Hi all,
Among many verbs, there is one as apparently simple as dubious and devious – I refer to ask. From a Spanish viewpoint, your English ask is grammatically simpler because it expresses several different meanings (pedir, preguntar) in Spanish with one only word –put a question to someone, to request an answer from someone and to demand something from someone.
The core issue for me is to handle the syntax of ask in English. I have thought some examples in Spanish and I have then translated them into English.
Thank you in advance,
Ardent, passionate about English
1. Did they ask you if they asked John more money for his car?
-->to ask somebody something for something ??? Am I correct?
2. This boy only asks his parents for love. He’s so generous.
3. Why do you ask so many times not to be asked about questions of State when precisely by being politicians the normal thing is to be asked about?
4. Can I ask you a favour?
Can I ask a favour of you?
Is too formal or incorrect?
Does it sound good to say:
Can I ask you three favours?
Can a friend of ours ask two favours of us?
Can a friend of ours ask you two favours?
Why?
5.
He asked me about Louise. -->He wanted to know what she is like.
He asked me after Louise. -->He wanted to know what she is like.
Joseph asked for Louise. -->He wanted to speak to her.
Please, do you agree with the wording and the sense I have proposed?
6.You shouldn’t ask us for money.
7.Please ask your brother for some advice.
8.Ask your brother to give some advice.
9.
a) The solicitor asked her client to be allowed to make a telephone call
b) The solicitor asked her client be allowed to make a telephone call.
c) The solicitor asked that her client be allowed to make a telephone call.
d) The solicitor asked that her client should be allowed to make a telephone call.
Are they all correct? Why not? Which one do you use most?
10.
We’re asking Peter one million euros for our house.
-->We’re trying to sell the house to Pedro and the asking price is one million euros.
We’re asking one million euros for our house for our daughter.
-->Here the daughter benefits from our selling our house. She will be endowed by the one million euros.
We’re asking Peter one million euros for our house for our daughter.
-->We’re trying to sell the house to Pedro and the asking price is one million euros. In addition, our daughter benefits from our selling our house.
We’re asking Peter for one million euros for our house for our daughter.
-->We’re trying to sell the house to Pedro and the asking price is one million euros. In addition, our daughter benefits from our selling our house.
asking about "ask" 
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