Introduction
For polite requests we can use would, would like or would you mind doing.
Form
The structures for requests and offers with would are: would, would like and would you mind.
Would
Would has the following forms:
- affirmative: Subject + would + verb…
- negative: Subject + would + not + verb…
- interrogative: Would + subject + verb…?
Would like
Would like has the following forms:
- affirmative: Subject + would + like + noun/verb (to-infinitive form) + noun + …
- negative: Subject + would + not + like + noun/verb (to-infinitive form) + noun + …
- interrogative: Would + subject + like + noun/verb (to-infinitive form) + noun + …?
Would you mind
Its structure, in the interrogative form, is:
Would + subject + mind + verb + (-ing form) + …?
Example
- You would meet me at the office anniversary party.
- You wouldn’t meet me at the office anniversary party.
- Would you meet me at the office anniversary party?
- He would like to study astrology and astronomy.
- He wouldn’t like to study astrology and astronomy.
- Would he like to study astrology and astronomy?
- Would you mind helping me to cut down these trees?
Use
We can use would to make indirect requests.
We can use would like to make polite offers.
We use would you mind -ing … ? for asking polite requests.
Summary
We can use would, would like or would you mind doing…? for polite requests. More specifically, would is used to make indirect requests, would like to make polite offers, and would you mind -ing … ? to make polite requests.
The structures for requests and offers with would are:
Would
- affirmative: we start with the subject followed by would and a noun or a verb
- negative: we start with the subject followed by would not and a noun or a verb.
- interrogative: we start with would followed by the subject and a noun or a verb (the sentence ends with a question mark).
Would like
- affirmative: we start with the subject followed by would like and a noun or a verb in the to-infinitive form. If we use the to-infinitive form, then we have a noun following.
- negative: we start with the subject followed by would not like and a noun or a verb in the to-infinitive form. If we use the to-infinitive form, then we have a noun following.
- interrogative: we start with would followed by the subject, followed by like and a noun or a verb in the to-infinitive form. If we use the to-infinitive form, then we have a noun following (the sentence ends with a question mark).
Would you mind verb + (-ing form) … ?
- interrogative: we start with would followed by the subject, followed by mind and a verb in the -ing form (the sentence ends with a question mark).
For example:
— Affirmative: “I would like to offer this gift to you.”
— Negative: “I wouldn’t like to offer this gift to you.”
— Interrogative: “Would you like accepting this gift from me?”
♦ “Take this gift.” = If we use the imperative the offer is not polite anymore, but is more like an order.
Let’s revise this content within the {Form} section. Take a look at the {Example} section that shows its use within a context.