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Anonymous Posted 12 years ago
Grammar
about using -ing form in imperative
If you want a haircut would you mind taking off your hat first. Can we use "to take" instead "taking"?
And else, the expression "would you mind..." is it an imperative?
And else, the expression "would you mind..." is it an imperative?
Top answer
Technically, it's interrogative. It's a question, and therefore a more polite way of telling someone to do something. You could also just say Take your hat off, but it would sound rude and condescending.
- Technically, it's interrogative.
- It's a question, and therefore a more polite way of telling someone to do something.
- You could also just say Take your hat off, but it would sound rude and condescending.
- :/
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3 Answers
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Technically, it's interrogative. 
It's a question, and therefore a more polite way of telling someone to do something.
It's a question, and therefore a more polite way of telling someone to do something. 
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Anonymous the expression "would you mind..." is it an imperative?The expression " would you mind..." has nothing to do with imperative mood, and it always takes a gerund. Never infinitive. Would you mind getting some milk for me on your way back?
Imperative mood: Go get some milk for me.
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A quick and dirty rule to form an imperative is to start a sentence with an uninflected verb (take, not taking or to take or taken or takes). It implies that you cannot use any other form including adding the suffix -ing or adding 'to' in front. If you do, then it won't be an imperative anymore. Unless, you are Yoda from star wars: "Take off your hat, you have to."
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