ask
- 01 A1 Beginner
v.to say something to get an answer or information.
v.to utter or address a question to someone in order to elicit information.
Simple“If you don't know the way to the station, just ask a local.”
In context“The journalist asked the minister several pointed questions regarding the sudden shift in fiscal policy during the press conference.”
- 02 A1 Beginner
v.to tell someone you want something or want them to do something.
v.to make a request or petition for an object, service, or favour.
Simple“I had to ask my boss for a day off to go to the dentist.”
In context“The charity asked for donations to support the families affected by the recent flooding in the valley.”
- 03 A2 Elementary
v.to invite someone to an event or to your home.
v.to invite someone to a social occasion or to a specific location.
Simple“They decided to ask all their neighbours to the garden party.”
In context“She was hesitant to ask her colleagues to the wedding, fearing it might blur the lines between her professional and private life.”
- 04 B1 Intermediate
v.to say what price you want for something you are selling.
v.to expect or state a specific sum as a price for goods or services.
Simple“They are asking five hundred dollars a month for the small room.”
In context“The gallery is asking a significant premium for the sculpture, citing its provenance and the artist's recent rise in popularity.”
- 05 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a request or something that you want someone to do.
n.a request or a task required of someone, often used to describe the difficulty of the demand.
Simple“Finishing the whole project by tomorrow is a big ask.”
In context“Expecting the team to double their output without additional resources was a massive ask that led to significant burnout.”
Synonyms - 06 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a message or question sent to someone on a social media blog.
n.an inquiry or message submitted to a user's profile on a social networking platform, typically for public response.
Simple“She spent the evening answering anonymous asks on her blog.”
In context“The influencer's inbox was flooded with asks regarding her skincare routine following the viral video.”
The verb is transitive; when requesting an object, it typically takes the preposition 'for' ('ask for a glass of water').
ask vs ask for — Ask is for questions and information; ask for is for requesting a physical object or a specific action.
Ask is a transitive verb and does not require the preposition 'to' before the person being addressed.
Usage ask yourself · ask questions · ask for your permission