Meaning
Polite request for action or permission
Primary Function
Asking someone to do something or asking permission
Communicative Purpose
To make a request while acknowledging possible inconvenience
Pattern
Would you mind; ?
Core Structure
Would you mind; ?
Função primária
Asking someone to do something or asking permission
Propósito comunicativo
To make a request while acknowledging possible inconvenience
Situações de gatilho
Asking a favour, interrupting, requesting permission
Contextos
Conversation, polite interaction
Padrão
Would you mind; ?
Estrutura central
Would you mind; ?
Slots de substituição
gerund phrase
Colocados típicos
- opening
- closing
- smoking
- borrowing
- turning down
Substituições comuns
- “Do you mind + gerund” (less formal)
Erros comuns
Using infinitive: *Would you mind to help?* → helping. Answer: “No” means it’s okay; learners confused by negative.
Similar / contraste
“Could you possibly”; “I was wondering if you could”
Interferências
Negative response logic – “No, not at all” means permission granted
Família do chunk
- polite request frames
Nuance
Very polite; shows consideration
Efeito pragmático
Softens the request, shows awareness of imposition
Dica de memória
“Would you mind + -ing?”
Nota
The chunk is a polite way to ask for a favor or permission. It is semi-fixed and requires a gerund phrase after 'mind'. The negative response logic can be confusing for learners as 'No' means permission is granted.
Upgrade path
“Would you mind terribly if I asked you to wait?”
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