helps determine

USAGE SUMMARY

"helps determine" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you need to express that something causes or influences the result of something else. For example: "Questions on the quiz helps determine a student's grade."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

57 human-written examples

The rate helps determine what banks charge their customers.

The New York Times

A post at Feminist Philosophers helps determine your slavery footprint.

The New York Times

The sequence helps determine the traits of an organism.

The New York Times - Health

And the character of the theme helps determine the character of the fugue itself.

The New York Times - Arts

The company's technology then helps determine whether the borrower qualifies for a loan modification.

The New York Times

Getting the response right is critical and helps determine the pace of recovery.

The Guardian

Well, it continues White's quick development and helps determine which squares will come under pressure.

The New York Times

Strategic planning helps determine mid- to long- term goals and what areas to focus on.

The Guardian

A factoring company is a financial middleman that helps determine the creditworthiness of retailers.

The New York Times

And that relative performance, the professors said, helps determine which funds to advertise most heavily.

The New York Times

The jet stream's serpentine course helps determine where the Tusas go on vacation or whether P.C.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "helps determine" when you want to express a causal or influential relationship, indicating that something contributes to a specific outcome or decision.

Common error

Avoid using "helps determine" in overly simplistic sentences where a more direct verb like "determines" would be more concise and impactful.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "helps determine" functions as a verb phrase indicating that something contributes to or influences a process of decision-making or establishing a result. Ludwig's examples confirm its use in connecting a factor to an outcome.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

42%

Science

25%

Wiki

14%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

3%

Formal & Business

3%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "helps determine" is a commonly used and grammatically sound phrase that indicates a contributing factor in a decision-making process or the establishment of an outcome. Ludwig AI's analysis confirms its validity and frequent occurrence in various contexts, particularly in news, science, and general writing. When using this phrase, ensure that the subject genuinely contributes to the outcome, rather than being the sole determinant, and avoid overuse in overly simplistic sentences. Alternatives like "assists in determining" or "plays a role in determining" can add nuance and variety to your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

assists in determining

Replaces "helps" with "assists in", maintaining the meaning but adding a slightly more formal tone.

plays a role in determining

Emphasizes the contribution of something to the determination process.

is instrumental in determining

Highlights the essential nature of something in the determination.

aids in the determination of

Formal phrasing replacing "helps" with "aids" and restructuring the sentence.

is a factor in determining

Focuses on something being one of several influences.

contributes to determining

Highlights the contributory aspect of influencing the determination.

influences the determination of

Shifts the focus to influencing the entire process of determination.

is conducive to determining

Suggests something creates a favorable condition for determining.

facilitates the determination of

Emphasizes the ease something brings to the determination process.

provides a basis for determining

Highlights that something gives a starting point or foundation for deciding.

FAQs

How can I use "helps determine" in a sentence?

Use "helps determine" to indicate that something is a contributing factor in a decision or outcome. For example, "The data "helps determine" the best course of action."

What are some alternatives to "helps determine"?

Alternatives include "assists in determining", "plays a role in determining", or "is instrumental in determining". The best choice depends on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it better to say "helps determine" or simply "determines"?

"Helps determine" suggests a contributing factor, while "determines" implies a definitive cause. Use "helps determine" when the subject is one of several factors influencing the outcome, and "determines" when the subject is the primary or sole factor.

What's the difference between "helps determine" and "helps identify"?

"Helps determine" implies a decision-making process, while "helps identify" suggests recognizing or pinpointing something. Use "helps determine" when something assists in reaching a conclusion or making a choice, and "helps identify" when something assists in recognizing or locating something else.