helping to

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "helping to" is a correct and usable part of a sentence in written English.
You can use this phrase when you are indicating that something is assisting or providing assistance. For example, "Mary is helping to organize the school event."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Thank you for helping to raise awareness.

The New York Times - Magazine

The park is helping to do that.

The Guardian - Travel

This is helping to erode racial segregation.

The Economist

Republicans are helping to make the case.

The Economist

"We are helping to educate kids.

The New Yorker

"We're helping to rebuild it".

The New York Times

And helping to eradicate poverty.

The Guardian - Opinion

I'm helping to launch the Aviva UKA Academy.

Independent

We're helping to do what we can.

The New Yorker

offices, helping to break down film.

The New York Times - Sports

They spurred innovation, helping to create jobs.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "helping to" when you want to express a supporting action towards a specific goal. It clearly indicates assistance without specifying the level of involvement, making it versatile for various contexts.

Common error

In highly formal writing, avoid excessive use of "helping to". Opt for more precise verbs like "facilitating", "aiding", or "contributing" to convey the nature and extent of assistance more accurately.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "helping to" functions as a gerund phrase, indicating an action that provides assistance or support. It's commonly used to describe an ongoing or contributing action, as supported by Ludwig's numerous examples from diverse sources.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

55%

Science

15%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Wiki

10%

Academia

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "helping to" is a versatile and commonly used gerund phrase that indicates assistance or support towards a specific goal. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and frequent appearance across various contexts, notably in news and media. While generally neutral in register, it's advisable to consider more formal alternatives in academic or professional writing to achieve greater precision. When employing "helping to", ensure the context clearly defines the action being supported and avoid overusing it in highly formal settings. Remember that you can consider alternatives depending on the context like "assisting with", "aiding in", or "contributing to".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

assisting with

Uses a different verb to express the action of providing support.

aiding in

Similar to "helping to" but employs a more formal verb choice.

contributing to

Emphasizes the act of giving or adding to a cause or project.

supporting

Focuses on providing encouragement or resources to sustain an effort.

facilitating

Implies making a process or action easier.

promoting

Suggests actively encouraging or advocating for something.

furthering

Indicates advancing or progressing a cause or goal.

advancing

Similar to "furthering", emphasizing progress and development.

playing a role in

Highlights involvement or participation in an event or activity.

being instrumental in

Suggests crucial or significant involvement in achieving a result.

FAQs

How can I use "helping to" in a sentence?

Use "helping to" to describe an action that assists or supports a specific outcome. For example, "She is helping to organize the event" or "This technology is helping to reduce pollution".

What are some alternatives to "helping to"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives like "assisting with", "aiding in", or "contributing to". These options can add nuance to your writing.

Is it always appropriate to use "helping to" in formal writing?

While "helping to" is generally acceptable, consider using more formal alternatives like "facilitating" or "furthering" in highly formal or academic contexts for enhanced precision.

What's the difference between "helping to" and "support to"?

"Helping to" describes a direct action of assisting, while "support to" typically refers to providing resources or encouragement. For example, "He is helping to build the house" versus "He is offering support to the family".