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Mrs. Susi : Oh, thank you. You helped me a lot
Staff : Here is the menu, Ma’am.
Mrs. Susi : They all look delicious. Well, I choose this one, this one, and this one.
Staff : Alright, I’ll send the text soon. Please, wait in your room and enjoy your day,
Ma’am. If there is anything else I can do, please let me know.
Mrs. Susi : Alright. Thank you. Here is the tip for you.
Staff : Thank you, Ma’am.

B. The Use of “May I help you?”, “What can I do for you?”, and “What if…?”

We may offer help or service by asking for permession to help, being ready to do something,
and giving suggestion to help. When we offer help or service, we can use the following
expressions.
1. May I help you?
This is the common expression to offer help or service. The word “May” is a way to get
the permission to help. It is a formal expression, especially when wwe offer help older
people or customer or someone whom we don’t know
Examples:
• May I help you, sir?
• Excuse me, Madam. May I help you?
2. What can I do for you?
It is less formal than “May I help you?”. If someone needs our help, then we agreed to help
him, we may say, “what can I do for you?”. It is almost similar with “How can I help you?”.
Example:
Ardi : Can you help me?
Rio : Sure. What can I do for you?
3. What if…?
“What if …?” in offering help is used to suggest an action in the future. It is usually used
with the present tense of the verb.
Example:
• What if I finish the number five for you?
• What if I print the material for you?

Activity 1: Reading Comprehhension

Read and practice the following dialogue!
Risa : Excuse me.
Anna : Oh, Risa. Please, come in.
Risa : Okay. You look busy. May I help you?
Anna : Sure. I really need someone to finish this work. There are many books, and I
have to clean them.

Belajar Bahasa Inggris SMA/MA Kelas XII 3