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Hanuman_2000 Posted 21 years ago
Grammar

ask to/ ask of

Hello,

1. A mother asked of her little son.

2. A mother asked to her little son.

What is difference between two?

Thanks.
  

Top answer

' And you need to tell me what she asked, if you use the word 'asked'. Clive

— Clive

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5 Answers

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Hi,

Just say 'She asked her little son ....' And you need to tell me what she asked, if you use the word 'asked'.

Clive
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These are not sentences, just sentence fragments. You'll need more words to make a complete sentence.

I think you want "A mother asked her little son [to help her wash the dishes]", as Clive suggested. "asked to" doesn't work. "asked of" means something different and would not typically be used in that way. "asked of" suggests imposing upon someone in an important way.
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Hello CJ,

Superb explanation. The complete sentence is like this.

"Why can't you be like the Happy Prince?" asked a sensible mother of her little boy who was crying for the moon. "The Happy Prince never dreams of crying for anything."

Could you please explain it also?

Thanks.
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Hello Teachers,

Your thoughts please.

Thanks.
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I think you could use literary analysis. She may "ask of" as "wanting from him to be like the Prince" (maybe the first quoted line "Why can't you... is something between a thought and an active voice).

Sorry for not being so clear, but I am not a native speaker, nor a linguist.

Regards,

RSM
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