desire for helping

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "desire for helping" is not entirely correct in standard English usage.
It can be used when expressing a wish or longing to assist others, but it would be more natural to say "desire to help." Example: "Her desire for helping others led her to pursue a career in social work."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

But turning a desire for helping people share into a successful business is another matter altogether, as Drummond Gilbert, founder of goCarShare, found out.

BBC

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

Some instruments have additional questions to check the presence of, or desire for, help with the need.

Health and Quality of Life Outcomes

Before you start clearing out items from your parent's home, I suggest communicating with them -- and any siblings -- about your desire and reason for helping to de-clutter and organize.

Huffington Post

His grandfather is almost completely blind now, and relies heavily on Desire for help.

The Guardian

The hard ones are "angry, angry, angry — they have intent, they have a plan, and they have no desire for help," she said.

The New York Times

In the last five years, many American universities have rushed to open branches in the Persian Gulf, attracted by the combination of oil wealth and the area's strong desire for help in creating a higher-education infrastructure.

The New York Times

The model fit was adequate, with TRIP directly affecting problem recognition and indirectly affecting later stages of change (desire for help and treatment readiness).

Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment

Even those NSAGs willing to abide by the laws may encounter an array of obstacles in implementing them.8 It is for this reason that organisations such as the International Committee of the Red Cross have engaged with NSAGs that have expressed a desire for help.

Journal of International Humanitarian Action

Desire for Help or Clarification.

CBE Life Sciences Education

These were 1) a desire for help or clarification and 2) a perceived benefit of social learning.

CBE Life Sciences Education

During the semester, some students realized a desire for help or clarification with course content and turned to a study group.

CBE Life Sciences Education

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Prefer using the more common and grammatically sound phrase "desire to help" instead of "desire for helping" in formal writing.

Common error

Avoid using the phrase "desire for helping" repeatedly; it can make your writing sound awkward. Vary your language by using alternatives like "desire to help" or "wish to assist" to improve readability.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "desire for helping" functions as a noun phrase expressing a longing or wish to provide assistance. However, as Ludwig AI notes, the phrasing is not considered grammatically ideal and more frequently appears in variations.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Science

33%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "desire for helping" expresses a wish to assist, but it's not considered grammatically ideal. Ludwig AI analysis suggests that "desire to help" is a more appropriate and commonly used alternative. Although the phrase appears in various contexts, including news and scientific articles, its frequency is rare, making it advisable to opt for more standard phrasing. While understandable, using alternatives like "desire to help" or "wish to assist" can improve clarity and grammatical correctness in writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

desire to help

More grammatically standard phrasing expressing the same intention.

wish to assist

Formal alternative emphasizing a polite or professional inclination to aid.

longing to support

Emphasizes an emotional or deep-seated yearning to provide support.

yearning to aid

Similar to 'longing to support', but uses 'aid' to suggest a more active role.

inclination to help

Suggests a natural tendency or predisposition towards assisting others.

aspiration to assist

Highlights a professional goal or ambition to provide help.

motivation to support

Focuses on the underlying drive or reason for offering support.

ambition to aid

Implies a strong desire to assist as part of a larger goal.

passion for assisting

Highlights intense enthusiasm and dedication towards helping others.

commitment to helping

Emphasizes a dedicated and resolute approach to providing assistance.

FAQs

Is "desire for helping" grammatically correct?

While understandable, "desire for helping" is not the most grammatically sound phrase. The more common and preferred phrasing is "desire to help".

What's a good alternative to "desire for helping"?

A better alternative is "desire to help". Other options include "wish to assist" or "longing to support".

How can I use "desire to help" in a sentence?

Example: "Her strong "desire to help" others led her to volunteer at the local hospital."

Is there a difference in meaning between "desire for helping" and "desire to help"?

While the intended meaning is similar, "desire to help" is a more grammatically correct and widely accepted way to express the intention to assist others.