relay the question

USAGE SUMMARY

"relay the question" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
You can use it when one person wants to pass along a question to another person. For example, "My boss has a question about the report; can you relay the question to the appropriate department?".

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

"No, no, no," Hultcrantz interrupted, before the translator could relay the question.

The New Yorker

We'd like to relay the question CNET asks at the end of the source article: is the ad-supported music business facing a shake-out?

TechCrunch

A sergeant said that both were out of the office but that he would relay the question to Browne.

Huffington Post

When asked to relay the question she said, "No, nu-uh, we have never heard of a Robert Brownell or Robert Brown".

Vice

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

I relayed the question.

The Guardian - Tech

"Two hours in the marathon?" my friend Telahun* replies, before relaying the question for the others.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Asked why onion prices have risen so much, Mr Jain relays the question to the market.

The Economist

I relayed the question to my other sources and found that the substance varies set-to-set.

The Guardian - Film

After relaying the question, an assistant to Mr. Trump said, "He really doesn't know the man, hasn't had anything to do with him, doesn't have any thoughts on him".

The New York Times

When his friend relayed the question to him he said, "Tennis ball!" as if he were on a game show.

Vice

For example, yesterday I got an email from the PVV relaying the questions put to a government minister by one of the PVV's members of parliament, regarding a scandal over an Amsterdam Muslim-oriented community organisation, Asri, that ran a local get-out-the-vote campaign including the message: "Asri calls on everyone to go vote on March 2. The future, or back to 1939".

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "relay the question" in professional settings, ensure the context is appropriate. If you're speaking to a superior, ensure they know you were asked to pass along a question to give it context.

Common error

Avoid using "relay the question" when you can directly ask the person the question. Direct communication can prevent misunderstandings and establish a clearer communication channel.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "relay the question" functions as a verb phrase where "relay" is the verb indicating the action of passing information (the question) from one person or entity to another. The Ludwig AI confirms its usability.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

75%

Formal & Business

10%

Science

8%

Less common in

Wiki

4%

Encyclopedias

1%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "relay the question" is a grammatically correct and commonly used expression for instructing someone to pass a question to another party. Ludwig AI confirms its proper usage. It's frequently found in news and media, formal business settings, and scientific contexts. While perfectly acceptable, consider the context: in direct communication scenarios, it's often more effective to communicate directly and avoid intermediaries.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

pass along the question

Uses "pass along" instead of "relay", indicating a slightly more informal tone.

forward the question

Replaces "relay" with "forward", suggesting a more direct transmission of the question.

transmit the question

Employs "transmit" for "relay", implying a formal and precise transfer of the question.

communicate the question

Substitutes "relay" with "communicate", focusing on the act of conveying the question.

convey the question

Uses "convey" instead of "relay", highlighting the action of making the question known.

share the question

Replaces "relay" with "share", indicating a collaborative aspect of passing on the question.

ask them the question on my behalf

More verbose alternative that emphasizes asking the question for someone else.

put the question to them

Uses a more formal and direct way of presenting the question to someone.

get the question over to them

This is a less formal option that focuses on the idea of moving the question.

pass the query on

Uses "query" and indicates the transitive passing of the question.

FAQs

How can I use "relay the question" in a sentence?

You can use "relay the question" when you need someone to pass a question on to another person. For example: "Could you please "relay the question" to the manager?"

What can I say instead of "relay the question"?

You can use alternatives like "pass along the question", "forward the question", or "communicate the question" depending on the context.

Is it appropriate to use "relay the question" in formal communication?

Yes, "relay the question" is generally appropriate for formal communication, but alternatives like "transmit the question" might sound more professional in certain contexts.

What's the difference between "relay the question" and "pass the question on"?

"Relay the question" is slightly more formal than "pass the question on". "Pass the question on" is more casual and suitable for informal settings.