it proves useful

USAGE SUMMARY

"it proves useful" is a correct and usable sentence in written English.
You can use it when you want to express that something has been demonstrated to have a practical benefit. For example: "This piece of technology is relatively new, but it proves useful in various applications."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

18 human-written examples

Waldman quotes a State Department official saying that the administration welcomed backchannel efforts like The Iran Project's because "it proves useful both to have knowledgeable former officials and country experts engaging with their counterparts and in reinforcing our own messages when possible".

Huffington Post

If it proves useful it could be adapted for use in other forms of physical therapy.

TechCrunch

It proves useful to approach the olfactory bulb and cortex, its connections to the periventricular brain and subventricular zones using horizontal sections.

BMC Veterinary Research

"If it proves useful to people who are really suffering, we should look at it.

The New Yorker

This so-called apoptosis inhibitor is now being tested on patients in clinical trials to see if it proves useful in preventing healthy brain cells from committing suicide after heart attacks, strokes and nerve-damaging diseases.

The New York Times - Science

In this regard it proves useful a sort of perturbative approach.

Gene

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

42 human-written examples

SAGE would ultimately prove outdated before it proved useful but its creation allowed IBM to become the powerhouse it is today.

Vice

How will it prove useful to civil servants and policy making?

The Guardian

Investigators recovered video from a nearby surveillance camera, and it proved useful in solving the case, the police said.

The New York Times

Augustine's interpretation was linked not only to personal experience and thought but to the politics of his day: it proved useful to the emperor.

The New Yorker

And it proved useful in distracting me from the songs Ms. Diane was singing, most of which featured lyrics (by Jill Winters) of wince-making inanity.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "it proves useful" when you want to emphasize that something has been tested or demonstrated to have a practical application or benefit. For clarity, ensure the subject "it" is clearly defined within the context.

Common error

Avoid excessive use of passive constructions when using "it proves useful". Instead of saying "it was proven useful by the experiment", opt for a more direct and active voice: "the experiment proved it useful."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "it proves useful" functions as a declarative statement, asserting that something has demonstrated its practical value or benefit. As shown by Ludwig, it typically appears in sentences where the speaker wants to emphasize the demonstrated utility.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

30%

Science

55%

Formal & Business

15%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "it proves useful" is a common and grammatically sound expression used to indicate that something has been demonstrated to be beneficial or effective. As indicated by Ludwig, it's most frequently found in news, scientific, and formal contexts. While versatile, it's essential to ensure the subject "it" is clearly defined and to avoid excessive use of passive voice. Considering alternatives such as "it demonstrates its utility" or "it turns out to be helpful" can provide nuanced ways to express the same idea.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

it turns out to be helpful

Replaces "proves useful" with "turns out to be helpful", emphasizing the element of discovery or realization.

it serves a practical purpose

Replaces "proves useful" with "serves a practical purpose", emphasizing the functional aspect.

it is found to be effective

Emphasizes the effectiveness of something, using "is found to be effective" as an alternative to "proves useful".

it demonstrates its utility

Uses "demonstrates its utility" instead of "proves useful", making the phrase slightly more formal and emphasizing the practical value.

it offers a benefit

Uses "offers a benefit" instead of "proves useful", focusing on the positive outcome or advantage.

it is shown to be advantageous

Replaces "proves useful" with "is shown to be advantageous", presenting a more formal and passive construction.

it has practical applications

Shifts the focus to the real-world uses and applications of something instead of its proven utility.

it becomes a valuable asset

Changes the focus to the result of being useful, highlighting its worth as an asset.

it yields positive results

Highlights the beneficial outcomes or results that stem from something being useful.

it is of value

Simplifies the phrase to express that something has worth or usefulness.

FAQs

How can I rephrase "it proves useful" to sound more formal?

For a more formal tone, consider alternatives like "it demonstrates its utility" or "it is shown to be advantageous".

What's a simpler way to say "it proves useful"?

You could say "it is helpful" or "it is useful" as more straightforward options.

In what contexts is "it proves useful" commonly used?

As the examples from Ludwig show, "it proves useful" is frequently found in news, scientific, and formal writing when evaluating the effectiveness or benefit of something.

Is there a difference between "it proves useful" and "it is useful"?

"It is useful" simply states a quality, while "it proves useful" implies that this usefulness has been demonstrated or verified in some way.