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CEO of Professional Science Editing for Scientists @ prosciediting.com

A tall ask
Grammar usage guide and real-world examples

USAGE SUMMARY

"a tall ask" is a grammatically correct and commonly used phrase in written English
It is typically used to describe a request or task that is difficult or challenging to fulfill. Example: "Asking someone to completely change their behavior overnight is a tall ask, but that's exactly what the coach demanded of his team."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Table of contents

Usage summary

Human-verified examples

Expert writing tips

Linguistic context

Ludwig's wrap-up

Alternative expressions

FAQs

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

It's a tall ask but all I need to do is to get back to playing my best and I think I'll merit a place in the starting 11".

News & Media

Independent

The deal coming into force would also commit the countries to aspire to keep temperatures below 1.5C above pre-industrial levels – a tall ask and one that will require those country pledges to be ramped up – and for rich countries to continue giving climate aid to poorer countries beyond 2020.

News & Media

The Guardian

"Reaching the play-offs is a tall ask but while there are points to play for there is no reason not to aim as high as you can".

News & Media

BBC

That proposal is such a tall ask that Republicans didn't even bother including it on their initial offer. .

News & Media

Huffington Post

"This is a tall ask though and requires diligence from a State Senate that has been reluctant, at best, to wade into issues surrounding the MTA," he continued.

News & Media

Vice

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

"Was the Buddha 43 meters tall?" asked another.

News & Media

The New York Times

As I was about to leave, a tall one asked if he could borrow my premium racket, and I agreed.

News & Media

The New York Times

It's a tall task to ask a federal judge to force the N.F.L. to operate its business.

News & Media

The New York Times - Sports

This is a colourful way of saying that it was a tall order to ask Sparta to go to the help of distant Greeks, with few of whom it had kinship ties.

Encyclopedias

Encyclopedia Britannica

The report of heavy guns is carried a long way, but it is a tall order to ask anyone to believe that they could be heard at two or three hundred miles.

News & Media

The Guardian

This is a tall order to ask for but fortunately we were able to base the preconditioner on existing software, using the complex L D L T factorization code of the MUMPS package [9].

Science

Journal of Mathematics in Industry

Expert writing Tips

✓ Best practice

Use "a tall ask" when you want to subtly convey the difficulty or improbability of achieving a particular goal or fulfilling a request. It's more nuanced than simply saying something is 'difficult'.

⚠ Common error

Avoid using "a tall ask" when a simpler, more direct expression of difficulty will suffice. Overusing this phrase can make your writing sound affected or unnecessarily indirect.

Antonio Rotolo, PhD

Digital Humanist | Computational Linguist | CEO @Ludwig.guru

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a tall ask" functions as a noun phrase, where "tall" modifies "ask". It acts as a subject complement or object, describing the nature of a request or task. As Ludwig AI confirms, it describes something difficult or challenging.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

✓ Frequent in

News & Media

80%

Formal & Business

15%

Encyclopedias

⚠ Less common in

Academia

Science

Wiki

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a tall ask" is a grammatically correct phrase used to describe a challenging or difficult request or task. As Ludwig AI specifies, the phrase is acceptable and primarily appears in news and media contexts. While not exceedingly frequent, its usage is well-established and easily understood. Consider alternatives like "a difficult task" or "a challenging request" for similar meanings. When crafting your content, remember that nuance of "a tall ask" conveys the difficulty or improbability of achieving a particular goal in a more subtle way.

Alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a difficult task

Replaces "ask" with the more general term "task", focusing on the difficulty.

a challenging request

Substitutes "ask" with "request", highlighting the demanding nature of the appeal.

a demanding undertaking

Emphasizes the scale and effort required by using "undertaking".

a formidable challenge

Highlights the difficulty and potential obstacles involved.

a Herculean task

Uses a classical reference to denote extreme difficulty and effort.

a significant challenge

Replaces the more descriptive "tall ask" with a plain descriptor, "significant challenge".

More alternative expressions(2)

a significant ask

a big ask

FAQs

What does the expression "a tall ask" mean?

The expression "a tall ask" means that something is difficult to achieve or unlikely to happen. It implies that the request or task is challenging and requires significant effort or resources.

How can I use "a tall ask" in a sentence?

You can use "a tall ask" in a sentence like this: "Convincing the board to approve the new project is "a tall ask", but we have a solid plan." It usually describes something that is hard to accomplish.

What can I say instead of "a tall ask"?

You can use alternatives like "a difficult task", "a challenging request", or "a formidable challenge" depending on the context.

Is "a tall order" the same as "a tall ask"?

Yes, "a tall order" and "a tall ask" are very similar in meaning and can often be used interchangeably. Both phrases indicate that something is difficult to accomplish. "A tall order" might be slightly more common, but both are readily understood.

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Table of contents

Usage summary

Human-verified examples

Expert writing tips

Linguistic context

Ludwig's wrap-up

Alternative expressions

FAQs

Source & Trust

89%

Authority and reliability

4.1/5

Expert rating

Real-world application tested

Most frequent sentences:

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A tall askGrammar usage guide and real-world examples

A tall ask
Grammar usage guide and real-world examples