Meaning
to request that someone do something
Primary Function
makes a polite request or instruction
Communicative Purpose
to seek assistance, cooperation, or compliance from another person
Pattern
ask; to
Core Structure
ask; to
Função primária
makes a polite request or instruction
Propósito comunicativo
to seek assistance, cooperation, or compliance from another person
Situações de gatilho
when delegating tasks, asking for favours, giving formal instructions
Contextos
everyday conversation, professional settings, service interactions
Padrão
ask; to
Estrutura central
ask; to
Slots de substituição
someone to help; the team to submit reports
Colocados típicos
- politely
- kindly
- would like to
- could I
- forced to ask someone to
Substituições comuns
- request someone to do (formal)
- tell someone to do (instruction)
Erros comuns
using *ask to someone do; using *ask someone for do
Similar / contraste
request someone to, tell someone to, beg someone to
Interferências
common structure across many languages; learners may over‑generalize the pattern in other contexts
Família do chunk
- tell to
- order to
- beg to
- request to
Nuance
'ask someone to do' conveys a polite request and is suitable for most social registers, whereas 'tell someone to do' can sound more direct or directive.
Efeito pragmático
creates a collaborative tone that invites cooperation without appearing aggressive.
Dica de memória
I asked him to call me back.
Nota
The chunk 'ask someone to do something' is a versatile phrase used to make polite requests or instructions in various contexts.
Upgrade path
use ‘request that someone do’ for extreme formality
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