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Is there any subtle connotational difference between the two passages below?

I just ask that you keep an eye on my nephew while I am doing the morning errands outside, which won't detract even a bit from the quality of your preparation for the test.

I just ask you to keep an eye on my nephew while I am doing the morning errands outside, which won't detract even a bit from the quality of your preparation for the test.

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The difference in grammar here just makes the first version sound more formal. It uses subjunctive form of the verb to keep (technically, it's bare infinitive); the difference would be more visible in the 3rd person (you -> he/she):

'I ask that he keep... [not keeps]'.

This form of subjunctive clause (coming from old original English) is now more typical for American English, in British English clauses with 'should' (before the bare infinitive) are preferred.

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