helps to support

USAGE SUMMARY

"helps to support" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you are talking about something providing assistance or backing to something else. For example, "The funding from the government helps to support our research efforts."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

30 human-written examples

This hot line is one important service that helps to support them through readjustment challenges after service to our country.

The New York Times

The tail has T-shaped cartilage on the end, which helps to support the membrane that connects the thighs.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Australian English has something of a penchant for -ie words … so this helps to support the evidence for selfie having originated in Australia".

The Guardian - Books

Cattle dung helps to support the insect population, and the cattle germinate seeds from the hay they are fed in winter.

The Guardian - Opinion

Amy is a member of the Zurich Community Trust "Executive", part of the governance structure that helps to support the trust's board of trustees.

The Guardian

The Amy Winehouse Foundation helps to support young people who are in need for many reasons, including ill health, disability, financial disadvantage or addiction.

The Guardian - Music

This actually helps to support the false narrative of violent extremism; they want to make the case that America hates you, is against you, join us".

The Guardian

The strong Indian lithosphere helps to support the Himalayas, but the buoyancy of the thick Tibetan crust maintains the high elevation of the plateau.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Gradle also helps to support external dependencies using Maven.

Journal of Cloud Computing

And it really helps to support the producers directly".

TechCrunch

Applying the Ecology of Resources model helps to support this process and provides a framework for analysing the complexity of the learning design.

International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "helps to support", ensure that the subject clearly indicates what is providing the assistance and what is being supported. This clarifies the relationship and strengthens the sentence's meaning.

Common error

Avoid using additional words that reiterate the idea of support. For example, instead of saying "helps to further support", simply use "helps to support" to avoid unnecessary repetition.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "helps to support" functions as a causal connector, indicating that one thing aids or contributes to the maintenance, sustenance, or success of another. Ludwig AI confirms its usability.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

30%

Science

30%

Encyclopedias

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

10%

Wiki

10%

Unknown

10%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "helps to support" is a versatile expression used to describe assistance or contribution towards a specific goal or outcome. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is grammatically correct and widely applicable. It appears frequently in News & Media, Science and Encyclopedias. When employing "helps to support", ensure the sentence clearly indicates both the supporting entity and the entity being supported. While phrases like "helps in supporting", "assists in supporting" and "contributes to the support of" can serve as alternatives, understanding the subtle nuances in formality and emphasis can enhance your writing. Be careful with phrases, and do not be redundant. Overall, "helps to support" is a reliable and straightforward way to express assistance in various contexts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

assists in supporting

Replaces "helps" with "assists", which is a more formal synonym, and rephrases the verb.

contributes to the support of

Uses "contributes" to convey the idea of providing assistance, with a slight shift to a more formal tone.

aids in the sustenance of

Employs "aids" and "sustenance" for a more sophisticated and slightly elevated register.

facilitates the backing of

Substitutes "helps" with "facilitates" and "support" with "backing", emphasizing the enabling aspect.

is instrumental in upholding

Expresses the crucial role of something in maintaining or defending something else.

plays a role in bolstering

Highlights the contribution of something to strengthening or reinforcing something else.

serves to reinforce

Focuses on the strengthening effect provided by something.

works to underpin

Implies providing a foundation or basis for something.

lends itself to backing

Describes something that is suitable or adaptable for providing support.

provides assistance to maintain

Breaks down the phrase to focus on the act of providing assistance to keep something in its current state.

FAQs

What is another way to say "helps to support"?

You can use alternatives such as "assists in supporting", "contributes to the support of", or "facilitates the backing of" depending on the context.

How can I use "helps to support" in a sentence?

Use "helps to support" to describe something that aids or enables another thing. For example, "The new policy helps to support small businesses".

What's the difference between "helps to support" and "supports"?

"Helps to support" implies a less direct or partial assistance compared to "supports", which suggests a more complete or primary form of aid. "The community garden helps to support local food banks" indicates the garden is one of potentially many sources of support, whereas "The government supports local food banks" suggests a main backing.

Is "helps in supporting" grammatically correct compared to "helps to support"?

Both are grammatically correct, though "helps to support" is more common. "Helps in supporting" places slightly more emphasis on the action of supporting, but the difference is subtle.