Are your kids looking for a tutor?

[Silverobama]

I want to get more students, so I’ve been promoting myself at the wholesale market. The people there are business owners and generally financially stable. More importantly, they tend to be less demanding than some of the parents I’ve met in other settings. I’ve prepared business cards with my number on them, along with the line: ‘Are your kids looking for a tutor?’

Is my sentence in italics natural?

I don't think the sentence is good because it's not the kids who are looking for a tutor but the parents are.

 

[Skrej]

It's fine. Yes, technically it's probably the parents looking for a tutor rather than the kids, but it's still a natural enough way to ask the question.

Other possibilities:

"Are you looking for a kid's (English) tutor?"
"Are you looking for a(n English) tutor for your children?"

 

[emsr2d2]

I assume that space is at a premium because business cards are pretty small. If that's the case, I'd keep it as short as possible. You could even dispense with "Are you".

Looking for a kids' [English] tutor?

If you're willing/able to teach adults too, you could broaden your scope:

Looking for an English tutor?

As an aside, was it you who told me once that these extra-curricular classes are technically illegal? If so, isn't it a bit risky to advertise the fact that you're running such classes, including your name and phone number?

 

[Silverobama]

As an aside, was it you who told me once that these extra-curricular classes are technically illegal? If so, isn't it a bit risky to advertise the fact that you're running such classes, including your name and phone number?

Yes, it was me who once told you that extracurricular classes are "illegal" here but now the government winks at such violations because almost every child attend extracurricular classes. One thing which is worth mentioning is that school teachers are actually teach private classes here too and they usually charge much higher prices than people like me does.

So, yes, it's a bit risky but in fact it's very safe to teach students here.

 

[emsr2d2]

Yes, it was me who once told you that extracurricular classes are "illegal" here but now the government winks at such violations because almost every child attends extracurricular classes.

I think we told you in that other thread that "winks at" doesn't mean anything in English. Is it a direct translation from Chinese? I think what you're looking for is "turns a blind eye to".

One thing which that is worth mentioning is that school teachers are actually teach private classes here too and they usually charge much higher prices than people like me does do.

See above.

So, yes, it's a bit risky but in fact it's very safe to teach students privately here.

See above.

 

[Silverobama]

I think we told you in that other thread that "winks at" doesn't mean anything in English. Is it a direct translation from Chinese? I think what you're looking for is "turns a blind eye to".

Yes, I meant "turn a blind eye to". But, I'm sorry because I have to disagree with you here, emsr2d2.

"Wink at" does mean something in English.

Definition of WINK AT

to pretend not to have seen or noticed (something) : to ignore… See the full definition

www.merriam-webster.com

You might check this website out and see the phrase and I think it means something and it's common. However, I agree that it means nothing, maybe, in British English.

And the phrase also appears on Cambridge.Dictionary.org.

wink at something

1. to pretend not to notice something bad that is happening because it is more…

dictionary.cambridge.org

As a long-time English learner, I know that many phrases are outdated and native speakers nowadays don't use it. So, I took a quick look on Google and I found this. And it seems that the phrase is very common.

 

[emsr2d2]

Well, as they say, every day's a learning day. In my several decades on this planet, I have never heard it! Thanks for the links. I'd be interested to know how common my fellow BrE speakers find it.

 

[jutfrank]

I took a quick look on Google and I found this. And it seems that the phrase is very common.

On the first results page, I can't see any examples at all of this use of 'wink at'.

I've never heard, or even heard of it, either.

 

[emsr2d2]

On the first results page, I can't see any examples at all of this use of 'wink at'.

I've never heard, or even heard of it, either.

I think it was the second or third one down, which led to THIS.