called and asked me or called to ask me

[anewlearner]

(1) He called and asked me if I could attend his birthday party.

(2) He called to ask me if I could attend his birthday party.

Which one is correct? Thanks a lot.

 

[tedmc]

They are both correct.

 

[jutfrank]

2 is better.

 

[GoesStation]

They don't mean exactly the same thing. Number one simply states that one action followed the other. In number two, the call's purpose was to extend an invitation.

 

[Yankee]

Isn't the purpose also expressed in (1)?

 

[jutfrank]

Isn't the purpose also expressed in (1)?

I assume that that is supposed to be the speaker's intention. If so, it's not nearly as clearly expressed as it is in sentence 2. That's why sentence 2 is better.