Lesson 17 Would you like it?

If someone offers you something, you need to reply with a clear answer. What’s the problem with Tomoko’s answer?

Nancy: Would you like a cup of tea?
Tomoko: Yes, I like tea, but I like coffee more.

Tomoko’s response (“Yes, I like tea”) doesn’t actually answer Nancy’s question. Nancy didn’t ask whether Tomoko likes tea; Nancy asked whether Tomoko wants to drink some tea. “Would like” is a polite way to say “want,” so we often use it to offer people food and drink. The correct responses are “Yes, please” or “No, thank you.”