can help understanding

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "can help understanding" is not correct in standard written English.
It should be rephrased for clarity, typically as "can help with understanding" or "can help to understand." Example: "This guide can help with understanding the complex concepts in the textbook."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

17 human-written examples

Some examples can help understanding how relationships are defined.

Journal of the Brazilian Computer Society

This model yields temperature-dependent data that can help understanding macro-scale experimental results.

Acta Materialia

The fourth insight explains how emotion measurement can help understanding what people really care for.

Emotion Measurement

The ideality factor A and the reverse saturation current J o can help understanding the recombination mechanism of the devices.

Nanoscale Research Letters

The paper describes an on-the-fly, non-invasive approach and tool to extract hierarchical object graphs that can help understanding the running architecture of software systems.

Journal of the Brazilian Computer Society

The findings from this work can help understanding the charge transfer dynamics in brookite TiO2-based composite systems as well as designing versatile photoelectrodes for solar energy conversion.

Applied Catalysis B: Environmental

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

41 human-written examples

I think the imagery in Bernstein's film and mine, if used in the right context, can only help understanding.

The Guardian - Film

They can also help understanding the underlying mechanisms that have produced their particular structure.

Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications

Multi-particle simulations can help in understanding these forces.

International Journal of Mass Spectrometry

We show that theory can help in understanding the microscopic processes important for devices performances.

Nanoscale Research Letters

These findings can help in understanding the functional status of transplanted submandibular glands.

Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) - Proteins and Proteomics

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always use "can help with understanding" or "can help to understand" for grammatically correct phrasing. This ensures clarity and adherence to standard English.

Common error

Avoid using "can help understanding" directly. This phrasing misses a necessary preposition or infinitive marker. Instead, opt for "can help with understanding" or "can help to understand" to maintain grammatical correctness.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "can help understanding" functions as part of a verb phrase expressing the potential to assist in comprehension. However, it requires grammatical correction. Ludwig's examples show its use in various contexts, though often needing adjustment to meet standard English.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

85%

News & Media

9%

Wiki

6%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "can help understanding" appears in various sources, it is grammatically incorrect and requires modification for standard English. Ludwig suggests using "can help with understanding" or "can help to understand" instead. Its primary function is to indicate the potential to facilitate comprehension, mainly within scientific and formal contexts. Despite its frequency, its incorrect usage lowers its overall quality and necessitates careful attention to grammatical accuracy.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

can help with understanding

Adds the preposition "with" to correct the grammatical structure.

can help to understand

Uses the infinitive form "to understand" for grammatical accuracy.

can aid in understanding

Replaces "help" with "aid" and adds the preposition "in" for grammatical correctness.

can assist in understanding

Uses "assist" instead of "help" and adds "in" for better grammar.

can contribute to understanding

Emphasizes the contribution to comprehension rather than direct assistance.

can facilitate understanding

Replaces "help" with "facilitate", indicating a smoother process of comprehension.

can promote understanding

Highlights the encouragement of comprehension.

can improve understanding

Focuses on enhancing the level of comprehension.

can deepen understanding

Suggests enriching the level of comprehension.

can be instrumental in understanding

Highlights the importance of a specific factor in facilitating comprehension.

FAQs

What is the correct way to use the phrase?

The correct way to phrase it is either "can help with understanding" or "can help to understand". Both options are grammatically sound and widely accepted.

Is "can help understanding" grammatically correct?

No, "can help understanding" is not grammatically correct in standard English. It requires the addition of "with" or "to" to form a proper construction.

What alternatives can I use instead of "can help understanding"?

You can use alternatives like "can aid in understanding", "can assist in understanding", or "can facilitate understanding".

What's the difference between "can help with understanding" and "can help to understand"?

While both are grammatically correct, "can help with understanding" uses a preposition followed by a gerund, and "can help to understand" uses the infinitive form. They are largely interchangeable, but context might favor one over the other.