a shark tooth. The casing's silver.'
People sometimes say `You shouldn't have' as a polite way of indicating that
they are very grateful.
`Here. This is for you.'---`Joyce, you shouldn't have.'
thanking someone for an enquiry
You also say `Thank you' or `Thanks' when replying to someone who has asked
how you are or how a member of your family is, or if you have had a nice weekend
or holiday.
`How are you?'---`Fine, thank you.'
`How is Andrew today?'---`Oh, Andrew's very well, thank you.'
`Did you have a nice weekend?'---`Lovely, thank you.'
thanking someone in a letter
When thanking someone in a letter, you most commonly say `Thank you for...'.
In a formal business letter, you can say `I am grateful for...'.
Dear Madam, Thank you for your letter replying to our advertisement for
an assistant cashier.
I am grateful for your prompt reply to my request.
If the letter is to a friend, you can say `Thanks for...'.
Thanks for writing.
replying to thanks
When someone thanks you for handing them something or doing a small service
for them, it is acceptable not to say anything in reply in Britain.
However, people in the United States, especially employees in shops, often
say `You're welcome'.
When someone thanks you for helping them or doing them a favour, you reply
`That's all right' or `That's OK'.
`Thank you, Charles.'---`That's all right, David.'
`Thanks. I really appreciate it.'---`That's okay.'
If you want to be both polite and friendly, you can say `It's a pleasure' or
`Pleasure'.
`Thank you very much for talking to us about your research.'---`It's a
pleasure.'
`Thank you for the walk and the conversation.'---`Pleasure.'
`Any time' is more casual.
`Thanks for your help.'---`Any time.'
If someone thanks you in a very emphatic way, you can reply using the
expressions below.
`He's immensely grateful for what you did for him.'---`It was no
trouble.'
`Thanks, Johnny. Thanks for your trouble.'---`It was nothing.'
`I'm enormously grateful to you for telling me.'---`Not at all.'
`Don't mention it' is old-fashioned.
`Thanks. This really kind of you.'---`Don't mention it.' |
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