a significant help

USAGE SUMMARY

"a significant help" is correct and can be used in written English.
You would use it to refer to something that has provided substantial benefit or assistance. For example, "I'm grateful to have had your support throughout this process; it's been a significant help."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

21 human-written examples

Their support will be a significant help".

The New York Times

The $14,000 that the museum received from 9/11 funds was not a significant help with expenses.

The New York Times - Arts

Richard A. Brown, the Queens district attorney, said biological evidence would be a significant help to prosecutors.

The New York Times

I remember it was a major issue when I was studying and it was a significant help to get to and from school.

The Guardian

Though the benefits aren't designed to pay the entire cost of long-term care, they could constitute a significant help for struggling families.

The New York Times

The Thunder are currently 1½ games behind the Spurs in the standings, and a victory would be a significant help in the race for the No. 1 seed.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

37 human-written examples

The former Aston Villa midfielder scored the opener against Palace with a well hit shot from distance, though, for the second successive game, a Wayne Hennessey blunder offered a significant helping hand.

The Guardian - Sport

Music fans preparing for the Reading and Leeds festivals will be subject to a significant helping of mud with their tunes and have been advised to take wet-weather gear.

Independent

Mr. Adams draws on the Bible as well, but uses extra details from the New Testament Apocrypha (the Gospels of James and Pseudo-Matthew), an English medieval carol and a mystery play, as well as a significant helping of Latin American poetry, some of it secular (but about birth).

The New York Times - Arts

Or, rather, it replaced them as the system-level mapping resource in iOS 6 with their own tool, built partly in-house and with a significant helping hand from GPS hardware and software-maker TomTom.

TechCrunch

So lending a significant helping hand to companies intent on driving us towards disaster is perverse.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "a significant help", ensure the context clearly defines what is being helped and who is benefiting from the help. This provides clarity and avoids ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using "a significant help" in highly informal settings where simpler, more casual phrases like "a big help" or "really helpful" would be more appropriate.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a significant help" functions as a noun phrase, typically serving as a predicate nominative or an object complement. It describes something that provides substantial assistance or benefit. Ludwig AI confirms the correctness of this usage.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

57%

Science

29%

Formal & Business

5%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Wiki

5%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a significant help" is a grammatically sound and frequently employed phrase used to denote something or someone providing substantial assistance. Ludwig AI confirms that it is correct for use in written English. As demonstrated by the provided examples, this phrase is commonly found in news, scientific, and business contexts, indicating a relatively formal tone. When using "a significant help", it is essential to clearly define the recipient and the nature of the assistance to maintain clarity. While effective in many contexts, it should be avoided in extremely informal settings where simpler language would be more suitable.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a momentous help

Emphasizes the importance and impact of the help provided, suggesting a crucial contribution.

a significant assistance

Uses the noun "assistance" instead of "help", offering a slightly more formal tone.

a considerable help

Replaces "significant" with "considerable", indicating a substantial amount of help.

a substantial help

Uses "substantial" to emphasize the magnitude of the help, implying a notable impact.

a major help

Emphasizes the importance of help.

a significant support

Substitutes "help" with "support", focusing on the act of providing backing or encouragement.

a vast help

Emphasizes the large scale or scope of assistance.

a tremendous help

Expresses great appreciation for the assistance.

a large help

Indicates that the help is of a considerable size.

a huge help

Suggests an immense amount of assistance.

FAQs

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

You can use "a significant help" to describe something that provides considerable assistance. For example, "The new software was "a significant help" in managing our data".

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

Some alternatives include "a substantial help", "a considerable help", or "a major help", depending on the context and the degree of assistance you want to convey.

Is it correct to say "significant help" without the article "a"?

Yes, it is correct to say "significant help" without the article "a", but the meaning is slightly different. "Significant help" refers to the concept of considerable assistance in general, while "a significant help" refers to a specific instance or source of such assistance.

What is the difference between "a significant help" and "a significant advantage"?

"A significant help" implies assistance that makes a task easier or more manageable, while "a significant advantage" indicates a competitive edge or a beneficial position over others.