more polite

[wowenglish1]

I would like to know which sentence is more polite.
1. You should go to bed.
2. It's time you went to bed.

 

[billmcd]

I have assumed you are speaking to a child. So, I like #2 and if you are speaking to a child, I would add something endearing such as "honey" or "sweetheart" to make the message a little less blunt, because children are not usually receptive to that message.

 

[Barb_D]

children are not usually receptive to that message.

Truer words are rarely spoken! :roll:

 

[kfredson]

I have assumed you are speaking to a child. So, I like #2 and if you are speaking to a child, I would add something endearing such as "honey" or "sweetheart" to make the message a little less blunt, because children are not usually receptive to that message.

This is very nicely stated. And I would point out that the word "should" usually has no effect when spoken to children -- and especially teenagers!

 

[emsr2d2]

This is very nicely stated. And I would point out that the word "should" usually has no effect when spoken to children -- and especially teenagers!

It's a shame that "GO TO BED!" doesn't work! (I don't mean grammatically, by the way!)

 

[Barb_D]

Eventually they reach a point when you can say "Look, I'm going to bed. Don't forget to turn off the lights."

 

[mmasny]

This is very nicely stated. And I would point out that the word "should" usually has no effect when spoken to children -- and especially teenagers!

The word 'should' was in my opinion the cause of some wars and other ugly things. The problem is that it doesn't mean much.