ask him to please

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "ask him to please" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when making a request for someone to do something politely. Example: "Could you ask him to please send me the report by the end of the day?"

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

7 human-written examples

I ask him to please hang up.

The New York Times

So we'd ask him to please dip down to get some meat and potatoes from the bottom of the kettle.

The New Yorker

"We ask him to please find someone to follow him," she said, but he says there is no one to replace him.

The New York Times

I barely knew him and I was sitting here for hours composing a three-line email to ask him to please — pretty please — write the foreword.

TechCrunch

Kelley should have Coffman back on the show and ask him to, please, be more specific.

Huffington Post

They ask him to please speed up the process to get them visas; they want him to promise he can help.

Los Angeles Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

53 human-written examples

I asked him to please stop.

The New York Times

I asked him to please pay his bill and leave.

The New York Times

His wife-to-be asked him to please clean out the cellar.

Stanford University

She sent a letter to the state's attorney asking him to please put her away.

The New Yorker

She later responded to Morgan on Twitter, asking him to "please stop being weird".

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "ask him to please", ensure the context is appropriate for a polite but direct request. It's suitable for situations where you have some level of authority or familiarity with the person you're addressing.

Common error

Avoid using "ask him to please" in extremely formal or professional communications. Opt for more sophisticated phrasing such as "I would be grateful if you could request him to" to maintain a higher degree of formality.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "ask him to please" primarily functions as a polite imperative. Ludwig AI shows it's used to request someone to convey a message or perform an action with added courtesy. Examples include asking someone to stop an action or to fulfill a request on your behalf.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

75%

Formal & Business

15%

Science

5%

Less common in

Academia

2%

Wiki

1%

Encyclopedias

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "ask him to please" is a grammatically correct and polite way to make a request. Ludwig AI identifies it as a phrase commonly used in News & Media and less so in academic or highly formal settings. While generally acceptable, it's important to consider the context and audience when choosing this phrase. Alternatives such as "request that he please" or "kindly request him to" may be more appropriate in formal situations. The key is to tailor your language to the specific scenario to ensure effective and respectful communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Request that he please

Slightly alters the sentence structure while maintaining the same level of politeness.

Could you ask him to please

Similar to the previous one, posing the request as a question to soften the tone.

Politely ask him to

Emphasizes the politeness of the request explicitly using "politely".

Would you please ask him to

Frames the request as a question, adding an extra layer of politeness.

Ask him nicely to

Replaces "please" with "nicely", focusing on the manner of asking.

Kindly request him to

Replaces "ask" with a more formal "request" and "please" with "kindly", increasing formality.

Ask him if he would please

Adds a conditional "if he would" to make the request more tentative.

Request him to do so

A more concise and formal version, omitting "please" but implying politeness.

Ask him to be so kind as to

Introduces a more formal and elaborate way of expressing politeness.

I would appreciate it if you asked him to

Expresses the speaker's appreciation in advance, making the request more indirect.

FAQs

How can I rephrase "ask him to please" to sound more formal?

For a more formal tone, consider using phrases like "kindly request him to", "I would be grateful if you could request him to", or "request that he please".

Is it ever inappropriate to use "ask him to please"?

While generally polite, "ask him to please" might be too direct for highly formal situations. In those cases, using indirect requests or more formal phrasing is advisable.

What's a more casual alternative to "ask him to please"?

In informal settings, you can use simpler phrases like "tell him to", or simply "can you ask him to" without the "please".

How does using "ask him to please" affect the tone of a request?

Adding "please" softens the request, making it more polite and less demanding. It indicates respect for the other person's autonomy and willingness to comply.