help someone with

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase 'help someone with' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you are talking about providing assistance or guidance to someone for a specific purpose. For example: "I offered to help my neighbor with her taxes."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

42 human-written examples

Before you help someone with tooth-brushing, bathing, eating or using the toilet.

The New York Times

Being able to help someone with their dream is a pretty good feeling".

The Guardian

What kinds of activities are available to help someone with dementia remain engaged and active in the community?

The New York Times

He had seen the vendor leave the stand to help someone with a cane cross the street.

The New York Times

People who would rush to help someone with a broken leg run away when someone has a mental health problem".

The Guardian

"They need to learn what it's like to get up every morning and get to that job and help someone with something," Ms. Cox said.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

16 human-written examples

"I always got a real charge from helping someone with a personal discovery," he said.

The New York Times

What follows is a primer from those practitioners on the basics that families should consider when helping someone with special needs.

The New York Times

But I receive the most beautiful messages thanking me for helping someone with driving anxiety, or getting them to a destination they are headed to.

The Guardian - Tech

It's also true that Dr. Fredman's definition of a caregiver sets a fairly low bar, including anyone who performs even one "instrumental activity of daily living," such as helping someone with bill-paying or phone use.

The New York Times

This is beneficial for the same reasons the new headers work: it helps someone with low vision orient she/he navigate an interface, also lessening strain and fatigue.

TechCrunch

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Consider the formality of the context. While "help" is generally acceptable, "assist" or "aid" might be more appropriate in formal settings.

Common error

While "help someone with" is perfectly acceptable, overuse can make your writing sound repetitive. Vary your language by using synonyms like "assist", "aid", or "support" to maintain reader engagement.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "help someone with" functions primarily as a verb phrase, indicating the act of providing assistance or support to another person. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and usability.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

46%

Science

32%

Wiki

14%

Less common in

Formal & Business

2%

Academia

2%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "help someone with" is a versatile and widely used phrase for expressing assistance. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is grammatically correct and appropriate for various contexts, ranging from casual conversations to more formal writing. While generally neutral in tone, be mindful of potential repetitiveness and consider using synonyms like "assist", "aid", or "support" to diversify your language. This phrase is most frequently found in News & Media, Scientific publications and Wiki articles.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

assist an individual with

Formality increased by using "assist" instead of "help" and "individual" instead of "someone".

give assistance to

More formal and general way of offering help.

aid a person in

"Aid" implies a more formal or significant type of assistance.

offer guidance to

Highlights the act of providing advice or direction.

support an individual doing

Focus shifts to supporting the action rather than direct assistance.

provide support for

Emphasizes the provision of resources or encouragement.

guide someone through

Implies leading someone step by step through a process.

lend a hand with

Informal and idiomatic expression indicating assistance.

be of service to

More formal and polite way to offer help.

facilitate someone's progress in

Focuses on making progress easier for someone.

FAQs

What can I say instead of "help someone with"?

You can use alternatives like "assist someone with", "aid a person in", or "support someone doing" depending on the context.

Is it better to say "help someone with" or "help someone in"?

"Help someone with" is generally preferred when referring to a specific task or activity. "Help someone in" is less common but can be used in specific contexts, such as "help someone in need".

How do I use "help someone with" in a sentence?

You can use "help someone with" by following it with the task or subject you're assisting with, like "I can help someone with their homework", or "She offered to help someone with the groceries".

What's the difference between "help someone with" and "helps someone with"?

"Help someone with" is used with plural subjects (e.g., "They help someone with their chores"), while "helps someone with" is used with singular subjects (e.g., "He helps someone with their work").