Preposition

Question

Which preposition is correct in the given sentence?I will ask a question from or to my tutor

Mister Micawber · Accepted Answer

Neither.

I will ask a question of my tutor.

CalifJim · Answer

AnonymousI will ask a question from or to my tutor

I wouldn't use a preposition. Try it this way: I will ask my tutor a question.

CJ

Abil · Answer

Mister MicawberNeither.

I will ask a question of my tutor.

I fail to understand why the use of preposition "from" wrong in the original sentenc. MM, would you please explain the rule in this context?

Ahmedali111 · Answer

You cannot impose rules on any language; Grammar is drived from language(as general rules)

Abil · Answer

Ahmedali111You cannot impose rules on any language; Grammar is drived from language(as general rules)

Sorry, no one is talking about imposing rule here. Of course it is a common knowledge that language came first and then came the grammar rules.

I just wanted to know why "ask a question from someone" is wrong because the phrase "ask a question from" has found 623 hits on google book search.

Mister Micawber · Answer

That is right. There is no rule; there is simply no definition of 'from' that fits your sentence. The word is meaningless in that position.

That small number of Google hits indicates mistaken use (much as your sentence is) or differently structured sentences. If you would like to post links to some you think reliable, I will debunk them for you.

Kooyeen · Answer

CalifJimI wouldn't use a preposition. Try it this way: I will ask my tutor a question.

The verb "to ask" is weird. As a non-native speaker, I am likely to use the structure "ask something to somebody" by mistake, because it "looks like" it makes sense, I mean, why not? It's similar to a lot of other structures. But some time ago I realized my dictionaries don't mention that structure, and so I have tried to remember only using "ask somebody something"... which is difficult to remember all the time though, especially when "someone" turns out to be a pretty long noun phrase... and then I'm stuck.
Maybe in those cases the right preposition is really "of", as MM said. I had never heard of "of" used that way, except when "ask" means "demand" or "expect": You might be asking too much of them.

Cool Breeze · Answer

KooyeenMaybe in those cases the right preposition is really "of", as MM said. I had never heard of "of" used that way, except when "ask" means "demand" or "expect": You might be asking too much of them.

Hi all

This quotation is from one of my books:
"It is asking too much of people, to expect them to forgo all the small luxuries to which they have been accustomed.

The of construction is used most frequently when ask means 'make a demand upon', but it can also be used when ask means 'put a question'.

She asked the same question of everyone in turn."

So, at least some people consider ask + object + of + person correct even when ask doesn't mean 'make a demand upon'.

CB

CalifJim · Answer

AbilI just wanted to know why "ask a question from someone" is wrong because the phrase "ask a question from" has found 623 hits on google book search.

Yes, of course you can get hits on that phrase because it's possible to use it. But it doesn't have the meaning you are interested in because the words following from do not indicate the person being addressed.

Ask a question from the list provided in your study guide.

Surely you are not going to address the question to the list in the guide. The study guide certainly cannot answer you. from indicates the source from which you choose the question.

The journalist asked a question from an Iranian.

The journalist did not address the Iranian. Rather, he got the question from an Iranian who wanted to ask that question. He addressed the Iranian's question to someone else. The Iranian was the source of the question, not the person who was expected to answer the question.

I would like to ask a question from my own point of view.

I am not going to address the question to my point of view. What would that even mean? My point of view can't answer a question. from my own point of view just tells the metaphoric location that my question comes from -- its source.

You will even get a hit on this:

When users select "Ask a question" from the drop-down list on the home page, they are linked to an informational page.

Obviously this has nothing to do with addressing a question to a drop-down list and expecting that list to answer your question.

Conclusion:
If you ask a question from your tutor, you are asking somebody else a question that your tutor wanted you to ask. That is not what you wanted to say.

CJ

Abil · Answer

Now it is clear. I have got the point and understood why I fail to understand. Thank you all so much.

Preposition

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