asked
- 01 A1 Beginner
v.the past form of 'ask' used when you wanted to know something.
v.the past tense of 'ask' used to indicate a prior inquiry or request for information.
Simple“I asked the teacher for help with the difficult math problem.”
In context“The journalist asked several probing questions during the press conference, but the spokesperson refused to provide a direct answer.”
PitfallShe asked to me where the station was. She asked me where the station was.The verb 'ask' is followed directly by the person being questioned; do not use the preposition 'to'.
Synonyms - 02 A2 Elementary
v.the past form of 'ask' used when you invited someone to an event.
v.the past tense of 'ask' used to denote a prior invitation to a social gathering or event.
Simple“They asked us to their wedding, but we were already busy that weekend.”
In context“The hosts asked several prominent local artists to the gallery opening to ensure the event received sufficient media coverage.”
- 03 C2 Proficiency
adj.a slang word used to say you are willing to do something or can be bothered to try.
adj.a dialectal variant of 'arsed', used in negative constructions to indicate a lack of motivation or willingness to perform a task.
Simple“I couldn't be asked to cook dinner, so I just ordered a pizza.”
In context“He admitted he couldn't be asked to finish the report on a Friday afternoon, preferring to leave it for Monday morning.”
UsageAlmost always used in the negative phrase 'couldn't be asked'.
Teacher's tipThis is a polite euphemism for 'couldn't be arsed' in British English; it is very informal and should be avoided in professional writing.
Usage asked people · asked to contact · asked to leave
From the close pronunciation to arsed in Received Pronunciation.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.