Would You Mind If I asked for a grammar test?
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The construction of would you mind is generally used to ask permission or to understand someone’s opinion of something you want to do. Show
However, it can also be used as a way of demanding something from someone. You may hear this example in an exchange between a teacher and student.
It’s a useful construction, but be careful when you use it in the demanding sense with someone who isn’t a child as they may be offended. Recommended for you: Learn Shapes in 6 minutes / Geometric Shapes for Kids and their Parents / Whiteboard AnimationLearn Shapes in 6 minutes / Geometr... Please enable JavaScript Learn Shapes in 6 minutes / Geometric Shapes for Kids and their Parents / Whiteboard AnimationWould you mind if I went to the movies tomorrow night? Would you mind if I go to the movies tomorrow night, is less polite but used by many English speakers also. When we use the conditional tenses, it indicates uncertainty whereas the present tense is more definite. Both the phrases ‘would you mind’ and do you mind’ are used to make a polite request or take someone’s permission.  The verb ‘mind’ means ‘to be troubled or annoyed’. Both phrases can be used interchangeably with no or a little difference in meaning in three different situations. 1. To take someone’s permissionWhen you want to do something and check if that bothers or creates a problem for a person, we use both expressions.
You basically want to sit next to a person, but you want to check if sitting there causes the person a problem. Meaning: Is it okay with you if I sit here? Is it a problem with you? NOTE: With this structure, we generally use the verb in the past form as the entire sentence is a second conditional sentence. ‘Would‘ in ‘would you mind’ refers to an uncertain situation. The verb can be used in the base form (V1) too. In the base form, it refers to a real or likely event.
Some grammarians consider this incorrect as we use the verb in the past form in the second conditional sentence. But here, ‘would you mind’ is a fixed expression and people use both phrases with no difference in meaning. That said, you, still, should use the verb in the past form here. Examples:
The expression ‘do you mind’ can be used in these examples. It slightly changes the meaning of the sentence though. Here are two things that make a difference:
Examples:
The verb can be and is often used in the past tense too. In the past tense, it shows uncertainty.
How to answer the questions starting with ‘would you mind’?If you don’t have a problem with the request made to you, here’s how you can answer the questions:
Question: Would you mind If I sit here? Answers (the person does not have a problem):
If you do have a problem with the request made to you, here’s how you can respond:
Question: Would you mind If I sit here? Answers (the person does have a problem)
2. To request a person to perform an action for you. It’s basically a polite request.Structure: Would you mind + gerund phrase?
There is a bottle next to the person, and you are requesting the person to pass the bottle to you in a polite way. Examples:
Here, we can replace ‘would you mind’ with ‘do you mind’ with no difference in meaning. Though, it is important to note that ‘would you mind’ is more formal and polite. Both expressions, here, have nothing to do with uncertainty.
3. To order someone to do something or ask a question (often angrily).Student: I don’t understand this (in a muffled voice). The teacher orders the student to stand up and repeat themselves. Examples:
This is a polite way to show your anger at someone and demand the person to do or stop doing something. Note that you must have the authority to speak this way with someone. Else, the person may get offended. A video lesson on the uses of ‘WOULD’
Previous articlePerfect participle phrase in detail Next articleINFINITIVES vs GERUNDS: the masterclass Ashish Sharma https://englishwithashish.com Ashish found his first love—the English language—a few years back. Since then, he has been immersed in the language, breaking down the language and teaching it to passionate English learners. He has a flair for listening to the English language (podcasts, sitcoms, stories), observing the nuances, and making it easy for English learners. He is known for breaking down complex English topics and making them easy to be understood. Would you mind if I asked grammar?When we ask for permission politely, we can use would you mind if I + past or do you mind if I + present: Would you mind if I turned on this light?
Would you mind if I ask or asked?Why is it "I asked" rather than "I ask"? This is simply because of tense agreement between the two clauses. Both clauses are in an in irrealis mood based on the past tense subjunctive. "I asked" is in the past tense because "Would you" is in the past tense.
Would you mind me or my grammar?You will find writers of style guides who insist that only the possessive (my) is correct, but the use of the direct object pronoun (me) is widely accepted these days. In other words, people shouldn't look down on you (and your education) for saying it the second way, but some will.
Would you mind if I ask you something reply?The response "Yes, certainly", indicates that you would mind, and emphatically so. Hence the response should be used only when you do mind. If you have no objection, the correct response would be "No, I don't mind", or "No, please be my guest"!
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