ask to come

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "ask to come" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when requesting permission or an invitation to attend an event or location. Example: "I would like to ask to come to the meeting if there is still space available."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

46 human-written examples

Looks upset, but he'll never ask to come off.

The New York Times

I didn't ask to come to the UK.

The Guardian - Opinion

Can the VWR rep knock on the door and ask to come in?

Cornell University

It's en route to nowhere and people have to ask to come in.

The Guardian - Books

While some ask to come here, others have to be persuaded.

The New York Times

"They did not ask to come," he said, and "Syria had no reason to ask them to come".

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

14 human-written examples

Witnesses were asked to come forward.

The New Yorker

"Nobody asked to come".

The New York Times

Scotty shouldn't have asked to come in.

The New Yorker

The photographers had been asked to come earlier.

The New York Times

He had already telephoned the team asking to come back.

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When writing formally, consider if alternatives like "request permission to attend" might be more suitable.

Common error

Ensure that the sentence structure clearly conveys who is asking and who is coming. Ambiguous phrasing can lead to misinterpretations. For instance, be sure it's clear whether someone is asking for themself to come or asking for someone else to come.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "ask to come" functions as a verb phrase used to express a request, whether seeking permission to attend or inquiring if someone intends to arrive. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and widespread usage.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

44%

Academia

20%

Wiki

14%

Less common in

Science

14%

Formal & Business

4%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "ask to come" is a common and grammatically correct verb phrase used to request permission, extend invitations, or inquire about someone's arrival. Ludwig AI confirms its validity and usability. While versatile, it is crucial to ensure clarity in sentence structure to avoid ambiguity. Although suitable for many contexts, more formal situations might benefit from stronger alternatives. Occurring frequently in news and media, as well as academic writing, "ask to come" remains a useful phrase for everyday communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

want to come

This alternative is a simpler and more direct expression of the desire.

may I come

This alternative is a direct question seeking permission to come.

request permission to come

This alternative emphasizes the formal act of requesting permission.

seek an invitation to come

This alternative highlights the desire to be invited.

put in a request to come

This alternative emphasizes submitting a formal request.

inquire about coming

This alternative suggests a more exploratory inquiry.

would like to join

Expresses interest in participating or joining an activity.

desire to come

This alternative expresses a wish or longing to arrive.

wish to attend

Focuses on attending an event, rather than simply arriving.

express interest in attending

This alternative focuses on showing one's interest instead of directly asking.

FAQs

How can I use "ask to come" in a sentence?

The phrase "ask to come" is used to express a request for permission or an invitation. For example, "Did they "ask to come" to the party?" or "You should "ask to come" to the meeting."

What's a more formal way to say "ask to come"?

For a more formal tone, you could use "request permission to attend" or "inquire about the possibility of coming" depending on the specific context.

Is it correct to say "asked to come" or should it be "ask to come"?

"Asked to come" is the past tense form, used when referring to a request that has already happened (e.g., "He was "asked to come""). "Ask to come" is the present tense or infinitive form (e.g., "They "ask to come" every week").

What's the difference between "invite to come" and "ask to come"?

"Invite to come" implies offering a formal invitation, while "ask to come" suggests a more general request or inquiry about attending. The nuance changes based on the social context and the level of formality.