HOW TO EXPRESS GRATITUDE IN ENGLISH TAKEN FROM: PRAGMATICS TEACHING NATURAL CONVERSATION BY NOEL R. HOUCK AND DONNA H. TATSUKI, EDITORS ( TESOL CLASSROOM PRACTICE SERIES)

Saying “thank you in English ”

DID YOU JUST LEARN TO SAY “THANK YOU”?

There are many contexts where our “gratitude “ is required:

1.Complimenting2.Signaling the end of a service encounter3.Signaling the end of a presentation

COMPLIMENTING

It is the type of gratitude that is expressed after a “favor” is done. Usually the compliment has two (2) parts:

Oh, that´s great. (1) Thanks a lot.(2) You´re wonderful. (1) Thank you.(2) Thanks a bunch.(1) You´re a life saver.

(2)

REASSURING

Expressing gratitude on “receipt of a gift”

Thanks. Just what I needed. Blue is my favorite color.

Oh, you know me so well. Thanks I love it

EXPRESSING DELIGHT

Gratitude that also expresses pleasant surprise:

Oh, wow! Thank you so much! Gee, thanks Oh great! I really ! I really appreciate

that.

EXPRESSING LACK OF NECESSITY

After a considerate act:

Oh, thank you very much. You shouldn´t have!

That´s very sweet of you. You didn´t have to do that.