Does it sound awkward if I ask someone "Call me when you are free to talk"
Learn English – Does it sound awkward if I ask someone”Call me when you are free to talk”
usage
Related Solutions
It might be easier to start by asking where they work within the company; that is, ask a question that goes something along these lines:
Which branch do you work for?
What section do you work in?
Which department head do you work for?
One or two of those quesitons might give you the answer that you seek; the person might say:
I work in finance as a programmer in the payroll department.
If not, though – if the person just says something like, "I work in finance" – you can always ask a
follow-on question:
And what's your role there?
And what do you do in that department?
I completely understand your problem. I have been there!
The problem with non-native speakers is that they want to use more words in their speeches and writing to sound better without knowing how and where to place those words and when!
As non-native speakers, we often ignore the 'type' of the word, its pronunciation (a big factor for us!) and the word's placement.
The Solution:
Don't just check the type and meaning of the word; focus more on **how the word is used* through examples on standard dictionaries like OALD, MW, Collin's, and Longman's etc.
Take my own example. Years back, I had the same problem. I had come across the word 'admire'. I read the meaning but ignored something that was also written there in the dictionary (because it was not the part of word's 'meaning').
I then started using the word 'admire'.
Do you know that Mike raised his voice against the corruption in the college ~ Yes, I admire!
I was happy using the word. But was it right? NO!
What I had ignored was the type of verb it was! Transitive verb! This means, this word requires an object after it. Means, 'admire what?' is required.
So, then on, I was very conscious using the word.
Do you know that Mike raised his voice against the corruption in the college ~ Yes, I admire his courage!
So, my suggestion is that maintain a document, write down those new words, and most importantly along with their meaning, also write down the examples like how they are used.
At times, looking at an example or two won't serve the purpose. Check on other dictionaries and more examples from them. Once you are confirmed about the usage, simply memorize it!
Best Answer
It does not sound awkward it you tell someone "Call me when you are free to talk." It is considered a respectful request.
You can also ask them: "Call me when you are free to talk?" But asking a question in this manner can make the asker sound either tentative in asking or appear to have a predilection for using imperative word order when asking a question. The voice would have to rise in pitch all the way through the sentence (peaking at 'talk') to get the idea of a question across.
Also, note, in my dialect of American English, it would be irregular and sound awkward to say "Call me when free to talk." I don't know about other varities of English, including Indian English(es).