“Ask help” or “ask for help”: which is correct?
The short answer
The correct phrase is ask for help, which includes the preposition for to link the verb ask with the noun help.
Why people get it wrong
People often make this error because in some languages, the equivalent expression for requesting assistance doesn’t use a preposition. Non-native English speakers may directly translate phrases from their own language to English without adding for, leading to this common mistake.
What kind of mistake it is
This is a grammatical error involving the omission of the preposition for. In standard English usage, the verb ask requires the preposition for when requesting something, so the correct phrase is ask for help.
Examples with ask for help
- Please ask for help if you need it.
- She decided to ask for help from her mentor.
- They should ask for help when they don’t understand the instructions.
Quick check
Please if you need it.
The correct phrase is ask for help, which includes the preposition for to link the verb ask with the noun help.
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