Why do we say "reduced to asking"?

[Helen B]

Why do we say 'reduced to asking' someone something, rather than 'reduced to ask'? What are the grammatical rules behind this structure?

[Lucy]

Dear Helen,

The expression 'reduced to' can be followed by a noun phrase; an illustration is 'he was reduced to a quivering wreck'. In this sentence, quivering is an adjective and wreck is a noun.

The verb form "-ing" can act as a noun; this explains the use of the word "asking" in your example.

It can also be considered that "to" is a preposition in your example. Prepositions are followed by the "-ing" form; as in by doing, after saying.

Kind regards,

Lucy