We are able to use four different modals to politely request others to do something for us. Could you do this? Can you do that? Will you do this? Would you do that? These are not the only uses of these four modals, but they all do share this possible meaning and use. Remember that we also said that can and will may seem more direct while could and would sound more polite at times.
However, watch this video of clips from some of England's popular old television comedies. Notice when the audience laughs. The speakers are using polite speech as we learned, but the requests they are making in these situations aren't very polite, no matter how proper of language they use. Maybe you laugh, maybe you don't. But please, would you just watch? ;P
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