a great help

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a great help" is correct and usable in written English.
It is often used to thank someone for their assistance or support. For example: "Thank you for your help - it was a great help."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

Mary has been a great help, so understanding, so helpful.

The New York Times

"That's a great help".

The Guardian

Being in love is a great help.

The New York Times - Arts

"They've been a great help".

The New York Times - Sports

Tent spirit a great help.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

He's always been a great help".

The Guardian - Sport

/ Being in love / is a great help.

The New York Times - Books

He was a great help to me.

The New York Times

The website lymediseaseaction.org.uk is a great help.

The Guardian

So that was a great help.

The Guardian - Sport

"It's a great help, lady," he said.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "a great help" to express sincere gratitude for someone's assistance. It conveys a strong sense of appreciation and acknowledgment of the positive impact of their support.

Common error

Avoid using "a great help" as a verb. It's a noun phrase. Instead of saying "They a great help me", say "They were a great help to me" or "They helped me greatly".

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "a great help" is as a noun phrase, functioning as a subject complement or an appositive. It typically follows a linking verb (e.g., is, was, has been) and renames or describes the subject. Ludwig AI confirms this usage across numerous examples.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

47%

Science

35%

Wiki

13%

Less common in

Formal & Business

1%

Encyclopedias

1%

Reference

3%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "a great help" is a common and grammatically sound expression used to convey gratitude and acknowledge assistance. Ludwig AI confirms its wide acceptance and usability. It functions as a noun phrase and is prevalent in news, scientific, and general contexts. While versatile, it's best used as a subject complement and is suitable for both formal and informal communication. Remember to avoid using it as a verb. Consider alternatives like "of great assistance" or "a substantial contribution" to add variety to your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

of great assistance

Reorders the phrase while retaining the core meaning of providing significant help.

a considerable aid

Substitutes "help" with the more formal "aid" and "great" with "considerable", suggesting significant assistance.

an enormous aid

Similar to "a considerable aid" but uses "enormous" to denote a large degree of support.

a substantial contribution

Replaces the directness of "help" with "contribution", emphasizing the impact of the assistance.

a powerful support

Emphasizes the strength and reliability of the assistance given.

a significant advantage

Shifts the focus to the benefit provided, rather than the act of helping itself.

a tremendous benefit

Emphasizes the positive outcome resulting from the assistance given.

an invaluable asset

Highlights the importance and worth of the assistance provided.

a boon

Offers a concise, slightly more formal way to describe something highly beneficial.

a blessing

Implies the assistance was fortunate and beneficial.

FAQs

How can I use "a great help" in a sentence?

You can use "a great help" to describe someone or something that provides significant assistance, for example, "Your advice was "a great help" in solving the problem".

What are some alternatives to saying "a great help"?

Alternatives include "a considerable aid", "a substantial contribution", or "of great assistance" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "He was a great help to me"?

Yes, the phrase "He was "a great help" to me" is grammatically correct and commonly used to express gratitude for someone's assistance.

What is the difference between "a great help" and "very helpful"?

"A great help" is a noun phrase that describes the person or thing providing assistance. "Very helpful" is an adjective describing the quality of the assistance itself. For instance, "He was "a great help"" versus "He was very helpful".