ask for excuse

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "ask for excuse" is not correct in standard written English.
A more appropriate expression would be "ask for an excuse" or "ask for forgiveness." Example: "I would like to ask for an excuse for my absence from the meeting yesterday."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

60 human-written examples

He didn't ask for an excuse, but I gave him one anyway.

The New Yorker

We humbly ask for no more excuses, and no more delays.

Huffington Post

Mr. Kushner said he was unaware of the promise of damaging information because he did not read the email chain forwarded to him by Donald Trump Jr., titled "Re: Russia - Clinton - private and confidential". He said he arrived at the meeting late and left early, after emailing his assistant asking for an excuse to escape.

The New York Times

Would he assume I was asking for an excuse to sleep in and receive special treatment?

HuffPost

For years perpetrators have been abusing the system by using the "gay panic defense" as an excuse for hurting another human being for simply being who they are, in the same way men have used the "she asked for it" excuse for violence against women.

HuffPost

In other words, instead of asking the question why we had the deviation, why the problem was born, which will cause people to give an explanation and thus excuses, ask for what reason did we have this problem, what can we learn from the problem so it does not get repeated?

HuffPost

"I'm just saying if you have a Twitter name like that on a 'social media' site then expect comments on appearance," another chipped in, not realising that he was echoing the type of arguments given by rape apologists, by those who subscribe to "wear a short skirt and you're asking for it" excuses.

Independent

But he did not respond with a sigh, and he did not lapse into a lecture, and he did not even seize this dastardly claim of Mr. Bush's as an excuse to ask for more speaking time.

The New York Times

This week's events give the various NEO-detection efforts involving NASA, the Japanese Space Agency and several universities around the world a good excuse to ask for more money to expand their search.Other researchers, meanwhile, have been pondering what to do if an asteroid is detected that is indeed on a collision course with Earth.

The Economist

Leff agrees, highlighting that "status alone may not get you the upgrade, but it's an excuse to ask for it".

Huffington Post

Part of the reason your parents don't want to let you do anything they feel even mildly uncomfortable with may be that they're afraid if they let you do one thing, you may use that as an excuse to ask for other privileges.

WikiHow

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When seeking a justification, use the grammatically correct phrase "ask for an excuse" or use alternative phrases like "request an excuse" or "seek a justification".

Common error

Ensure you include the article "an" before "excuse" when using the phrase; omitting it results in grammatically incorrect English. Therefore, always use "ask for an excuse".

Linguistic Context

The phrase, while grammatically incorrect as Ludwig AI points out, attempts to function as a request. It implies a desire for someone to provide a reason to justify an action or absence.

Expression frequency: Missing

Frequent in

Science

0%

News & Media

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Science

0%

News & Media

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Formal & Business

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Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "ask for excuse" is grammatically incorrect. As Ludwig AI confirms, the correct form is "ask for an excuse". Given the lack of instances of this phrase, it's advisable to use the grammatically correct version or semantically similar alternatives such as "request an excuse" or "ask to be excused". This ensures clarity and adherence to standard English grammar.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

request an excuse

Formal phrasing, replacing 'ask' with the more formal 'request'.

seek an excuse

Replaces 'ask' with 'seek', implying a more proactive search for a justification.

request to be excused

Combining a more formal verb with the specification of being excused

request justification

A more direct and formal request for a reason.

ask to be excused

This request implies you are looking to be freed from a task or to leave a situation.

ask for permission to be excused

Specifies that the request is about being relieved of a duty or presence.

ask for a justification

Focuses on the need for a reason or explanation for an action or inaction.

ask for an apology

Shifts the focus from justification to remorse, requiring a statement of regret.

seek exoneration

Implies a desire to be cleared of blame or wrongdoing.

offer an excuse

Presenting a justification instead of asking for one.

FAQs

What is the correct way to say "ask for excuse"?

The correct way to phrase this is "ask for an excuse". The inclusion of the article "an" is grammatically necessary.

What can I say instead of "ask for excuse"?

You can use alternatives like "request an excuse", "seek a justification", or simply "ask to be excused" depending on the context.

Is "ask for excuse" grammatically correct?

No, "ask for excuse" is not grammatically correct. The correct phrasing is "ask for an excuse".

How do I properly "ask for an excuse"?

To properly "ask for an excuse", ensure you use the correct grammatical structure, which is "ask for an excuse". Alternatively, you could "request permission" or provide a "justification" depending on the context.