useful

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "useful" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe something that is beneficial, helpful, or practical in a given context. Example: "This tool is very useful for improving productivity in the workplace."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Tech

Voluntary Sector

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

It offers no alternatives (why can't the Federal Reserve be used for transfers?), and no useful guidance about how existing remittances could meet its exacting standards.

The Guardian - Opinion

The background information the HDR provides can be used to inform development work and enable activists and policymakers to make useful comparisons.

The Guardian

This would have suggested that although PRO 2000 was not a complete answer, it might be a useful part of the armoury.The dashing of that hope is a real blow, but there are other approaches to vaginal microbicides.

The Economist

Useful links Ulster Unionists Democratic Unionist Party Sinn Fein Social Democratic and Labour Party Belfast Telegraph Irish Times Irish News Northern Ireland Office Cain (Conflict Archive on the web).

The Guardian

But even a potentially useful idea like the creation of a carbon-permit market to fight global warming is already being dismissed as Wall Street's "next big scam".

The Economist

For us, a release consists of both sending signed binaries to Maven Central and publishing a useful changelog on the web.

The Guardian

Were the system Fifa is proposing to restrict itself merely to offside decisions, or questions of whether a foul took place in or outside the area, it might be quite useful, although one suspects it would soon enough encompass other areas of the game.

The Guardian - Sport

This will stop the hacker seeing anything useful as it will all be garbled nonsense passing over the network.

The Guardian - Tech

"The Green Army initiative is a useful land restoration program that ACF welcomes, but it is in no way an answer to the massive problem of climate change and its impact on Australia," she said.

The Guardian

That idea of understanding users extends to Evernote's desire to be able to dig into your previous documents and those of your co-workers and ferret out knowledge that will be useful for whatever you're working on, before you realise that you might need it.

The Guardian - Tech

This phenomenal success was down to giving supporters something tangible and useful to do.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing tools or resources, use "useful" to emphasize their practicality and positive impact on achieving a specific goal.

Common error

In highly formal or academic writing, consider substituting "useful" with more sophisticated synonyms such as "beneficial", "advantageous", or "instrumental" to add nuance and precision to your language.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "useful" is as an adjective. It modifies nouns to describe something that provides a benefit, serves a practical purpose, or is effective in achieving a particular goal. Ludwig confirms this with numerous examples of "useful" modifying various nouns.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Tech

15%

Lifestyle

5%

Less common in

Sport

5%

Opinion

3%

Voluntary Sector

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the term "useful" functions primarily as an adjective denoting practicality, benefit, or effectiveness. Ludwig confirms its widespread and correct application across various domains. While versatile and suitable for many contexts, consider richer synonyms in formal academic writing to enhance precision. Ludwig AI highlights that "useful" enjoys high frequency in News & Media sources and is valuable in expressing the positive attributes of a subject. Remember to avoid the common misspelling "usefull". By following these guidelines, you can confidently and accurately employ "useful" in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

helpful

This alternative emphasizes the assistance provided by something.

beneficial

This alternative highlights the positive outcome or advantage something provides.

advantageous

This alternative suggests that something gives a benefit or puts someone in a better position.

practical

This alternative focuses on the functionality and applicability of something.

serviceable

This emphasizes the ability to provide a service or function adequately.

fruitful

This suggests a productive or successful outcome.

effective

This alternative highlights the ability to produce a desired result.

valuable

This emphasizes the worth or importance of something.

worthwhile

This suggests that something is worth the time, effort, or money spent.

relevant

This indicates that something is connected to or important to the matter at hand.

FAQs

How can I use "useful" in a sentence?

You can use "useful" to describe something that provides a benefit or serves a practical purpose. For example, "This tool is very useful for improving productivity."

What can I say instead of "useful"?

You can use alternatives like "helpful", "beneficial", or "practical" depending on the specific context.

Which is correct, "useful" or "usefull"?

"Useful" is the correct spelling. "Usefull" is a misspelling and should be avoided.

What's the difference between "useful" and "helpful"?

"Useful" emphasizes practicality and serving a purpose, while "helpful" emphasizes providing assistance or support. While often interchangeable, "useful" focuses more on functionality, and "helpful" on aid.