without their help

USAGE SUMMARY

The part of the sentence "without their help" is correct and can be used in written English.
You can use it to emphasize that a particular task was completed without help from a specific group of people. For example, "We finished the project without their help."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

America could defeat Iraq without their help.

The Economist

"Without their help, civilians will starve".

The Guardian

They're going through the college process without their help".

The New York Times

Without their help I wouldn't be here today".

Independent

Without their help I could not have functioned.

The Guardian

Without their help he could scarcely have reached his goal.

Nature

She believes she would have died without their help.

The Guardian

There is no way I could have achieved all that I have done without their help.

Independent

"I doubt if I will do the floramiento this year without their help".

The Guardian - Travel

He'd decided that he could, over time, make more money publishing without their help.

The New York Times - Books

The Afghans are waiting to see who prevails, but prevailing is impossible without their help.

The New York Times - Books

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

To strengthen the impact, consider using a more descriptive phrase in place of "their help", like "their expertise", "their resources", or "their guidance", depending on the specific contribution that was lacking.

Common error

Avoid phrasing sentences using "without their help" in a way that obscures who performed the action. Ensure the subject performing the action is clear, rather than vaguely implying it through passive construction.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "without their help" functions as a prepositional phrase modifying a verb or clause, indicating the absence of assistance. Ludwig examples show its use in emphasizing independent action. Ludwig AI confirm the correctness and usability in written English.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

61%

Science

19%

Formal & Business

5%

Less common in

Academia

6%

Wiki

3%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "without their help" is a grammatically sound and frequently used prepositional phrase that emphasizes the absence of assistance in achieving a certain outcome. Ludwig's analysis, supported by numerous examples across various sources, confirms its correctness and broad applicability. While suitable for many contexts, it's most prevalent in news and media. When using this phrase, ensure the context clearly identifies who "they" refers to, and consider whether a more specific phrase describing the type of help would enhance clarity and impact.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

excluding their input

Focuses on the absence of their influence or contribution. More specific and highlights their lack of involvement.

unassisted by them

Highlights the lack of assistance provided by them. More formal and emphasizes the absence of any help.

without recourse to their support

Indicates no access or utilization of their support. More formal and emphasizes the lack of access to their assistance.

unaided by their resources

Focuses specifically on the lack of resources provided by them. More specific about the type of help.

independently of their aid

Emphasizes acting separately and not relying on their support. Stresses autonomy more strongly.

by oneself, dispensing with their assistance

Highlights individual action and the deliberate choice to reject their assistance. More assertive.

through self-reliance, without leveraging their backing

Emphasizes self-reliance and specifically mentions the lack of leveraging their support. More formal and highlights self-sufficiency.

on one's own accord, irrespective of their support

Highlights self-reliance and the decision to act independently, regardless of their backing. It's a longer and more emphatic expression.

on our own steam, independent from their collaboration

Highlights self-sufficiency and lack of collaborative effort from them. More idiomatic.

solely through personal efforts, excluding their contribution

Emphasizes personal effort and completely excludes any contribution from them. More descriptive and highlights the effort involved.

FAQs

What does "without their help" mean?

The phrase "without their help" means that something was accomplished or a situation occurred in the absence of assistance, support, or aid from a particular group of people. It emphasizes that the outcome was achieved independently.

How can I use "without their help" in a sentence?

You can use "without their help" to indicate that a task, project, or event was completed independently. For example, "We finished the project "without their help", despite their initial reservations."

What are some alternative ways to say "without their help"?

Alternatives include phrases like "without their assistance", "independently of their aid", or "unassisted by them", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it better to use "without their help" or specify the type of help that was lacking?

Specifying the type of help (e.g., "without their financial support" or "without their technical expertise") can provide more clarity and impact. However, ""without their help"" is suitable when the context already makes the type of help clear.