100+ Examples of How to Offer Something in English

This article covers the following areas –

Offering Food
Offering Jobs
Offering Help
Offering Gifts
Offering Company
Offering Friendship
Offering Discount
Offering Assurance
Offering Explanations
Offering Incentives
Final Thoughts
FAQ: Offering Something in English

Offering something to someone is an act of generosity, and it is quite common as a part of our social customs. Though the purpose of offering always seems noble, it may go wrong if you don’t know how to do it.

In this post, I’ll share some example sentences about offering something to someone, such as food, a job, help, a gift, a company, friendship, a discount, assurance, explanations, incentives, etc.

To offer something in English, use polite and clear language. Begin with phrases like “Would you like…” or “Can I offer you…,” ensuring a respectful and courteous tone. This approach is suitable for both formal and informal situations, facilitating clear communication. Some examples are:

Would you like to take some more rice? [Offering food]
I want to offer you the position of manager, HR. [Offering job]
Can I give you a hand? [Offering help]
Would you like to accept this nose pin I bought for you? [Offering gift]
I can be with you here. Would it help? [Offering company]
I would be happy to be your friend. Would you? [Offering friendship]
I will give you a 10% discount if you buy a bulk quantity. [Offering discount]
I can assure you that it will never happen in the future. [Offering assurance]
I want to explain the matter. May I, please? [Offering explanation]
I‘ll share 5% of the profit with the junior employees this year. [Offering incentive]

Do you have in your mind any other smart English expressions to offer something to someone? You may comment to share them with others. And if you are looking for a book or a guide to help you learn and improve your English, you may try English Made Easy Volume One: A New ESL Approach: Learning English Through Pictures (Amazon Link). This book creatively uses pictures and text in tandem to revolutionize English language learning, making it easier to understand and more effective overall.

Now, we’ll explore more examples specific to the abovementioned topics in the parenthesis. Remember! You can offer someone something in different ways: questions, requests, or asking permission.

Offering Food

Would you like to eat some fruit?
Would you care for desserts?
Can I get you a drink?
Do you want some salt?
Do you fancy black tea or coffee?
Who fancies having some more ice cream?
Who wants the juice?
Will you have a burger?
How about a spicy chicken?
May I offer you a drink?
How about some pasta to go with that wine?
Would you like to try the homemade cookies?
Can I interest you in some sushi?
Are you in the mood for a slice of cake?
Would you care for some cheese and crackers?

Sample Conversation on Offering Food

Situation: Alex notices that Sarah has been working at her desk for several hours without a break and decides to offer her some food and refreshments.

Alex: Hey, Sarah, you’ve been at your desk for a while now. You must be hungry!

Sarah: Yeah, I’ve been swamped with work. Didn’t even get time to grab a bite.

Alex: Would you like to eat some fruit? I brought an extra apple.

Sarah: That would be great, thanks!

Alex: No problem! How about a drink? I’m about to make some coffee.

Sarah: Oh, coffee would be a lifesaver right now!

Offering Jobs

Would you like to work with us as a financial advisor for the company?
We want to take pride in offering you the position of CEO.
We are delighted to offer you the job you applied for.
I have an employment offer for you.
I can offer you a part-time position here.
Your performance made me offer you a full-time position in our new branch.
We are pleased to offer you an internship.
We’d be thrilled to have you join our team as a project manager.
Are you interested in a remote work opportunity?
We have an opening for a software developer; would you like to apply?
I’d like to extend an offer for you to join our research department.
We have a contract role available; is that something you’d consider?

Sample Conversation on Offering Jobs

Situation: Emily has just completed her job interview at a tech company. The hiring manager was particularly impressed with her performance and wants to extend a job offer to her.

Manager: Hi Emily, thank you for coming in for the interview. We were really impressed with your skills.

Emily: Thank you, I’m glad to hear that!

Manager: We want to take pride in offering you the position of software developer with us. What do you say?

Emily: Wow, this is amazing news! I’d be thrilled to join your team.

Offering Help

May I help you?
Can I get some food for you? You have been working for so long.
Do you want me to give you a hand?
Is there anything that I can help you with?
I would love to help you do this.
Just ask me for any help, anytime.
Can I be of any help to you in this project?
What can I do for you right now?
I’m always ready to assist you. Just give me a buzz.
Do you want me to help you check the document?
Would you like me to take care of the paperwork?
Can I help you find something? You look a bit lost.
Would you like some assistance with your luggage?
Can I help you set up your computer?
If you need any recommendations, feel free to ask me.

To learn 50+ more expressions to offer help, read my post titled Offering Help in English: Native Speakers’ Ways.

Sample Conversation on Offering Help

Situation: Mark sees Lisa struggling with a big stack of papers and office supplies as she moves between offices. He decides to offer his help.

Mark: Hey Lisa, it looks like you’ve got your hands full. May I help you?

Lisa: Oh, hi Mark! Yes, I could really use an extra pair of hands right now.

Mark: What can I do for you right now?

Lisa: Could you grab that stack of folders for me, please?

Mark: Sure, no problem. Do you want me to help you take these to your new office?

Lisa: Yes, that would be fantastic! Thank you so much.

Mark: Anytime, happy to help!

Offering Gifts

May I offer you a gift?
I would love to offer you a new car for your achievement.
I want to buy this for you. Do you like it?
You did a great job. I must offer a special gift.
This is a small gift from me. I’ll be glad if you accept this.
I bought this for you, hope you like it.
Here is a token of our love and appreciation.
We would like to present this on behalf of all the students.
I picked up something special for you; I think you’ll love it.
I couldn’t resist getting you this little keepsake.
I got you a little something as a thank-you for your help.
Would you do me the honor of accepting this gift?
To show our gratitude, we have a small gift for you.

Sample Conversation on Offering Gifts

Situation: It’s John’s birthday and his coworker Emily wants to give him a special gift to celebrate. She’s chosen a set of limited-edition pens because she knows John loves to write.

Emily: Happy birthday, John!

John: Thanks, Emily! How did you know?

Emily: I saw it on the office calendar. May I offer you a gift?

John: Wow, really? You didn’t have to do that!

Emily: I know, but I thought you’d like this. It’s a set of limited-edition pens.

John: That’s so thoughtful of you! I really appreciate it.

Offering Company

I can be with you here. No problem.
I would love to visit the museum with you.
Let’s have a trip to Europe together.
I am happy to offer you my company at any time.
You can take me with you there.
I can join you by tomorrow.
May I join you?
How about we catch a movie together this weekend?
If you’re going to the conference, I’d be glad to accompany you.
I’m free this evening if you’d like to grab some dinner.
Would you like me to come with you to the doctor’s appointment?
I’d be more than happy to be your plus-one at the event.

Sample Conversation on Offering Company

Situation: Sophie and Alice are talking about weekend plans. Alice is planning to visit a museum and invites Sophie to join her.

Sophie: Do you have any plans for the weekend?

Alice: Actually, I was thinking about visiting the modern art museum downtown. Would you like to come?

Sophie: I would love to visit the museum with you!

Alice: Great, let’s make it a date!

Offering Friendship

May I offer you friendship?
Would you be my friend?
Let me be your friend.
I would love to be a friend beside you forever.
Life will be easier having you as a friend.
How about we turn this acquaintance into a solid friendship?
Can we take this conversation over coffee and become friends?
If you’re looking for a friend, you’ve found one in me.
Let’s make this friendship official; what do you say?
I feel like we’d make great friends; shall we hang out more?

Sample Conversation on Offering Friendship

Situation: Kevin and Mike meet at a community event. They share similar interests and Kevin decides to offer friendship to Mike.

Kevin: I had a great time talking to you about sports and movies, man.

Mike: Yeah, me too. It’s cool to meet someone with the same interests.

Kevin: Would you be my friend?

Mike: Absolutely, man. Let’s hang out more often.

Offering Discount

As an old customer, I would like to honor you with a 10% flat discount.
We want to offer you a discount, as you have shopped for too many products today.
I can offer you a reduced price on these products only.
These are on sale! You can avail of the discount.
We can give you a 5% discount if you pay in cash.
I can make the price lower if you buy the whole lot.
As a token of our appreciation, we’d like to extend a 15% discount on your next purchase.
If you refer a friend to our service, both of you get a 10% discount.
We’re having a special promotion this week; buy one, get one half off.
If you complete the customer survey, we’ll send you a 20% off coupon.
For today only, all items in the store are subject to a 5% discount at the checkout.

Sample Conversation on Offering Discounts

Situation: Sarah is a shop owner and notices that a customer, David, has been buying a lot of items. She decides to offer him a special discount.

Sarah: Hi, David! You’ve selected quite a lot today.

David: Yeah, I love everything in your shop.

Sarah: As an old customer, I would like to honor you with a 10% flat discount.

David: That’s awesome, Sarah! Thank you so much!

Note: You can use the above sentences to offer a discount as a seller. On the contrary, to ask for a discount as a customer, you can check my other article titled How to Ask for a Discount in English.

Offering Assurance

I can assure you that it will be a profitable deal.
I would like to assure you of my service for at least five years.
We two would like to assure you of a successful business on behalf of the team.
We will get the project for sure.
No worries! We’ll surely win the game.
Rest assured, your data will remain confidential.
I can guarantee that this product will meet your expectations.
You have my word that the delivery will be on time.
Trust me, you won’t regret making this decision.
I assure you that our team will resolve the issue promptly.

Sample Conversation on Offering Assurance

Situation: Linda and Steve are discussing an upcoming business deal. Steve is a bit hesitant, but Linda wants to reassure him of its profitability.

Linda: So, have you considered my proposal about the new business deal?

Steve: I have, but I’m still on the fence.

Linda: I can assure you that it will be a profitable deal.

Steve: Really? How can you be so certain?

Linda: Our research shows a gap in the market that this deal could fill perfectly. You have my word that it’s a golden opportunity.

Offering Explanations

May I explain the matter?
I would like to explain why did it happen.
I wish to explain it. May I, please?
If I get a chance to explain, I can make things clear for sure.
Can I explain the situation in more detail?
Would it be alright if I clarify the procedure for you?
Can I elaborate on the reasons behind my decision?
May I offer some context to give you a fuller picture?
Would you like me to explain the methodology involved?
If you allow me, I can shed some light on the complexities of the issue.

Sample Conversation on Offering Explanations

Situation: Amy failed to submit her project on time, causing a delay in the workflow. Her manager, Chris, wants to know why.

Chris: Amy, your project was due yesterday. What happened?

Amy: I understand the delay has caused inconvenience. May I explain the matter?

Chris: Go ahead.

Amy: There was a system failure, and we lost some crucial data. I’m working on retrieving it and will submit the project ASAP.

Chris: I appreciate your explanation. Make sure it doesn’t happen again.

Offering Incentives

I will give you good incentives if the sales rise by 30%.
Your satisfactory performance can earn you good incentives.
This year, the sales commission will be 10% higher on electronic goods.
I would love to offer 5% extra incentives to those who have been working there for more than 20 years.
It’s my pleasure to offer you a home loan without any interest.
If you sign up now, you’ll get the first month free.
We are offering an extra vacation day for every new client you bring in.
Complete the project ahead of schedule and there will be a bonus in it for you.
Employees who exceed their targets this quarter will get a gift voucher.
If you choose to opt for our premium plan, you’ll get three months at half the cost.

Sample Conversation on Offering Incentives

Situation: Jack, the sales manager, is holding a team meeting to motivate his staff for the upcoming quarter.

Jack: Team, we’ve got a big quarter ahead of us, and I know we can smash our targets.

Employee 1: What’s in it for us?

Jack: Great question! Employees who exceed their targets this quarter will get a gift voucher.

Employee 2: That sounds awesome!

Jack: If you sign up new clients, we’re offering an extra vacation day for every new client you bring in.

Employee 1: That’s a great incentive!

Final Thoughts

Offering something to someone in English can sometimes appear difficult to many people. Here, you got several example sentences that you can use to offer someone something. To make people accept your offer requires you to be polite and genuine while offering anything.

If you have any examples of offering something to someone, you can share them in the comment box. Also, you can let me know if you have any queries about today’s topic or anything related to English language learning. I’ll try to give feedback.

FAQ: Offering Something in English

1. Why is it important to learn different ways to offer something in English?

Learning diverse ways to offer assistance or items allows for more natural and context-appropriate interactions, enhancing communication skills.

2. Are all the examples suitable for both formal and informal situations?

No, some expressions are more suited for informal settings, while others are more formal. It’s essential to understand the context to choose the right phrase.

3. How can I practice these offering expressions?

Engaging in role-playing exercises, writing sample dialogues, and using them in daily conversations can help reinforce learning.

4. Are there cultural nuances to consider when offering something in English?

Absolutely. Cultural backgrounds can influence how offers are made and received. It’s always a good idea to be aware of cultural sensitivities.

5. Can I combine different offering expressions in one conversation?

Yes, you can mix and match expressions based on the situation and the flow of the conversation.

6. How can I politely decline an offer made in English?

Responses like “Thank you, but I’m okay for now,” or “I appreciate the offer, but I’ll pass,” are polite ways to decline.

7. Are there any non-verbal cues to be aware of when offering something?

Yes, body language, tone of voice, and facial expressions can play a crucial role in making your offer come across as sincere and genuine.

8. Is it impolite to repeat an offer if someone initially declines?

It depends on the situation. Sometimes, it’s okay to reiterate an offer, especially if you feel the person might be too shy to accept initially. However, it’s essential not to be pushy.

9. How can I make my offers sound more genuine and sincere?

Using a warm tone, maintaining eye contact, and showing empathy can make your offers sound more genuine.

10. Do these offering expressions differ between British and American English?

While many expressions are universal, there might be slight variations or preferences in phrasing between British and American English.

If you have further questions or suggestions about anything specific related to this topic or anything else related to learning English as a second language, feel free to ask me in the comment box. You may also help the ESLA community by putting your valuable suggestions here to help every member improve their English language skills.

100+ Examples of How to Offer Something in English

This article covers the following areas –