Roleset ask.01 Verbnet Class: 1 "ask a question":

Roles:

Arg0:asker


Arg1:question


Arg2:hearer


Arg3:attributive

Examples:

direct question (-)
The mathematics section of the widely used California Achievement Test asks fifth graders "What is another name for the Roman numeral IX?"
Arg0:	The mathematics section of the widely used California Achievement Test
REL:	asks
Arg2:	fifth graders
Arg1:	"What is another name for the Roman numeral IX?"




indirect question (-)
*trace* ask him about this law he tried to pass.
Arg0:	*trace*
REL:	ask
Arg2:	him
Arg1-about:	this law he tried to pass




proof of hearer as arg2 (-)
John asked a question of his professor.
Arg0:	John
REL:	asked
Arg1:	a question
Arg2-of:	his professor

Please refer to the 'say' frames for the proper handling of the 'inverted' and 'fronted' cases.

Roleset ask.02 Verbnet Class: 1 "ask a favor, ask a request, ask for":

Roles:

Arg0:asker


Arg1:favor


Arg2:hearer

Examples:

say please (-)
Argentina will ask creditor banks to halve its foreign debt of $64 billion.
Arg0:	Argentina
Argm-MOD:	will
REL:	ask
Arg2:	creditor banks
Arg1:	to halve its foreign debt of $64 billion.




no hearer (-)
The National Institutes of Health asked for an HHS review of its plan to implant fetal tissue into the brain of a patient suffering from Alzheimers.
Arg0:	The National Institutes of Health
REL:	asked
Arg1-for:	an HHS review of its plan to implant fetal tissue into the brain of a patient suffering from Alzheimers.

Roleset ask.03 Verbnet Class: NONE "buying and selling":

Roles:

Arg0:seller


Arg1:commodity


Arg2:buyer


Arg3:asking price

Examples:

toldja (-)
The company was asking $100 million for an operation said to be loseing about $20 million a year.
Arg0:	The company
REL:	asking
Arg3:	$100 million
Arg1-for:	an operation said to be losing about $20 million a year.

The buyer may or may not appear in any sentences; I included it for completeness and comparability to 'sell'