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Question

to ask for ... to infinitiveto ask ... to infinitiveWhat is the difference between the two?

Fivejedjon · Accepted Answer

Please give some examples of sentences that have puzzled you.

Delenda · Answer

HI!

For example, Michael Swan (practical English usage) says that infinitive structures after ask are used in this way:

Ask + infinitive

I asked to go home ( I asked permission to go home)

Ask + object + infinitive

I asked John to go home (I told John I would like him to go home)

Ask + object + - for + infinitve

I asked for the children to have extra milk.

I asked for the parcel to be sent to my home address.

He did not put any information in parentheses in the last 2 examples above, which led me to believe that perhaps Ask + object + infinitive and Ask + object + - for + infinitve mean the same thing. However, I do see a possible difference. Let me tell you how I figure it might be.

I asked for the children to have extra milk: 1. I told the children to have extra milk (to, me, this the same thing as "I ask the children to have extra milk") 2. I told someone (maybe at shool) to give my children extra milk (if there is a differece, this is the only one I can think of)

I asked for the parcel to be sent to my home address: it is clear that I asked the parcel would not make sense but if i changed it into the active I would not know which structure to use (I asked someone to send the parcel.../ I asked for someone to send the parcel...)

Could you help me with this?

Fivejedjon · Answer

I asked for the children to have extra milk: I asked someone if my children could have extra milk.

I asked for the parcel to be sent to my home address: I asked someone if the parcel could be sent to my home address.

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