Choose the alternative that best improves the bracketed part of the sentence. In case no improvement is needed, select no improvement. Would you mind (to carrying) this bag for me?

Introduction / Context:

Questions that test improvement of sentences often focus on fixed grammatical patterns with particular verbs or expressions. The structure would you mind is a polite way of making a request in English. It is followed by a gerund form of a verb, not by an infinitive with to. Recognising which form naturally follows would you mind is the key to answering this item correctly.

Given Data / Assumptions:

- The sentence is: Would you mind (to carrying) this bag for me?

- The options are to carry, carrying, carry, and no improvement.

- The bracketed phrase to carrying is clearly awkward and ungrammatical.

- We assume the sentence aims to be a polite request addressed to another person.

Concept / Approach:

After the expression would you mind, the correct pattern is would you mind plus verb plus ing, such as would you mind opening the window. This means the suitable form here is carrying. Using to plus base verb or bare base verb without ing is not accepted in this structure. Therefore, among the options, carrying is the only one that fits English usage rules.

Step-by-Step Solution:

Verification / Alternative check:

Rewrite the sentence with each option and see which one sounds natural. Would you mind carrying this bag for me is a familiar and grammatically correct request. Would you mind to carry this bag for me sounds foreign and incorrect in standard English. Would you mind carry this bag for me is also wrong because the verb needs the ing form. Therefore, only carrying passes this naturalness test and respects the rule for this expression.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

To carry is wrong because would you mind is not followed by an infinitive with to. Carry is wrong because it is missing the ing ending that is required after would you mind. No improvement is wrong because the original phrase to carrying is a mixture of patterns and does not occur in accepted English grammar. Thus, all these options fail to match the fixed idiomatic structure.

Common Pitfalls:

Many learners confuse would you mind with would you like, since would you like is often followed by to plus base verb. Mixing up these two patterns leads to errors like would you mind to help me. To avoid such problems, it is helpful to memorise entire chunks such as would you mind plus verb plus ing and to practice them in short dialogues until they become automatic.

Final Answer:

The bracketed part should be replaced with carrying, so the correct sentence is Would you mind carrying this bag for me?