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Justyna Jupowicz-Kozak

CEO of Professional Science Editing for Scientists @ prosciediting.com

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capable to help

Grammar usage guide and real-world examples

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "capable to help" is not correct in standard written English.
The correct expression is "capable of helping." Example: "She is capable of helping us with the project."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

The copula theory is capable to help us in this calculation.

R10 "If you believe that you are capable to help and have the required resources then you believe that you have the opportunity to help".

(6D, Nurse) "We have trained many volunteers and they are capable to help more especially on the patient's psychosocial need... we should make use of them, e.g., they can provide a brief orientation for each hospital admitter".

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

"We continue to have a deep bench of experienced career professionals serving in key positions that are highly capable and able to help the Secretary lead the Department".  .

News & Media

Huffington Post

It was there I "woke up" and saw all of the things that you had tried to do for me since no one in my life was capable or able to help me.

News & Media

Huffington Post

He perversely contends, for instance, that the Iraqi exile and neoconservative favorite Ahmad Chalabi might have done "a respectable job running Iraq," since he was capable enough to help persuade the United States to get rid of his nemesis, Saddam Hussein, "when Iraq posed no threat to the United States".

"He took a hands-on approach from the beginning and hired very capable people to help manage this investment".

News & Media

Forbes

"We have committed to establishing Chipotle as an industry leader in food safety, and we have assembled an extremely capable team to help us achieve that goal," Arnold told Reuters.

News & Media

Huffington Post

Figure out whether or not you're capable to actually help.

If you communicate your concerns, I am both capable and happy to help find a solution, but please try to understand what is and isn't within a server's control.

The system, through organizing volunteer groups of people, takes advantage of these energetic, motivated and capable aid groups to help the affected people.

Show more...

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always use "capable of helping" instead of "capable to help" in formal writing to ensure grammatical correctness.

Common error

Avoid using "to" after "capable"; the correct preposition is "of". Remember the correct structure: capable + of + verb-ing.

Antonio Rotolo, PhD - Digital Humanist | Computational Linguist | CEO @Ludwig.guru

Antonio Rotolo, PhD

Digital Humanist | Computational Linguist | CEO @Ludwig.guru

Source & Trust

79%

Authority and reliability

2.8/5

Expert rating

Real-world application tested

Linguistic Context

The phrase "capable to help" functions as an adjectival phrase intended to describe someone's ability or potential to provide assistance. However, according to Ludwig AI, it's grammatically incorrect in standard English.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

33%

News & Media

33%

Formal & Business

34%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "capable to help" aims to convey the idea of someone being able to provide assistance, it is grammatically incorrect. The correct form is "capable of helping". Ludwig AI indicates that the phrase is non-standard. Although examples can be found across various sources like Science, News & Media and Formal & Business, it's advisable to use the grammatically correct alternative or other similar phrases like "able to assist" to ensure clear and accurate communication, especially in formal contexts.

FAQs

What is the correct way to say someone has the ability to help?

The grammatically correct way to express someone's ability to help is to say they are "capable of helping".

What can I use instead of "capable to help"?

Alternatives include "able to assist", "qualified to help", or simply "ready to help" depending on the specific context.

Which is correct: "capable to help" or "capable of helping"?

"Capable of helping" is the correct form. "Capable to help" is grammatically incorrect.

Is "capable to help" ever appropriate in formal writing?

No, "capable to help" is not appropriate for formal writing. Use "capable of helping" or other alternatives for clear and grammatically sound communication.

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Source & Trust

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Authority and reliability

2.8/5

Expert rating

Real-world application tested

Most frequent sentences: