consulting

USAGE SUMMARY

The word "consulting" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when referring to a professional service which is provided to clients to assist them in making decisions or solving a problem. Example: Synergis Consulting provides strategic consulting services to help companies maximize the return on their investments.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

56 human-written examples

McNamara, 44, works for a technology consulting company and lives with husband John, 49, who owns a marketing consultancy, and their two children, Helena, six, and Felix, four.

The Guardian - Money

He said he was consulting other parties about a motion in the Stormont parliament.

The Guardian

We are now consulting regarding potential legal action and hoping against hope that the 12 libraries being thrown over to the community with the threat of volunteer-or-lose-it, will survive long enough for the future council members to realise their costly error and resume running this vital social and educational service.

The Guardian - Books

The only manager standing now between Alex Neil and the Premier League is Middlesbrough's Aitor Karanka, whose preparations for next week's Championship play-off final will probably involve consulting his friend José Mourinho, to whom he used to be assistant manager at Real Madrid.

The Guardian - Sport

Many commentators noted that the letter, like the Republican invitation to the Israeli prime minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, to address Congress last week without consulting the White House, marked a dramatic break from the tradition that partisan politics should "stop at the water's edge" and not spread into critical US defence and security policy abroad.

The Guardian

The university should immediately drop this injunction and enter into a genuine dialogue with students rather than slapping an injunction across campus for a full year without even consulting their students' union".

The Guardian

An interesting little study published this week by the consulting arm of PricewaterhouseCoopers found that the qualities needed in transformational leaders – the sort of strategists capable of rethinking an organisation riddled with cultural and existential problems, like banking after the crash or traditional industries threatened by upstart new rivals – are most commonly found in women over 55.

The Guardian - Opinion

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

4 human-written examples

"Consulting with our Liberal Democrat partners has meant that members of the Conservative party who are members of the cabinet also expected to be consulted.

The Guardian

It's simply that in both these cases, the sustaining interactivity was for the most part founded on the use of mature technologies, long deglamorised and long settled into what the technology-consulting practice Gartner refers to as the "trough of disillusionment".

The Guardian

He said the construction industry had held a forum to discuss the issue, which led the Consulting Association to amass files on more than 200 protesters.

The Guardian - Business

And with findings from a recent report by PA Consulting Group showing that 40% of students struggle to secure the right placements, how can academics, careers advisors and leaders of higher education and employability work together to support the specific needs and ambitions of individual students?

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "consulting", ensure the context clearly indicates whether you are referring to the act of seeking advice or providing it. For instance, differentiate between "consulting with experts" and "offering consulting services".

Common error

Avoid using "consulting" as a direct substitute for "advising" in every context. "Consulting" often implies a more formal or professional engagement, while "advising" can be more informal. "Consulting" includes the act of hiring a specialist with specific expertise and background on the topic at hand.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "consulting" is that of a present participle or gerund, often acting as part of a continuous verb tense (e.g., "is consulting") or as a noun (e.g., "management consulting"). Ludwig demonstrates its versatility in various sentence structures.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

35%

Formal & Business

33%

Science

32%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "consulting" functions primarily as a present participle or gerund, widely used to describe the act of seeking or providing expert advice. Ludwig highlights that it is grammatically sound and applicable in diverse contexts, predominantly within news, business, and formal settings. While synonyms like "seeking advice" or "advising" exist, "consulting" carries a more formal and professional connotation. Keep in mind that the term carries with it the idea of specialized expertise and background in the topic at hand.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

seeking advice

Focuses on the act of actively looking for counsel.

seeking guidance

Highlights the search for direction and support.

obtaining advice

Focuses on acquiring suggestions or recommendations.

seeking expert opinion

Highlights the search for a qualified professional's viewpoint.

getting counsel

Emphasizes the reception of professional guidance.

offering counsel

Stresses the provision of advice or recommendations.

receiving advice

Emphasizes the action of getting suggestions.

advisory services

Refers to the provision of professional opinions.

providing expertise

Emphasizes the act of delivering specialized knowledge.

advice provision

Describes the action of offering suggestions.

FAQs

How to use "consulting" in a sentence?

You can use "consulting" to describe the act of seeking professional advice (e.g., "I am "consulting a specialist"") or providing expert services (e.g., "She works in "management consulting"").

What can I say instead of "consulting"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives like "seeking advice", "advising", or "getting counsel".

Which is correct, "consulting with" or "consulting to"?

"Consulting with" is generally the correct prepositional phrase when referring to seeking advice from someone (e.g., "consulting with experts"). "Consulting to" is less common but can be used to indicate providing consulting services to an organization.

What's the difference between "consulting" and "advising"?

"Consulting" often implies a more structured and formal engagement, typically involving specialized expertise and a fee for services. "Advising" can be more informal and may not always involve payment or a formal contract. "Consulting" also includes the act of hiring a specialist with specific expertise and background on the topic at hand.