Phrasal verb
call on sb to do sth
Definition
phrasal verb. to ask someone or an organization to do something, usually in a formal or public way.
phrasal verb. to formally request or appeal to a person or entity to perform a specific action; often used in political or institutional contexts.
Examples
“The president called on the citizens to stay calm.”
“Human rights groups have called on the government to change the law immediately.”
“The United Nations has called on all parties to the conflict to observe a permanent ceasefire and allow humanitarian aid to pass.”
Examples
simple
“The president called on the citizens to stay calm.”
contextual
“Human rights groups have called on the government to change the law immediately.”
complex
“The United Nations has called on all parties to the conflict to observe a permanent ceasefire and allow humanitarian aid to pass.”
Usage
usually used in formal news reports or official statements rather than casual conversation.
Teaching tip
contrast with the literal 'call on someone' (to visit) or the classroom sense (to ask a student to answer); this version requires the infinitive 'to do' structure.
Pitfall
They called on the public for help them.
They called on the public to help them.
this specific meaning requires the 'to + infinitive' structure after the object.
Phrasal verb
Particles
on
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
call + on + object + to + do + something