please ask him

USAGE SUMMARY

'please ask him' is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
You can use it when asking someone else to ask a third person to do something. For example, "Can you please ask him to pick up milk from the grocery store?".

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

10 human-written examples

So please ask him a question!

The Guardian - Books

Please ask him oh, if he does not see marriage in the future then you better look elsewhere; nobody is getting any younger.

The New Yorker

So please ask him, and me, anything you'd like (anything civil and constructive, of course) and we'll incorporate you into our chat today.

The New York Times

But please ask him to also investigate climate sceptics, whose claims have repeatedly been shown to rest on misrepresentations of the evidence.

The Guardian

Please ask him, how do you liberate people by killing them?" One man in a green hospital smock, apparently despairing at the sight of newly arriving dead and wounded, threw a punch at a French photographer, striking her only lightly but unbalancing himself and falling to the ground.

The New York Times

Despite his anger at the Guardian's view point on the protest, his comments appear to betray a sense that it is OK for the protesters to be beaten if they do not conform to exactly the rules laid out by the police... Could you please ask him for a comment on this? 4.09pm: Here's a chaotic video of mounted police charging.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

49 human-written examples

Please ask them to donate $50,000".

The New York Times

Please ask them in the comment box below.

The New York Times

"Can you please ask her?" Ronda said.

Huffington Post

Tonight, when you hit your knees, please ask God to love him".

The New York Times - Sports

You don't have to say, "Please please ask for my phone number!" for him to get the picture.

WikiHow

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "please ask him", ensure the context is clear about who should be asking and who is being asked. Misunderstandings can arise if the roles are ambiguous.

Common error

Avoid using "please ask him" when direct communication is possible. Instead of asking someone to ask him, directly address the person you want information from to avoid unnecessary steps.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "please ask him" functions as an imperative, directing someone to perform the action of asking a third party a question or for assistance. Ludwig AI confirms its usability in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

53%

Wiki

20%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Science

10%

Reference

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "please ask him" is a grammatically sound and commonly used imperative phrase for delegating a request through an intermediary. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage. It maintains a neutral to polite register, making it suitable for various contexts, especially in news and media. When employing this phrase, ensure clarity in roles and avoid redundancy by opting for direct communication when feasible.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

kindly request him

Replaces "please" with "kindly" and "ask" with "request", increasing the formality.

would you ask him

Transforms the request into a question, softening the imperative tone.

could you please inquire with him

Substitutes "ask" with "inquire with", adding a layer of professional distance.

ask him on my behalf

Specifies that the request is being made through an intermediary.

pass my question to him

Focuses on the transmission of a specific question.

get him to answer this

Shifts the focus to obtaining a response from the third party.

can you find out from him

Emphasizes the act of gathering information through the third party.

tell him to explain

Directs the intermediary to instruct the third party to provide an explanation.

relay my query to him

Formal alternative focusing on the transmission of a query.

have him address this

Places responsibility on the third party to resolve a particular issue.

FAQs

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

For a more formal tone, you might say "kindly request him to" or "would you be so kind as to inquire with him". These alternatives add a level of politeness and professionalism.

What are some informal alternatives to "please ask him"?

Informally, you could say "can you ask him?" or "ask him for me". These options are more casual and suitable for friendly conversations.

Is "please ask him" grammatically correct?

Yes, "please ask him" is grammatically correct. It is an imperative sentence where "ask" is the verb and "him" is the object, modified by the polite interjection "please".

When should I use "please ask him" instead of directly contacting the person?

Use "please ask him" when you need an intermediary to relay a message, perhaps due to access limitations, protocol, or when the intermediary has a better relationship with the person. If a direct approach is possible, that's usually the better approach.