ask briefly

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "ask briefly" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you want to request someone to provide information or answer a question in a concise manner. Example: "During the meeting, I would like to ask briefly about the project's progress."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

60 human-written examples

Littering his conversation with Gaza slang, he asked briefly about Hamada's medical condition.

The Guardian

The following day the inquiry will hear from Harding, who is expected to be asked, briefly, about alleged computer hacking by a former reporter on the paper.

The Guardian

Asked briefly whether the affair with Mrs Broadwell had affected his handling of the Benghazi affair, Gen Petraeus said no.

BBC

Asked briefly about the Arab Spring and his UN trip, the prime minister then faced questions about the composer of Rule Britannia, guessing incorrectly at Edward Elgar.

BBC

Asked briefly about climate change they all rejected regulatory (or any) action to keep fossil fuel-fired disaster in check, some arguing that you can't really know what's going on.

Huffington Post

I ask him briefly about the busking licenses recently brought in by Camden Council.

Vice

Writer asks and briefly answers thirteen questions about nuclear weapons and arms control.

The New Yorker

Cameron or Brown, I asked, sat briefly beside the new knight on the plane back to London.

The Guardian

"The feeling was very fluid," said Ms. Lin, who was the most enthusiastic of five people that The New York Times asked to briefly try Windows 8 last week.

The New York Times - Tech

In a question and answer style document, he was asked: "State briefly your reasons for saying that the respondent has committed the adultery alleged".

Independent

In a question-and-answer style divorce paper Mrs Wood, of Kingston Hill, Kingston upon Thames, Surrey, who has her own range of organic beauty products, is asked: "State briefly your reasons for saying that the respondent has committed the adultery alleged".

Independent

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "ask briefly", ensure the context implies the need for a concise answer, saving time and focusing on essentials.

Common error

Avoid using "ask briefly" in highly formal or academic writing. Opt for more sophisticated alternatives like "inquire concisely" or "request a succinct explanation" to maintain a professional tone.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "ask briefly" is to act as a verb phrase, where "ask" is the main verb and "briefly" is an adverb modifying the verb, indicating the manner in which the asking should be done. Since there are no examples, the analysis is based on general linguistic principles.

Expression frequency: Missing

Frequent in

Science

0%

News & Media

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Science

0%

News & Media

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "ask briefly" is a grammatically correct way to request concise information, although it lacks direct examples within Ludwig's database. Ludwig AI indicates that it is a valid construction. While generally neutral, it's important to consider context; for formal settings, alternatives like "inquire concisely" might be more appropriate. The absence of examples suggests that this phrase is not particularly common in published writing, but the linguistic analysis highlights its clear function and purpose in communication. Further research in specialized corpora may provide more specific insights.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

inquire concisely

Replaces "ask" with a more formal synonym and "briefly" with a similar adverb.

question succinctly

Substitutes both words with near-synonyms to emphasize brevity.

request a short answer

Rephrases the request to focus on the type of response desired.

prompt for a quick response

Emphasizes speed in the reply.

seek a brief explanation

Shifts the focus to obtaining a short explanation.

elicit a concise reply

Uses more formal language to convey a request for brevity.

solicit a short response

Similar to 'elicit', but slightly less formal.

get a quick rundown

More informal, implying a request for a summary.

get to the point

An imperative suggesting directness and brevity.

summarize quickly

Requests a rapid summarization of information.

FAQs

How can I use "ask briefly" in a sentence?

You can use "ask briefly" when you want someone to answer a question quickly and concisely. For example, "I'd like to ask briefly about your experience with this software."

What can I say instead of "ask briefly"?

You can use alternatives like "inquire concisely", "question succinctly", or "request a short answer" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "ask briefly" or "briefly ask"?

Both phrases are grammatically correct, but "ask briefly" is more common and sounds more natural. The alternative "briefly ask" may be less frequently used.

When is it appropriate to use "ask briefly"?

It's appropriate to use "ask briefly" when you need a quick and concise answer, especially in situations where time is limited or a detailed explanation isn't necessary.