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What is Please? The meaning, usage, and detailed examples

"Please" is a prevalent word in spoken English. You may have encountered and used "Please" many times before, but have you ever wondered what part of speech Please is or what preposition it takes with Please? In this post, PREP will answer the question: What is Please in English?

I. What is “Please”?

What is Please? According to the Cambridge Dictionary, "Please" is most commonly used as an interjection, often standing at the beginning or end of a sentence to politely and respectfully request or ask someone to do something. In addition, "Please" can also be used as a verb or indefinite pronoun. Let's explore its meaning and usage in more depth below!

1. Interjection

"Please" plays the role of an interjection in English. In this case, "please" is used to soften the commanding nature of a sentence and make the request more polite and respectful. For example:

Please, could you give me a hand?
Could you open the window, please?

2. Verb

In English, the word "please" can also function as a verb. When used as a verb, "please" conveys the meaning of satisfying or fulfilling someone's wants or needs.

His efforts to please his boss were evident.
Anna only got married to please her parents.

II. The usage of “please”

Here are some common uses of the word "please" in different contexts. Let’s check them out with PREP!

Usage	Example
A request or suggestion	Please pass me the book. Could you please finish your task before Friday?
Polite requests in emails and letters	Please find the attached report you requested in this mail. Please let me know your availability for a meeting.
Polite invitation	Please join us for dinner on Saturday. Please come to my birthday party the next day.
Seeking for Help	I don’t understand the case. Can you please explain it to me? Please, I need your explanation on this matter.
Seeking for permission	Can I please borrow your book? Please allow me to access the documents.
Begging or wishing	Please let me succeed in my endeavor to win the contract. Please, help me get out of this.
Requesting a complaint	Please deal with this case or you have to refund me.

III. Which prepositions does “pleased” go with?

Each combination of “pleased” with a preposition has a different meaning. Let’s check them out with PREP!

Preposition	General structure	Meaning	Example
Pleased with sbd/sth	S + (be) + pleased + with + sbd/sth.	Someone is satisfied with someone/something.	She was pleased with her performance in the exam.
Pleased for somebody	S + (be) + pleased + for + sbd.	Someone is satisfied, happy for someone (for achieving something).	I’m really pleased for my sister, who got accepted into her dream university.
Pleased at sth	S + (be) + at + sth.	Someone is satisfied with something. (usually a moment in the present time)	He was pleased at the prospect of a long-awaited vacation.
Pleased about sth	S + (be) + pleased + about + sth.	Someone is satisfied with something.	They were pleased about the positive feedback they received for their project.
Pleased to do sth	S + (be) + pleased + to do + sth.	Someone gets satisfaction from doing something.	He was pleased to help his neighbors with their gardening.

IV. Phrases including “Please”

Phrases including “Please”	Meaning
Go-as-you-please	Do what you want
Little things please little minds = Small things please small minds.	Ordinary folks find fulfillment in ordinary deeds.
Please yourself.	Please do as you wish. (This phrase has a negative meaning, showing that the speaker does not care about what the interlocutor does.)
If you please.	(when making a polite request) used to politely emphasize a request.
May it please the court.	A phrase that shows respect and requests permission to raise the matter before the court.
You cannot please everyone.	It is impossible to satisfy everyone
Disease to please.	Desire to please others

V. Exercises on What is “please” & with detailed answers

Below is a practice exercise for you to apply the theoretical knowledge above. Try to do it yourself and compare it with the answers provided below!

Exercise: Fill in the blanks with the appropriate preposition: with, at, about, for

The customers were pleased __________ the quality of the product.
We are pleased __________ them on their engagement.
She was pleased __________ the outcome of the negotiation.
They are pleased __________ the new project proposal.
She was pleased to help __________ the event planning.

Answer keys:

with
for
at
about
with

Hopefully the theory and practice exercises on what is “please” that PREP shares above have helped you understand this knowledge more deeply.

To learn more about many sentence structures and vocabulary, please immediately refer to the learning paths at Prep below and accompany the teachers.

Master Tu Pham

Founder/CEO at Prep

Mr. Tú Phạm is the founder of PREP, a Smart Test Preparation Platform. With over 10 years of teaching and test preparation experience, he has assisted thousands of students in achieving high scores on the IELTS exam. Additionally, Mr. Tú Phạm serves as a consultant for British Council programs and as a speaker at numerous premier education events, programs, and seminars.