provide about

USAGE SUMMARY

The answer is no, "provide about" is not a correct or usable phrase in written English. However, you could use a phrase such as "provide information about" in written English. For example, "The company provided information about its new products to their customers."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

The Senate plan would provide about $3.5 billion over all.

The New York Times

The government says it can only provide about $1 billion.

The New York Times

The House plan would provide about $3.2 billion in assistance.

The New York Times

Members provide about 65percentt of WRLI's money.

The New York Times

It will provide about 3,200MW of capacity.

The Guardian - Business

Two AAA batteries provide about 10 hours of playback time.

The New York Times - Tech

The fund itself will provide about $600 million in 2003.

The New York Times

Egg and sperm provide about 23,000 different genes.

The Economist

Issue ads provide about 1 percent of that 1 percent.

The New York Times

What details does the author provide about the story?

University of California, Berkeley

What feedback did the current interns provide about the internship?

Stanford University

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When aiming to express an approximate amount, avoid using "provide about". Instead, use phrases like "provide approximately", "provide around", or "provide roughly".

Common error

Using "provide about" can sound awkward and is not grammatically correct. Always ensure "about" is followed by a noun or used in a prepositional phrase, not directly after the verb "provide".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "provide about" functions as an incorrect verb phrase attempting to convey the idea of supplying an approximate quantity or information. Ludwig AI highlights its grammatical incorrectness. The correct usage involves using adverbs like "approximately" or "roughly" after "provide".

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

45%

Academia

25%

Science

15%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Wiki

5%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "provide about" appears frequently across various sources like news, academia, and science, Ludwig AI identifies it as grammatically incorrect. The intended meaning is to indicate an approximate quantity, but it's best to use grammatically sound alternatives such as "provide approximately" or "supply around". Correcting this phrase enhances clarity and professionalism in writing, maintaining a neutral register.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

provide approximately

Replaces "about" with the adverb "approximately" to correctly modify "provide".

furnish approximately

Substitutes "provide" with "furnish" and uses "approximately" for grammatical correctness.

give roughly

Uses simpler vocabulary to convey an approximate amount.

supply around

Replaces "provide" with "supply" and "about" with "around" while still indicating an approximation.

offer roughly

Substitutes "provide" with "offer" and "about" with "roughly" to denote an approximation.

allocate nearly

Uses "allocate" to suggest a specific allocation and "nearly" to indicate an approximation.

distribute around

Replaces "provide" with "distribute" and keeps "around" to maintain the approximation.

contribute almost

Suggests a contribution and uses "almost" to show it's an approximation.

yield nearly

Indicates production or outcome, modified by "nearly" for approximation.

dispense roughly

Uses a more formal verb, "dispense", and keeps "roughly" for the approximation.

FAQs

How can I properly use "provide" when referring to an approximate amount?

Instead of the incorrect phrase "provide about", use alternatives such as "provide approximately", "provide around", or "provide roughly".

What is a grammatically correct way to express approximation after the word "provide"?

The correct way is to use adverbs like approximately, nearly, or roughly, as in "provide approximately". Avoid directly following "provide" with "about".

Is it always wrong to use "provide about"?

Yes, "provide about" is generally considered grammatically incorrect. Instead, rephrase your sentence to use a proper adverb of approximation, like "provide roughly" or "give approximately".

What can I say instead of "provide about" to indicate an estimated quantity?

You can use alternatives like "supply around", "offer roughly", or "allocate nearly" depending on the context.