Touchstone 2nd Edition Language summary Level 2

Unit 8 Lesson C: Do you mind . . . ?

Vocabulary
Food and eating
chop (onions)
help with the dishes
set the table
turn on the oven

(v)
(v)
(v)
(v)

picar
ayuda con los platos
pon la mesa

Other words
(antique) table
borrow
charge my phone
install software

(n)
(v)
(v)
(v)

mesa
pedir prestado
cargar mi celular
instalar softwere

Conversation strategies
Asking politely
Sometimes you need to ask to do something or ask someone to do something.
You can use Do you mind if + subject + verb . . . ? to ask permission to do something:
Do you mind if I look around? ( = Can I look around?)
You can use Would you mind + verb + -ing . . . ? to ask someone to do something:
Would you mind helping me in the kitchen? ( = Can you help me?)
You can use No to agree to requests with Do you mind if . . . ? and Would you mind + verb
+ -ing . . . ?:
A Do you mind if I look around?
B No, go ahead.
A Would you mind helping me in the kitchen?
B No, not at all.

Cambridge University Press 2014

Unit 8, Lesson C, Page 1

Touchstone 2nd Edition Language summary Level 2

In both examples, No means "I don't mind. It's not a problem."

Agreeing to requests
You can use Yes or No to agree to requests.
Use Yes to agree to requests with Can and Could:
A Can I look around?
B Yes. / Sure. / Go (right) ahead.
A Could you chop the onions?
B Yes. / Sure. / OK. / No problem.

Use No to agree to requests with mind:

A Do you mind if I look around?
B No, go (right) ahead. / No, not at all.
A Would you mind helping me in the kitchen?
B No, not at all. / Oh, no. No problem. Im happy to help.

Cambridge University Press 2014

Unit 8, Lesson C, Page 2