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Anonymous Posted 19 years ago
Why does this grate so much when I read it?
Where I work it seems to be a convention to use the term "I have been requested to respond…" in correspondence. Whenever I read this it sets my teeth on edge. To me it just looks and sounds wrong, wrong, wrong, but if someone asked me why I couldn't explain in grammatical terms why I believe that's so.
It seems to me though that the person of whom the request is made has not been requested, but has been asked, and that the word 'requested' can only be applied to describe the action of the person who makes the request, not the person of whom the request has been made. That is, he makes a request of me, but I have been asked.
Consequently I always use the form " I have been asked to respond…" instead of "I have been requested to respond…" and while it looks and sounds much better to me I wonder if one form is grammatically more correct.
Anyone have any thoughts?
Thanks in anticipation
Anno
Grammar
Requested vs asked
Why does this grate so much when I read it?
Where I work it seems to be a convention to use the term "I have been requested to respond…" in correspondence. Whenever I read this it sets my teeth on edge. To me it just looks and sounds wrong, wrong, wrong, but if someone asked me why I couldn't explain in grammatical terms why I believe that's so.
It seems to me though that the person of whom the request is made has not been requested, but has been asked, and that the word 'requested' can only be applied to describe the action of the person who makes the request, not the person of whom the request has been made. That is, he makes a request of me, but I have been asked.
Consequently I always use the form " I have been asked to respond…" instead of "I have been requested to respond…" and while it looks and sounds much better to me I wonder if one form is grammatically more correct.
Anyone have any thoughts?
Thanks in anticipation
Anno
Top answer
Hello Anno, Ask and request are synonyms, and can be used interchangeably, with request carrying a slighly more formal feel. 50/dictionary/ask I have no idea why you have an aversion to "requested" but it's really no problem to replace it with asked . But it would be wrong to believe that others who do use this form are making a mistake of any kind.
- Hello Anno, Ask and request are synonyms, and can be used interchangeably, with request carrying a slighly more formal feel.
- 50/dictionary/ask I have no idea why you have an aversion to "requested" but it's really no problem to replace it with asked .
- But it would be wrong to believe that others who do use this form are making a mistake of any kind.
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8 Answers
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Hello Anno,
Ask and request are synonyms, and can be used interchangeably, with request carrying a slighly more formal feel.
Take a look at this: http://209.161.33.50/dictionary/ask
I
Ask and request are synonyms, and can be used interchangeably, with request carrying a slighly more formal feel.
Take a look at this: http://209.161.33.50/dictionary/ask
I
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Hi Grammar Geek
Many thanks for your speedy, clear and succinct response, but I'm not quiteconvinced. I had a look in a couple of online dictionaries before I posted here but I didn't think definitions were enough to settle it conclusively. I understand that 'request' and 'ask' are synonyms (and actually I do like the word 'request', in its place
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If someone asks me to respond, I have been asked to respond.
If some requests me to respond, I have been requested to respond.
...requests me to ...???
???!!!Don't request me to help you because I don't have time just now.
It sounds odd to me too.
Yet there are 1,180,000 hits on Google for asks me to, but only 16,300 for re
If some requests me to respond, I have been requested to respond.
...requests me to ...???
???!!!Don't request me to help you because I don't have time just now.
It sounds odd to me too.
Yet there are 1,180,000 hits on Google for asks me to, but only 16,300 for re
00
You're right, Peter has asked me to help him find a hotel room, vs. Peter has requested of me that I help him find a hotel room. *Peter requested me to find him a hotel room sound quite odd to my ears too.
But in terms of the usage "I have been requested to ..." there is absolutely NO reason to say it is incorrect.
But in terms of the usage "I have been requested to ..." there is absolutely NO reason to say it is incorrect.
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I was taught that, by convention in Canada, we "ask a person", and we "request a favour". I cannot cite any sources to support this convention, alas.
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Hi,
I live in Canada too, and I'm not aware of any such convention.
Clive
I live in Canada too, and I'm not aware of any such convention.
Clive
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I know this is an old post but it is EXACTLY what I was looking for.
You’re not alone, it drives me batty. But you captured very well what I’ve been trying to artucluate for a long time.
Maybe part of why it’sounds so wrong Wrong WRONG! is that one definition of “requested” is “asked for”, so:
You’re not alone, it drives me batty. But you captured very well what I’ve been trying to artucluate for a long time.
Maybe part of why it’sounds so wrong Wrong WRONG! is that one definition of “requested” is “asked for”, so:
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My rule of thumb is this: Ask a person, request a thing. Thus: "I asked you to bring the pizza" but "I requested pizza" If I had said "I asked for pizza" the "you" is understood --- the full sentence would be "I asked you for pizza"
Zippy: Appellate Attorney.
Zippy: Appellate Attorney.
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