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MUSCOVITE Posted 14 years ago
Grammar

unusual grammar?

Hi,

I am only familiar with the construct "to ask sb a question" .... what do you think of the following sentence?

We asked that question to hundreds of our listeners around the world - what do you think abour when you think about Britain?

(it's taken from a British Council podcast transcript)

Is that correct grammar, "to ask a question to sb"?

Thank you!

mus-te
  

Top answer

To ask a question "to" somebody is not natural. The usual form is: We asked that question of hundreds of our listeners around the world - what do you think abou t when you think about Britain? or We put that question to hundreds of our listeners around the world - what do you think abou t when you think about Britain?

— BillJ

  • To ask a question "to" somebody is not natural.
  • The usual form is: We asked that question of hundreds of our listeners around the world - what do you think abou t when you think about Britain?
  • or We put that question to hundreds of our listeners around the world - what do you think abou t when you think about Britain?
  • BillJ
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4 Answers
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To ask a question "to" somebody is not natural. The usual form is:

We asked that question of hundreds of our listeners around the world - what do you think about when you think about Britain?

or

We put that question to hundreds of our listeners around the world - what do you think abou
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Thank you for the prompt reply!

(I'd like to add here that it was no typo. The transcript is consistent with the audio ... I can hear the presenter say 'to' very distinctly. Can it be just another BrEng v AmEng difference? )
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MUSCOVITE(I'd like to add here that it was no typo. The transcript is consistent with the audio ... I can hear the presenter say 'to' very distinctly. Can it be just another BrEng v AmEng difference? )
Possibly. But to be frank, I don't like the sentence at all, anyway. To say what do you think about when you think about
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BillJWhat comes to mind when you think about Britain?
I see.... it's indeed a very nice alternative to the original version!
Thanks again!
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