encourage them for

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "encourage them for" is not correct and sounds incomplete in written English.
It may be intended to express support or motivation for a specific action or goal, but it lacks clarity without additional context. Example: "I want to encourage them for their hard work on the project."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Unicef

BMC Women's Health

The Economist

The New York Times - Sports

Wikipedia

WikiHow

The New York Times

The Guardian

Science Magazine

BBC

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

"We need a way to encourage them, for example, by more training" he added.

Unicef

Although many participants acknowledged fear and doubts upon hearing the word breast cancer and screening, social support from family and friends served as a source of motivation, enhanced confidence, lessened fears or having someone to encourage them for performing preventive behaviors.

BMC Women's Health

Encourage them for each and everything.

WikiHow

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

Chinese regulations on foreign investment have gone from explicitly requiring technology transfers to "encouraging" them, for example.

The Economist

He was the vice captain as the Eagles lost to Ireland, 22-10, in their first match, and the closeness encouraged them for the match with Russia, a newcomer at this level, only four days later.

The New York Times - Sports

Once he reached Ohrid, Skanderbeg gave a speech to his men, encouraging them for the coming battle.Franco p. 336-337.

Wikipedia

Encouraging them for doing everything from using the potty to getting good grades can help them lead a happy and successful life.

WikiHow

This could be a lot of things, you could encourage them to, for example, plan their career, stop smoking, start attending school daily, have faith in themselves etc.

WikiHow

"Our job is not to force them into acceptance but to encourage them to plan for the worst while hoping for the best," Dr. Smith said.

The New York Times

The government has tightened rules for people receiving unemployment benefit to encourage them to look for work or to take training courses.

The Economist

The lyrics of "Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)" compare football players to soldiers on a battlefield and encourage them to fight for their goals.

Wikipedia

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always follow "encourage" with "to" + verb (e.g., encourage them to participate) or use "for" with a noun representing the thing they are encouraged by (e.g., encourage them with praise).

Common error

Avoid using the construction "encourage them for" followed directly by a verb or clause. This phrasing is grammatically incorrect. Always use "encourage them to" followed by a verb.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "encourage them for" is typically intended to express providing support or motivation. However, according to Ludwig AI, this construction is grammatically questionable and often sounds incomplete without further context. It needs a completion to be considered as a valid expression.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

30%

Wiki

25%

Science

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

15%

Encyclopedias

5%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "encourage them for" is considered grammatically incorrect by Ludwig AI and is best avoided in formal writing. While it appears in various contexts like news, wikis, and science, it is a rare and often incomplete construction. More appropriate alternatives include "encourage them to" or "motivate them to", which offer clearer and more grammatically sound ways to express support or inspiration. When using "encourage", be sure to follow it with "to" + verb or with "with" + noun to ensure grammatical correctness.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

encourage them to

Switches the preposition to "to", creating a more standard and grammatically sound construction.

motivate them to

Replaces "encourage" with "motivate", offering a direct synonym with a similar nuance of urging action.

inspire them to

Emphasizes the act of sparking creativity or a sense of purpose, changing the focus slightly from mere encouragement.

urge them to

Highlights a sense of pressing need, making the encouragement more forceful than the original phrase.

support them in

Shifts the focus from direct encouragement to providing assistance, implying a more hands-on approach.

incentivize them to

Introduces a tangible benefit or reward to prompt action, changing the method of persuasion.

persuade them to

Highlights the act of convincing someone through reasoning, changing the approach from mere encouragement to active persuasion.

prompt them to

Emphasizes initiating an action, somewhat downplaying the intensity of the encouraging.

invite them to

Expresses the act of gently suggesting something but still prompting the action to happen.

empower them to

Changes the sentiment to the idea of giving power rather than just encouraging someone.

FAQs

How to correctly use "encourage" in a sentence?

The verb "encourage" is typically followed by "to" and a verb, indicating the action being encouraged. For example, "I encourage them to apply." Avoid using "for" in this construction; instead, use "encourage them with" followed by a noun.

What can I say instead of "encourage them for"?

Consider using alternatives like "encourage them to" or "motivate them to" depending on the context. You could also say "encourage them with" followed by a noun.

Which is correct, "encourage them for" or "encourage them to"?

"Encourage them to" is the grammatically correct construction. "Encourage them for" is generally incorrect, although it can be used with a noun (e.g., "encourage them for their efforts").

What's the difference between "encourage them to" and "encourage them with"?

"Encourage them to" is used to prompt an action (e.g., "encourage them to try"). "Encourage them with" is used to provide support or inspiration (e.g., "encourage them with positive feedback").