effort to assist

USAGE SUMMARY

"effort to assist" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when talking about help that someone offers, or when talking about the intention to help. Example sentence: The charity provided an effort to assist homeless families in the community.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

"We're making every effort to assist him in that.

The New York Times

"They went there in the course of their employment or they went there in a public-spirited effort to assist," the judge said.

The Guardian

The agent and a colleague were kidnapped in 2009 while assigned to the international effort to assist Somalia's transitional government in Mogadishu.

The Guardian

It said the troops remaining in the area "will make every effort to assist the families of the innocent casualties and determine the cause of the civilian deaths".

The New York Times

She said the memorandum was an "effort to assist them in any way we can on domestic issues, foreign policy or just any current polling information".

The New York Times

Douglas Durst has acknowledged meeting with Ms. Pirro, but said he did so only in an effort to assist in the investigation.

The New York Times

As a wedding gift to each other, they've donated $100,000 to a new effort to assist November marriage-equality referendums in Maryland, Washington, Maine and Minnesota.

The New York Times

"But when do I turn 4?" He had recently learned to emphasize certain words in an effort to assist his dim parents in getting his questions answered.

The New York Times

(Reuters) INDONESIA: KISSINGER AS CONSULTANT -- Former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger said he had accepted a job as adviser to President Abdurrahman Wahid in an effort to assist Indonesia in its transition to democracy.

The New York Times

Soft money is not supposed to be used to help candidates, but in recent years, the parties have spent it in ways -- typically commercials -- that are clearly an effort to assist their candidates.

The New York Times

The bill expands existing communications data retention requirements and grants access to law enforcement and other public authorities, in an effort to assist intelligence agencies and the police investigate crime and terrorism.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "effort to assist", ensure the context clearly defines who is making the effort and who is being assisted. This provides clarity and avoids ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid phrasing sentences using "effort to assist" in a passive way. For example, instead of saying "An effort to assist was made", specify who made the effort: "The organization made an "effort to assist" the refugees".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "effort to assist" functions as a purpose connector, indicating the reason or intention behind an action. As supported by Ludwig, this phrase denotes an attempt or endeavor undertaken to provide help or support.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

52%

Science

25%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Wiki

7%

Encyclopedias

3%

Reference

3%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "effort to assist" is a commonly used and grammatically correct expression that indicates an attempt to provide help or support. As Ludwig AI confirms, its function is to express intent and describe the rationale behind actions. Predominantly found in News & Media, Science, and Formal & Business contexts, its neutral register makes it suitable for diverse applications. When using "effort to assist", ensure clarity by specifying the actors involved, and avoid passive voice constructions for greater impact. Related phrases include "attempt to aid" and "endeavor to support", each offering slightly different nuances.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

attempt to aid

Replaces "effort" with "attempt" and "assist" with "aid", maintaining a similar meaning but with a slightly different connotation.

endeavor to support

Substitutes "effort" with "endeavor" and "assist" with "support", implying a more sustained or long-term commitment.

initiative to help

Replaces "effort" with "initiative" suggesting a proactive start, while "help" is used instead of "assist" for simpler language.

measure to contribute

Changes "effort" to "measure," implying a specific action, and "assist" to "contribute," focusing on adding value.

action to benefit

Uses "action" instead of "effort", emphasizing a concrete step, and "benefit" instead of "assist", highlighting the positive outcome.

move to facilitate

Replaces "effort" with "move" emphasizing a change in direction, and "assist" with "facilitate", focusing on making something easier.

plan to intervene

Substitutes "effort" with "plan," indicating a structured approach, and "assist" with "intervene," suggesting a more direct involvement.

campaign to serve

Replaces "effort"" with "campaign," denoting a coordinated series of actions, and "assist" with "serve", focusing on meeting a need.

program to enable

Uses "program" instead of "effort," indicating a structured set of activities, and "enable" in place of "assist", highlighting empowerment.

step to improve

Substitutes "effort" with "step", indicating an incremental approach, and "assist" with "improve", focusing on betterment.

FAQs

How can I use "effort to assist" in a sentence?

You can use "effort to assist" to describe an attempt or endeavor to help someone or something. For example: "The government launched an "effort to assist" small businesses during the economic crisis."

What are some alternatives to "effort to assist"?

You can use alternatives like "attempt to aid", "endeavor to support", or "initiative to help" depending on the specific context.

Is it better to say "effort to assist" or "attempt to assist"?

"Effort to assist" and "attempt to aid" are both grammatically correct and largely interchangeable. "Effort" might imply a more sustained or organized approach than "attempt".

What is the difference between "effort to assist" and "effort to enable"?

"Effort to assist" implies providing help or support, while "effort to enable" suggests empowering someone to do something themselves. The choice depends on whether the goal is to directly help or to facilitate self-sufficiency.