provide a gift

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "provide a gift" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when discussing the act of giving a present to someone, often in formal or polite contexts. Example: "We would like to provide a gift to our loyal customers as a token of appreciation for their support."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

11 human-written examples

The employer should provide a gift or a cake to celebrate an employee's birthday.

The Guardian - Money

Last week a donor who asked to remain anonymous agreed to provide a gift to retire the deficit.

The New York Times - Arts

(Available only at MommaLoveTheBook.com; the author can ship overnight, or provide a gift certificate to print for arrival next week).

The New York Times

"I tell donors these are excellent students and we want to take financial concerns out of their decision-making process, and we're looking to you to provide a gift that will help us do that".

The New York Times

That means contract concessions, in which sellers may agree to cover a buyer's closing costs, provide a gift card for a certain amount, pay in advance for renovations, or even subsidize taxes by allocating funds from their proceeds at closing.

The New York Times

In order to smooth over his relationship with local authorities, his connection helped him provide a "gift" to the local police.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

49 human-written examples

A federal statute prohibits providing a gift to an official "for or because of any official act".

The New York Times

Bush's "stuff happens" line, which he uttered in South Carolina on Friday, has already entered the political lexicon and provided a gift to the Democrats.

The New Yorker

The Ravens' offense was yet again provided a gift turnover by Baltimore's blue-collar defense, with an interception of Titans quarterback Steve McNair.

The New York Times - Sports

GiveBackMail is another twist on the embedded-giving trend that has swept corporate America, which provides a gift to charity in almost every transaction.

The New York Times - Tech

Questioning a witness from the commission, Mr. Scherman asked whether it "creates the appearance of impropriety" to have a utility providing "a gift" to a state agency that so closely regulates it.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "provide a gift" in formal writing, consider the context. It's often more impactful to specify the type or purpose of the gift to enhance clarity and show thoughtfulness.

Common error

Avoid using "provide a gift" in everyday conversation or informal writing. Simpler alternatives like "give a gift" or "offer a present" are usually more appropriate and sound more natural.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "provide a gift" functions as a verb phrase where "provide" is the verb indicating the action of giving and "gift" is the noun representing the object being given. This phrase describes the action of furnishing or supplying something as a present.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

30%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Encyclopedias

5%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "provide a gift" is a grammatically correct expression used to describe the action of giving something as a present. While Ludwig AI confirms its validity, its usage frequency is uncommon and leans towards neutral to formal contexts like news, science, and business communications. For everyday conversations, simpler alternatives such as "give a gift" or "offer a present" might be more appropriate. However, in formal writing, specifying the nature or purpose of the gift adds greater clarity and impact.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

offer a present

Replaces 'gift' with 'present', a synonymous term, offering a slight variation in wording.

give a present

Uses the verb 'give' instead of 'provide', which is a more common and direct way to express the action.

bestow a gift

Employs 'bestow', suggesting a more formal and gracious manner of giving.

present with a gift

Inverts the structure to emphasize the act of presenting, suitable for formal announcements.

furnish a gift

Uses 'furnish', implying a formal or official offering.

supply a gift

Suggests providing something needed or desired as a gift.

grant a gift

Implies a formal or authoritative giving of a gift.

donate a gift

Specifically refers to giving a gift as a donation, often to a charity or cause.

award a gift

Suggests giving a gift as a reward or recognition of achievement.

extend a gift

Highlights the act of offering or giving something in a gracious manner.

FAQs

What can I say instead of "provide a gift"?

You can use alternatives like "offer a present", "give a present", or "bestow a gift" depending on the context.

Is "provide a gift" formal or informal?

"Provide a gift" is generally considered more formal. In informal settings, using phrases like "give a gift" might be more suitable.

How to use "provide a gift" in a sentence?

You can use "provide a gift" in a sentence like: "The company decided to provide a gift to each employee for their hard work".

What's the difference between "provide a gift" and "giving a gift"?

"Provide a gift" is more formal and emphasizes the act of supplying the gift. "Giving a gift" is a more general and common way to express the act of offering something as a present.