help was requested

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "help was requested" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used in contexts where assistance or support has been sought or asked for, often in formal or professional communication. Example: "During the meeting, it was noted that help was requested from the IT department to resolve the technical issues."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Formal & Business

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

The Israeli Embassy declined to disclose how much help was requested, but said the Israelis were promised a prompt reply.

The New York Times

Gov. George E. Pataki declared nine counties in that region to be in a state of emergency, which meant that the state would provide financial and other resources to those counties if help was requested.

The New York Times

The NEQ was administered by the members of the Psychology Unit, supported by volunteers from the Milan section of the Italian League Against Cancer, who also assisted the patients in filling in the questionnaire when help was requested.

BMC Cancer

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

But this is a familiar refrain, as is the unhappy coda when help is requested after all.

The Economist

Chief Petty Officer James O'Leary said a P-3 Orion reconnaissance plane might be diverted to the scene if help is requested.

The New York Times

Please note that if help is requested with less than eight weeks before the deadline, we cannot guarantee the same level of service (i.e., we can comment on how clearly and effectively the proposed work is communicated but cannot undertake major revisions or help with any of the logistical components mentioned above).

Columbia University

Parent help is requested.

Los Angeles Times

Not only does asking show self-confidence, but it also shows respect for the person you're asking by acknowledging that his or her help is requested, not just expected.

HuffPost

Using this revision of the criteria over 98% letters could be categorised by type of help being requested of the specialist.

BMC Health Services Research

In December 2012, US$1.5 billion was requested to help 4 million people inside Syria and 1.1 million refugees until the middle of 2013.

Unicef

"The way our mutual aid works is we can only go in if help has been requested," she said over the phone on Friday.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "help was requested", ensure the context clearly indicates who requested the help and from whom. This provides clarity and avoids ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using "help was requested" without specifying who made the request. This can lead to vagueness and make the sentence less informative. Instead, clearly state who requested the help.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "help was requested" functions as a statement indicating that assistance was sought. It often appears as part of a broader narrative, conveying the action of seeking support. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

65%

Science

15%

Academia

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Wiki

5%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "help was requested" is a grammatically correct and usable phrase, as confirmed by Ludwig AI. It signifies that assistance was sought, typically in a neutral or professional context. While not highly frequent, it appears across various domains, including News & Media, Science, and Academia. When using this phrase, ensure clarity by specifying who requested the help and from whom. Alternative phrases like "assistance was requested" or "support was requested" can provide slight variations in tone and formality. Remember to avoid passive voice vagueness for a more direct and informative sentence.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

assistance was requested

Replaces "help" with the more formal term "assistance".

aid was requested

Substitutes "help" with "aid", implying more substantial or emergency support.

support was requested

Uses "support" instead of "help", suggesting a broader range of assistance beyond immediate needs.

help was needed

Focuses on the necessity of help rather than the act of requesting.

help had been requested

Emphasizes the completion of the action of requesting help, often indicating a past event.

assistance had been sought

Combines the formality of "assistance" with a more active verb, "sought", indicating a deliberate search for help.

a request for help was made

Reformulates the phrase to highlight the "request" as the subject, adding a degree of formality.

a plea for help was issued

Adds urgency by using "plea" instead of "request", suggesting a more desperate need for assistance.

they asked for assistance

Shifts the focus to the actor requesting help, making the sentence more direct and active.

a cry for help was heard

Emphasizes the urgency and potential desperation behind the request.

FAQs

How can I rephrase "help was requested" to sound more formal?

To increase formality, consider using phrases like "assistance was requested" or "a formal request for support was submitted".

What's a more direct way to say "help was requested"?

A more direct alternative is to specify who requested the help: "The team "asked for help"".

Is "help was requested" passive voice?

Yes, "help was requested" is in the passive voice. To make it active, rephrase to something like "They requested help".

When is it appropriate to use "help was requested"?

Use "help was requested" when the act of requesting is more important than who made the request or when the actor is unknown or unimportant to the context.