"Why did you stop .../May I know why you stopped ..."

More polite question:

Why did you stop releasing lessons and exams, please?
May I know why you stopped releasing lessons and exams?

I want to ask my teacher a question built in a more polite way. What is the most highly polite written question that I could write my teacher/write it to my teacher, please?

"May I know" has a very non-native feel to it.
In this case, adding "please" to the end of your first question makes it only a tiny bit more polite.

May I ask why you stopped releasing the lessons and exams?

***** NOT A TEACHER *****


James: Excuse me, Ms. Smith, may I ask a question of you?

Ms. Smith: Yes, you may.

James: I have noticed that you no longer return our lessons and examinations. Would it be possible to know the reason?




*****

NOTES:

1. You want to be super respectful and formal. (Because of my age and other reasons, I, too, always try to be super respectful and formal.) So I suggested "May I ask a question of you?" instead of the more "natural" question "May / Can I ask you a question?"

2. I did not understand your use of the verb "release." So I just guessed that you meant that your teacher no longer returns lessons and exams.

3. I understand that in many cultures, students are expected to be very respectful and humble toward their teachers (an attitude with which I agree). Here in the States, maybe many students would simply say something like: "Mr. Jones, how come you're not returning our lessons and exams anymore?"

I assumed that the teacher had previously released copies of previous lessons and exams, perhaps in digital format. However, it would be good if OdessaDawn would clarify the meaning.

Hello James—and I very much appreciate your insightful posts. Thank you!

TheParser said:

2. I did not understand your use of the verb "release." So I just guessed that you meant that your teacher no longer returns lessons and exams.

Click to expand...

Please see: ...

Now, answer the questions in the test on this lesson. Then, read Reading Assignment 19 and answer its questions. After reviewing your answers, your teacher will release lessons 20 to you.

Click to expand...

"Release" seems to fit perfectly well there.

[No "NOT A TEACHER" disclaimer, for this is a question, not an answer.]

Hello, Odessa Dawn:

I am a terrible reader.

So I simply do not understand the situation.

Please help me.

The instructions say: "Read assignment [lesson?] 19. After checking your answers, the teacher will release lesson [assignment?] 20 to you."

Does this mean what it seems to mean? (1) I read assignment 19. (2) I answer its questions. (3) The teacher checks my answers. (4) The teacher then releases lesson 20. (5) I read it. (6) I answer its questions. (7) The teacher checks the answers. (8) The teacher then releases lesson 21. And so on.

IF (a big "if") I am right, then how can the teacher stop releasing the lessons? If the teacher were to stop releasing the lessons, then there would be nothing to do in the class!

Would you please explain the situation to your humble servant?


NOTES:

1. A moderator mentioned that the verb "release" fits perfectly if the lessons are digitally released.
2. Are they, in fact, digitally released? If the teacher just hands / gives the lessons (on paper) to you, I would not be comfortable with the verb "release."



James

TheParser said:

Does this mean what it seems to mean? (1) I read assignment 19. (2) I answer its questions. (3) The teacher checks my answers. (4) The teacher then releases lesson 20. (5) I read it. (6) I answer its questions. (7) The teacher checks the answers. (8) The teacher then releases lesson 21. And so on.
2. Are they, in fact, digitally released?

Click to expand...

Yes for both. I am learning English via the Internet. My teacher is a woman who lives in the States. She volunteers her time to teach me the English language.

Do you mean that after you submitted your most recent set of answers to a test, your teacher did not send out the next assignment?

Yes.

How about "I submitted my answers to Reading Assignment 19 to you on [date]. However, I have not yet received Assignment 20. I would be very grateful if you would let me know when it will be sent out. Thank you".

You said you wanted to be very polite. On that basis, I don't recommend you say anything like "Why have you stopped releasing/sending out ...?" That sounds rather accusatory.