Meaning & use
ask
Last updated
Meanings
verbtransitive or intransitive
To say something to a person to get information or an answer.
Grammar: Often takes the person directly: ask her a question, ask about the price.
Patterns
- ask someone something
- ask about something
- ask if/whether
Can I ask you a question?
She asked about the train times.
He asked whether the shop was open.
verbtransitive or intransitive
To request that someone gives you something or does something.
Grammar: Patterns include ask for something and ask someone to do something.
Patterns
- ask for something
- ask someone to do something
- ask someone for something
I asked my neighbor to water the plants.
He asked for a glass of water.
She asked her boss for a day off.
verbtransitive
To invite someone to come or take part in something.
Grammar: Often with out, over or to: ask someone to dinner.
Patterns
- ask someone to something
- ask someone over
They asked us to dinner on Friday.
He asked her out.
We asked the neighbors over for coffee.
verbtransitive
To expect or demand something as a price or condition.
Grammar: Often with a price: ask a high price.
Patterns
- ask something for something
- ask too much of someone
The seller is asking $500 for the bike.
You are asking too much of the new staff.
How much are they asking?
Word forms
| third person singular | asks |
|---|---|
| past tense | asked |
| past participle | asked |
| -ing form | asking |
Common combinations
- ask a question
- Please ask a question if you are unsure.
- ask for help
- Never be afraid to ask for help.
- ask for advice
- He asked for advice about colleges.
- ask around
- I will ask around for a good plumber.
- ask someone out
- He asked her out on a date.
Synonyms and how they differ
- inquire
- Inquire is more formal and suggests seeking information.
- request
- Request is more formal and polite, for asking for something to be done.
- question
- Question means to ask many things, often seriously, as in police questioning.
- demand
- Demand is much stronger and implies you expect it to be done.
Opposites
Word family
- asker noun
- a person who asks
- asking noun
- the act of asking, as in asking price
Commonly confused: ask or ask vs tell?
ask vs ask vs tell
Ask seeks information or help; tell gives information. You ask a question but tell a story.
Practice
Which sentence is correct?
Choose one answer.
Ask takes the person directly before the thing: ask me a question. To, for and at are wrong.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “ask”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.