help her up

USAGE SUMMARY

"help her up" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
It is commonly used as a command or request to assist someone in standing or getting up from a seated or lying down position. For example: "Mom's back is hurting, can you please help her up from the couch?".

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

31 human-written examples

No one dared to move and help her up".

The Guardian - Books

Her 2 kids, Ben and Bibi, help her up from the pew.

The New Yorker

It took four men to dive beneath her tent-sized skirt and help her up again.

The Guardian - Travel

"I'm going to help her to the floor, then help her up," Frazier-Lyde said.

The New York Times - Sports

In the scramble, only one person bothered to stop and help her up: Dinesh, thereby missing the bus himself.

The New Yorker

It was an honest mistake, so she came back to help her up, apologized, and gave her a hug around the waist.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

26 human-written examples

Officer Noble helped her up.

The New York Times

Ryan helped her up by the elbow all courtly.

The New Yorker

After helping her up to her fifth-floor apartment, the officers returned three more times.

The New York Times

I helped her up and pulled her sled off the track.

The New Yorker

Even the ninth grader who helped her up couldn't stop chuckling.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "help her up", ensure the context makes it clear that physical assistance is being offered to someone who is down or struggling to stand. For example: "She stumbled on the stairs, and I rushed to help her up."

Common error

Avoid using "help her up" in contexts where the assistance is not physical. For instance, instead of saying "I need to help her up in her career", use "I need to help her advance in her career."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "help her up" primarily functions as a phrasal verb, serving as a direct request or description of assisting someone to rise. This is supported by Ludwig, which confirms its proper usage in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

65%

Wiki

20%

Science

5%

Less common in

Formal & Business

3%

Encyclopedias

2%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "help her up" is a grammatically correct and commonly used phrase that expresses the act of providing physical assistance to someone who needs help standing. As confirmed by Ludwig, it's versatile, appearing across diverse contexts like news, personal narratives and instructional guides. While its register is generally informal and neutral, its meaning is universally understood. When writing, it’s best to reserve this phrase for situations involving physical assistance and to opt for alternatives like "assist her" in more formal contexts or where non-physical assistance is implied.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

help her stand up

A more explicit version using the phrasal verb.

give her a hand up

Idiomatic and suggests providing assistance.

lend her a hand to stand

Combines the idea of lending help with the action of standing.

support her as she gets up

Focuses on providing support during the action.

lift her up

Focuses on the lifting action.

aid her in getting up

Formal and emphasizes the assistance provided.

assist her to rise

More formal and emphasizes the action of rising.

raise her to her feet

More formal and emphasizes restoring someone to a standing position.

pull her to her feet

Emphasizes the action of pulling someone upright.

offer her assistance to stand

Formal and highlights the offer of help.

FAQs

How can I use "help her up" in a sentence?

You can use "help her up" when someone has fallen or needs assistance standing. For example, "After the fall, he rushed to help her up." or "Can you help her up from the chair?".

What's a more formal alternative to "help her up"?

For a more formal tone, consider using alternatives such as "assist her to rise" or "aid her in getting up", depending on the context.

Is "help her up" appropriate in all situations?

While generally acceptable, consider the context. If you're referring to non-physical assistance, use alternative phrases like "support her" or "encourage her".

What's the difference between "help her up" and "help her stand up"?

While similar, "help her stand up" explicitly refers to the act of standing. "Help her up" can imply a broader range of assistance, especially if she's on the ground, although they are largely interchangeable.