ask
part of speech
verb (ask, asks, asked, asking); noun (a big ask — slang: a hard thing to request)
meaning for a pupil
1) To ask is to say a question so that you get an answer. tree →
2) To ask is to say that you want something: ask for help. tree →
3) To ask someone to do something is to tell them politely that you want it done. tree →
4) To ask someone to a party is to invite them. tree →
5) To ask a price is to say how much you want for something: they ask 5 dollars for it. tree →
6) (casual, UK, Australia) «A big ask» is something hard to expect: winning every game is a big ask. tree →
7) (casual) «Don't ask» means the story is too bad or long to tell; «you asked for it» means it is your own fault. tree →
8) (formal) The exam voice says «enquire», «request», «determine», «state» where a child would say «ask» or «find». tree →
sense in the lessons
what a question is really looking for («The question asks how many are left»); in class «ask the teacher», «ask a question», «put up your hand to ask»; in safety «ask a grown-up first», «ask for help»; in stories «asks for 3 more» is a request; phrases: ask for, ask around, ask out (ask on a date); in casual talk «don't ask», «you asked for it», «a big ask», «I'm only asking»; in the exam voice «Candidates are required to determine …», «enquire», «request»
examples
- «How many more … than» and «how many fewer … than» both ask for the difference: subtract. tree →
- The question asks how many sweets are left. tree →
- Sara asks her mum for 3 more beads. tree →
- Can I ask you a question? tree →
- If you get lost, ask a police officer for help. tree →
- Mum asked me to tidy my room. tree →
- Ben asked six friends to his birthday party. tree →
- Always ask before you borrow something. tree →
- «How was the trip?» «Don't ask. The car broke down twice.» tree →
- You poked the cat, so you asked for it. tree →
- 20 laps before lunch? That's a big ask. tree →
- Candidates are requested to state the number of beads in Sara's possession subsequent to her mother's provision of 3 further beads. tree →
- "Who's there?" asked the old lady. tree →
note
Look at what the question asks, not at single words: «more» can ask for a difference. Trap: in a story «asks for 3 more» is a request, not yet a change; only «gets 3 more» changes the count. «Don't ask» is not a question to answer; it means the speaker had a bad time. Past form «asked». «ask someone something» and «ask for something». «enquire» and «request» are the formal words; «determine» and «state» in an exam mean «work out» and «write the answer».
In the corpora
- A job interview is a meeting where an employer asks questions to decide whom to hire; several people usually compete for one job.
- A pay rise is an increase in pay; some come each year, others have to be asked for.
- A picket line is striking workers standing outside their workplace with signs, peacefully asking others not to go in.
- Sorting it is the grown-ups' job, not the child's, and asking for help early is the sensible move.
- A text saying a parcel is held and asking for a small payment is a common scam to steal bank details.
Trees and pragmatics
Every meaning and example of «ask» parsed by Mova, each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.