are assisting

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "are assisting" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that someone is currently providing help or support in a particular situation or task. Example: "The volunteers are assisting the elderly with their grocery shopping this weekend."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

58 human-written examples

"We are assisting the Dubai authorities.

The Guardian

International agencies are assisting some of the most vulnerable.

The Guardian

The students are assisting teachers, tutoring and conducting some lessons.

The New York Times

Dozens of lobbyists are assisting John McCain's campaign.

The New York Times

The two victims have yet to be named, and police are assisting the coroner.

The Guardian

Two males, aged 30 and 33, are assisting police in their investigations into the weapons lab.

The Guardian

"Mr Brough, Mr Pyne and Mr Roy are assisting police with inquiries," she said.

The Guardian

Police in Zalkalns's native country, Latvia, are assisting their British colleagues.

The Guardian

British embassy staff in Thailand are assisting her family at this very difficult time.

The Guardian

"American specialists are assisting the Georgian armed forces and the number is relatively small," he said.

The New York Times

The Federal Railroad Administration and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority police are assisting.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing ongoing support, "are assisting" emphasizes the continuous nature of the help. For example, "Volunteers are assisting with the cleanup efforts daily."

Common error

Avoid using "are assist" as it's grammatically incorrect. The correct form is "are assisting".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "are assisting" functions as a present progressive form of the verb 'assist'. It indicates an ongoing action of providing help or support. Ludwig examples show its use in various contexts, from police investigations to humanitarian aid.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

93%

Science

4%

Formal & Business

3%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "are assisting" is a grammatically correct and commonly used expression to describe an ongoing action of providing help or support. Ludwig AI indicates the phrase is usable in written English and well-supported by numerous real-world examples primarily from News & Media sources, with a neutral tone suitable for various contexts. While "are helping" is a close synonym, "are assisting" might imply a more formal or specialized aid. When using this phrase, ensure the verb tense aligns with the subject. Overall, it's a versatile and reliable choice for describing active support.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

are helping

Replaces "assisting" with a more common synonym, maintaining the same meaning.

are aiding

Substitutes "assisting" with a slightly more formal synonym, implying support.

are supporting

Emphasizes the act of providing support, a broader term than "assisting".

are providing support

Similar to "are supporting" but uses the noun form of support.

are giving assistance

Rephrases the verb "assisting" as a noun phrase, "giving assistance".

are offering help

Focuses on the act of offering assistance, which may or may not be accepted.

are lending a hand

Uses an idiomatic expression to convey the idea of helping.

are facilitating

Suggests making a process easier, which is a specific type of assistance.

are collaborating with

Implies a joint effort where both parties are assisting each other.

are working with

Suggests cooperation toward a common goal, where assisting is part of the process.

FAQs

What is a synonym for "are assisting"?

A synonym for "are assisting" is "are helping", which conveys a similar meaning of providing aid or support.

How can I use "are assisting" in a sentence?

You can use "are assisting" to describe someone or a group of people providing help. For example, "The engineers are assisting the construction crew with the project."

Is it correct to say "is assisting" instead of "are assisting"?

No, "is assisting" is used with a singular subject, while "are assisting" is used with a plural subject or with "you". For example, "He is assisting" but "They are assisting".

What is the difference between "are assisting" and "are helping"?

While both phrases are similar, "are assisting" can sometimes imply a more formal or specialized type of help compared to the more general "are helping".