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Justyna Jupowicz-Kozak

CEO of Professional Science Editing for Scientists @ prosciediting.com

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supportive support

Grammar usage guide and real-world examples

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "supportive support" is correct and usable in written English, though it may be considered redundant.
You can use it when emphasizing the nature of the support being provided, particularly in contexts where both the act of supporting and the emotional or moral backing are highlighted. Example: "The team provided supportive support to each other during the challenging project, ensuring everyone felt valued and encouraged."

Environmental Management

Huffington Post

TechCrunch

Vice

BMJ Open

Core Evidence

BMC Public Health

BMC Infectious Diseases

Behaviour Research and Therapy

The New York Times

The Guardian - Sport

Health & Justice

Cancer Nanotechnology

BBC

Evolution: Education and Outreach

BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth

BMC Health Services Research

British Journal of Psychiatry

Human Resources for Health

BMC Psychiatry

WikiHow

The New York Times - Sports

International Journal of STEM Education

Cost Effectiveness and Resource Allocation

Annals of Intensive Care

F1000Research

BMC Oral Health

BMC Nursing

The New Yorker

BioMed Research International

Cancer Medicine

ClinicoEconomics and Outcomes Research

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

60 human-written examples

In line with the institutional framework, the prominent attitude towards result-orientation among the policy makers in the survey was supportive (supported by 6 of 9 policy makers); in contrast, only 4 farmers were unequivocally in favor of this approach.

Outside the not-so-supportive support system at SDCP, Peggy has more power, but plenty of uncertainty along with it, and star Elisabeth Moss told The Huffington Post that the season's main theme is "people trying to get away from themselves and having a lot of trouble with that, and being chased by their own shadows".

News & Media

Huffington Post

Thanks to the country's supportive regulatory support network, the U.K. is a leading fintech hub.

News & Media

TechCrunch

Jauncey said, of the repeated surveying of the local community: "not only has it always consistently shown that the majority are supportive, the support has actually increased overtime.

News & Media

Vice

They describe their role as supportive, including support concerning patients' struggles in accepting the incurable nature of the disease.

Science

BMJ Open

Treatments directed at caregivers, including supportive psychotherapy, support groups, and respite care, are likely to be helpful to the caregiver and consequently may benefit patients as well.

The utility of the GHS coaching component could be further promoted with changes to the GHS introductory script and through general mass-media campaigns promoting healthy weight which incorporate the GHS in a supportive "pull" support style campaign.

(Caregiver, 8) The whole family was very supportive; they supported me every time I must go to the hospital, they ask, "Can I take you?" and the one can go to work or so.

We expected socially anxious people to both perceive themselves and be rated by partners as less supportive when providing support and that they would receive less support from their partners when disclosing their positive event.

There are other, more indirect ways that a parent can also be truly supportive if direct support is elusive.

News & Media

The New York Times

West Ham United's David Gold – ironically, perhaps, the least able to do something to bring about safe standing given that his club do not own their stadium – has been the most vocal owner in favour but many more are privately supportive and would support some sort of trial.

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Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using the phrase "supportive support" in formal writing; instead, opt for concise alternatives like "strong support" or "encouragement".

Common error

Be mindful of repetitive phrasing in your writing. While "supportive support" isn't grammatically incorrect, it adds unnecessary words that can weaken your message. Choose one word that encapsulates both the nature and act of support.

Antonio Rotolo, PhD - Digital Humanist | Computational Linguist | CEO @Ludwig.guru

Antonio Rotolo, PhD

Digital Humanist | Computational Linguist | CEO @Ludwig.guru

Source & Trust

77%

Authority and reliability

3.5/5

Expert rating

Real-world application tested

Linguistic Context

The phrase "supportive support" functions as a noun phrase where an adjective ("supportive") modifies the noun ("support"). However, it is highly redundant. As Ludwig AI points out, such constructions are generally stylistically weak and better replaced by a single, well-chosen word.

Expression frequency: Missing

Frequent in

Science

0%

News & Media

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Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Science

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News & Media

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Formal & Business

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Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while grammatically acceptable, the phrase "supportive support" is generally considered redundant and stylistically weak. According to Ludwig AI, better alternatives like "strong support" or simply "support" are usually preferable to avoid unnecessary repetition. Ludwig examples show that it can be usable in certain contextes, especially when emphatizing the positive and motivational aspect of the support. It's advisable to use concise and precise language, especially in formal writing, and to choose stronger alternatives that convey the intended meaning more effectively.

FAQs

Is it grammatically incorrect to say "supportive support"?

While not strictly incorrect, "supportive support" is considered redundant. Using just "support" or other alternatives provides a clearer and more concise expression.

What are some alternatives to saying "supportive support"?

You can use alternatives like "strong support", "encouraging assistance", or simply "support" depending on the context.

When might "supportive support" be acceptable to use?

It might be acceptable in very informal contexts where you want to emphasize the supportive nature of the help being provided, but even then, it's generally better to rephrase for clarity.

How can I avoid redundancy in my writing like "supportive support"?

Review your writing for phrases that repeat the same meaning. Replace them with single words or rephrase to convey the same idea more efficiently. For example, instead of "supportive support", consider "meaningful support".

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Source & Trust

77%

Authority and reliability

3.5/5

Expert rating

Real-world application tested

Most frequent sentences: