Would you mind if I opened the window?

[Soup]

After dinner, yesterday. :-D

:lol::up:

 

[Soup]

Why ever did you try to find the example? :?:

Research is key, engee; moreover, it didn't make sense, at least to me, that (according to Snappy) the LDCE would provide 2 near-identical examples for the same entry without explaining the difference between the two. As it turns out, the LDCE didn't provide 2 near-identical examples.

Their entry:

[#]8 spoken
would/do you mind...?

a) used to politely ask someone's permissio

Would you mind if I opened the window?

Would you mind if I came with you?

I'll have to leave early, do you mind?

​

The operative word there is 'spoken', meaning not written; i.e., formal English. In other words, the answer to Snappy's question was in the LDCE all along, and the reason I did the research.

 

[Raymott]

In other words, the answer to Snappy's question was in the LDCE all along, and the reason I did the research.

You could have saved your time by reading my post #4.

 

[svartnik]

Are these both acceptable and the same in meaning?
"Would you mind if I opened the window?"
"Would you mind if I open the window?"

In answer to your question, yes, both "open the window" and "opened the window" are acceptable English.

The Standard (i.e., formal language, including spoken and written English) houses a present tense verb.

In other words, the answer to Snappy's question was in the LDCE all along, and the reason I did the research.

"Would you mind if I opened the window?" The dictionary explains that it is spoken and used when making a polite request.

You could have saved your time by reading my post #4.

https://www.usingenglish.com/forum/...d-you-mind-if-i-opened-window.html#post498085

I agree with engee.

It's only either Would you mind if I opened the window? or Do you mind if I open the window? that is correct.

Am I missing something?

 

[engee30]

Their entry:

[#]8 spoken
would/do you mind...?

a) used to politely ask someone's permissio

Would you mind if I opened the window?

Would you mind if I came with you?

I'll have to leave early, do you mind?
​

That's the thing that I suppose made Snappy so confused about the issue. Dictionaries sometimes give entries with a usage pattern. In that dictionary the pattern is would/do you mind... ? Then you get example sentences, but in this case, to Snappy's confusion, only with the structure would you mind if (not a single sentence with do you mind if). No wonder he thought that would you mind if + past tense was interchangeable with would you mind if + present tense, where, in fact, the present tense form of the verb is essentially used with do you mind if.

Luckily, I've got a standard edition of the dictionary installed on my laptop in which it is clearly shown (in the module Longman Language Activator) that the structures are used with different tense forms of the verb in each case:
would/do you mind if
Would you mind if I held the baby?
Do you mind if I just turn down the volume a little?

Don't you think it would be obvious that if they had supplied the sentences in the pattern like this, Would/Do you mind if I held the baby?, this would mean they are interchangeable?​

 

[svartnik]

Luckily, I've got a standard edition of the dictionary installed on my laptop in which it is clearly shown (in the module Longman Language Activator) that the structures are used with different tense forms of the verb in each case:
would/do you mind if
Would you mind if I held the baby?
Do you mind if I just turn down the volume a little?

From these patterns, it would be unreasonable to conclude that other forms do not exist.

That's the thing that I suppose made [STRIKE]Snappy[/STRIKE] (you, engee) so confused about the issue.

 

[Raymott]

https://www.usingenglish.com/forum/...d-you-mind-if-i-opened-window.html#post498085
Am I missing something?

Some justification for posting a summary of various postings in the thread?
A message to go along with your illustrations?
An indication of what this sequence of partial posts means to you?

 

[philo2009]

Sorry, Svartnik, but I must weigh in with Raymott and engee on this one. In my opinion, both as a grammarian and as an educated native speaker,
[Would you mind if I V?] - as compared with [Would you mind if I Ved] -
is nonstandard.

The issue is simply one of tense concord in conditional sentences, and in this the correct usage, as we would expect, parallels exactly the structure of any other 2nd conditional, e.g.

Would you buy a car if you had the money?

and not

*...if you have...

.

 

[svartnik]

In other words, the answer to Snappy's question was in the LDCE all along, and the reason I did the research

Soup reached a conclusion. She came to realize that the Answer to Snappy's question (perhaps with a slight exaggeration) was in the Longman Dictionary. I think with it she referred to the word 'spoken' in that dictionary and this:

From an academic standpoint, use formal language (Would you mind if I open) in writing and on formal occasions (e.g., in an exam) and use English (spoken) elsewhere

That is, use the past tense form in colloquial speech, even though it is not standard, because

The Standard (i.e., formal language, including spoken and written English) houses a present tense verb.

You said:

You could have saved your time by reading my post #4.

This is your post #4:

I could only find ... "Would you mind if I opened the window?"
I agree with engee (= Would you mind If I open... is incorrect).

I cannot imagine what time Soup could have spared with your comment.

Are these both acceptable and the same in meaning?
"Would you mind if I opened the window?"
"Would you mind if I open the window?"

In light of the original question, I either do not understand you, Soup, or both of you.

If you still do not understand me, Ray, then take my comments non-existent. :up:

 

[svartnik]

Sorry, Svartnik, but I must weigh in with Raymott and engee on this one. In my opinion, both as a grammarian and as an educated native speaker,
[Would you mind if I V?] - as compared with [Would you mind if I Ved] -
is nonstandard.

The issue is simply one of tense concord in conditional sentences, and in this the correct usage, as we would expect, parallels exactly the structure of any other 2nd conditional, e.g.

Would you buy a car if you had the money?

and not

*...if you have...

.

Philo, hi! Thanks for your comments. The problem is that I do not detect any condition in your "conditional" sentence. Consequently, as a non-native, non-educated no-body, I cannot accept your argument as true.

 

[Snappy]

I could only find one mention in the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English of this example under 'mind'. "Would you mind if I opened the window?"
Did you make a mistake in your question?

Anyhow, I agree with engee.

Would you mind if I open a window?
I made a mistake. I found the above sentence under "if" in the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English.

 

[svartnik]

Would you mind if I open a window?
I made a mistake. I found the above sentence under "if" in the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English.

spoken used when making a polite request:
I wonder if you could help me.
I'd be grateful if you would send me further details.
Would you mind if I open a window?
If you would just wait for a moment, I'll try to find your papers.

if - Definition from Longman English Dictionary Online

Yes, Snappy, that is correct too and there is no difference between the past and present form versions.

The question remains, which group do you believe?

1. Longman, svartnik, CaliJim, Soup (Casiopeia)
2. eng, Ray, Philo

I suggest that you go along with group #1.

 

[The Joker10]

all of them are correct in the meaning.I mean if you will say that fro any body here he will understand you immediately but the mistake will be in the Garmmar
I think the most correct one is
would you mind if I open the window?
and the answer can be ( yes you can ....or ...not at all*)

 

[engee30]

Yes, Snappy, that is correct too and there is no difference between the past and present form versions.

What if someone said something like this:
Do you mind if I opened the window?

Is this better or worse than Do you mind if I open the window? Or maybe they're interchangeable and mean the same?

 

[svartnik]

What if someone said something like this:
Do you mind if I opened the window?

Although opened the window already, but do you mind?

 

[Dawood Usmani]

"Would you mind if I opened the window?" is found for the usage of the word "mind" in Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English. The dictionary explains that it is spoken and used when making a polite request.
In the same dictionary, "Would you mind if I open a window?" is also found for the usage of the word "mind."
Are these both acceptable and the same in meaning?
"Would you mind if I opened the window?"
"Would you mind if I open the window?"

There are three possible structures.
1- Would you mind opening the window? (They (the listener) will open the window. A very polite request.)
2- Would you mind if I opened the window? (You (yourself) will open the window. Asking for permission very politely.)
3- Do you mind if I open the window? (You (yourself) will open the window. Asking for permission very politely.)
As per the one people have been fighting over in this blog could be acceptable by some people but this isn't considered to be good English, at least where I live. I would only advise that It's safer to avoid that one. :up:

 

[Soup]

You could have saved your time by reading my post #4.

Of course I read your thread. I read all of the contributions. That yours was or wasn't authoritative wasn't of issue nor was it the issue. ;-)

 

[Soup]

Would you mind if I open a window?
I made a mistake. I found the above sentence under "if" in the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English.

It's great to hear that you found the example.

By now I trust you have the answer to your question.

 

[Soup]

What if someone said something like this:
Do you mind if I opened the window?

Is this better or worse than Do you mind if I open the window? Or maybe they're interchangeable and mean the same?

It's not what you'd expect to hear, but analogy plays a large part in language change, so if would / if opened is in the grammar, then do / if opened is probably there too somewhere.

 

[Raymott]

The question remains, which group do you believe?

1. Longman, svartnik, CaliJim, Soup
2. eng, Ray, Philo, dawoodusmani

I suggest that you go along with group #1.
That wouldn't be because you're in it, would it? :-D
Soup only counts for one, and I've added dawoodusmani
It's a courageous move posting this list in support of your argument!

R.