Phrasal verb
ask about
Definition
phrasal verb. to request information or news about someone or something.
phrasal verb. to inquire regarding a specific subject, person, or situation; functions as an intransitive verb followed by a prepositional object.
Examples
“I called to ask about the job opening.”
“When I saw Sarah, she didn't forget to ask about your new apartment.”
“The investigators began to ask about his whereabouts on the night the documents went missing from the office.”
Examples
simple
“I called to ask about the job opening.”
contextual
“When I saw Sarah, she didn't forget to ask about your new apartment.”
complex
“The investigators began to ask about his whereabouts on the night the documents went missing from the office.”
Usage
the object is usually the topic of the inquiry or a person's well-being.
Teaching tip
contrast with 'ask for' (requesting a thing) versus 'ask about' (requesting information); this is a high-frequency combination for basic social interaction.
Pitfall
He asked about to me.
He asked me about it.
the person being questioned is the direct object, while the topic follows 'about'.
Phrasal verb
Particles
about
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
ask (+ person) + about + object
Synonyms
Antonyms
Grammar
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/ask-about