In professional environments, employees frequently need to request information, ask about project updates, or ask colleagues to complete tasks.
Expressions such as ask for, ask about, and ask someone to are commonly tested on the TOEIC exam and are essential for effective workplace communication.
Dialogue
Emily: Have you asked the logistics team about the updated shipping schedule?
Ryan: Not yet. I was going to ask them after the weekly briefing.
Emily: The client has asked for a revised delivery timeline this morning.
Ryan: In that case, I’ll ask Mark to check the warehouse inventory first.
Emily: Good idea. They might also ask us to submit a progress report.
Ryan: Should I ask for additional documentation from the supplier?
Emily: Yes, please. And ask them to include the customs clearance details.
Ryan: I’ll also ask about the revised invoice.
Emily: Great. Let me know if they ask for any clarification.
Ryan: Will do. I’ll ask them to respond by the end of today.
Vocabulary Boost
| Word / Phrase | IPA | Part of Speech | Meaning | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| logistics | /ləˈdʒɪstɪks/ | noun | supply management | The logistics team will update the shipment status. |
| revised | /rɪˈvaɪzd/ | adj | updated | We need a revised delivery plan. |
| inventory | /ˈɪnvənˌtɔːri/ | noun | stock | Please check the inventory levels. |
| supplier | /səˈplaɪər/ | noun | provider | The supplier will send the documents. |
| documentation | /ˌdɑːkjəmenˈteɪʃən/ | noun | paperwork | Submit the required documentation. |
| clarification | /ˌklærəfɪˈkeɪʃən/ | noun | explanation | They asked for clarification. |
| timeline | /ˈtaɪmlaɪn/ | noun | schedule | Update the project timeline. |
| progress report | — | noun | status report | Submit a progress report. |
| invoice | /ˈɪnvɔɪs/ | noun | billing statement | The invoice will be revised. |
| respond | /rɪˈspɑːnd/ | verb | reply | Please respond by Friday. |
Grammar Points
| Structure | Meaning | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| ask + someone | inquire directly | I will ask the manager. |
| ask about + topic | request information | She asked about the policy. |
| ask for + noun | make a request | They asked for a refund. |
| ask + someone + to V | request action | He asked me to revise it. |
| ask if / whether | check condition | She asked if we agreed. |
📖 Transcript
J: You know, I was looking at my inbox today, and it… uh… it just hit me. Like 90% of my job is just trying to get things from other people.
M: You need a file, or… um… you need an approval.
J: or you just need someone to actually read that email you sent like three days ago.
M: It’s the universal struggle, honestly. And usually, the verb doing all that heavy lifting there is “ask”.
M: But here is the thing, and I see this constantly in my consulting work. If you swap the preposition, even by accident, you might turn a really polite question into a demand.
J: Exactly. One tiny word completely changes the whole vibe. I’m Jason, by the way.
M: And I’m Mary. Welcome to Win in 5 Minutes English. We are here to give your business skills and your TOEIC score a serious boost before you’ve even finished your coffee.
J: So today, we are looking at a classic high-pressure scenario. Logistics. We have two colleagues trying to coordinate a shipment with a client and a supplier. And, well, the clock is ticking. Let’s hear how it goes.
M: And listen closely to how they use the word “ask” here. It pops up in several different forms, and the meaning shifts every single time.
English Dialogue
Emily: Have you asked the logistics team about the updated shipping schedule?
Ryan: Not yet. I was going to ask them after the weekly briefing.
Emily: The client has asked for a revised delivery timeline this morning.
Ryan: In that case, I’ll ask Mark to check the warehouse inventory first.
Emily: Good idea. They might also ask us to submit a progress report.
Ryan: Should I ask for additional documentation from the supplier?
Emily: Yes, please. And ask them to include the customs clearance details.
Ryan: I’ll also ask about the revised invoice.
Emily: Great. Let me know if they ask for any clarification.
Ryan: Will do. I’ll ask them to respond by the end of today.
J: Okay, honestly, just listening to that stresses me out a bit.
M: I know, right? But before we unpack the grammar, let’s look at the business vocabulary, because there is some nuance here that you just won’t find in a standard dictionary.
J: Let’s start with “logistics”. Technically, I mean, it’s managing the flow of goods.
M: Right. But in the corporate world, if someone says it’s a “logistics issue”, it’s usually code for “we have the product, but we have absolutely no idea where the truck is”.
J: It’s the “how” of getting things done. Then we heard the word “revised”. Revised timeline, revised invoice.
M: This one is a crucial keyword. “Revised” is the polite, professional way of acknowledging a change, or let’s be honest, a mistake.
J: Yeah, the first version is rarely the final version in business.
M: If you see a file named “revised”, it essentially means: delete the old one immediately so you don’t mess up.
J: That is just solid life advice. They also mentioned “clarification”.
M: Oh, I love this word. It’s a total power move.
J: How so?
M: Well, instead of saying “I don’t understand”, which makes you sound a bit confused, you “ask for clarification”. It politely shifts the burden right back to the other person to explain it better.
J: Professional confusion. I really like that. Now, let’s get to the core of today’s topic. The word “ask”.
J: It felt like they used it a dozen times, but the meaning shifted constantly depending on what actually came next.
M: It’s a minefield for learners, but an absolute gold mine for TOEIC questions. The first pattern we heard was “ask about”. Emily asked about the shipping schedule.
J: So, “ask about” + a noun.
M: Yes. This is purely information gathering. You’re just inquiring regarding a topic. If I ask about the quarterly report, I just want to know the status. I’m not telling you to hand it to me right this second.
J: But that changes instantly with the next one, right? “Ask for”. The client asked for a timeline.
M: “Ask for” is transactional. It means “give me”. It is a request for transfer.
J: Give us an example.
M: Sure. If you walk into a cafe and ask about the coffee, you’re asking if it’s a dark roast. But if you ask for the coffee, you are actually buying it.
J: That is the key takeaway right there. “About” is discussion, while “for” is literally “give me the thing”.
M: But then we have that management layer. Ryan said he would “ask Mark to check” the inventory.
J: This is where the power dynamic comes in.
M: This is the structure “ask + person + to + verb”. You are not asking a question here at all. You are delegating.
J: You’re instructing someone to complete a task.
M: Right. “Ask him to call me” or “ask them to sign this”. It’s a firm instruction wrapped up in a polite verb.
J: So if you use the wrong structure here, you might accidentally just query someone instead of actually assigning them a task.
M: And finally, there’s just the direct “ask someone”. Like “I’ll ask the manager”. That is just a direct question to a person.
J: Okay, so to recap the hierarchy: “Ask about” is for topics. “Ask for” is when you want to receive something. And “ask someone to” is when you need action taken.
M: If you nail those distinctions, your emails become crystal clear. You stop getting long explanations when you actually just wanted a file attached.
J: And no more accidental demands when you really just wanted a quick chat.
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