would be of use

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "would be of use" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when suggesting that something may be helpful or beneficial in a particular context. Example: "If you have any additional resources, they would be of use in completing the project more efficiently."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

"He thought I would be of use doing nothing," Maury reported.

The New York Times

Would be of use particularly to Hollywood screenwriters and news-crawl scribes.

The New York Times

I tried to learn things that would be of use to my homeland," Dayib, who is Muslim, said.

The Guardian

But they said that speeches like Friday's were an example of how he would be of use in a general campaign, especially with the party's conservative base.

The New York Times

The confirmation of Einstein's theory would be of use in the study of theories that aimed to reconcile relativity with quantum mechanics.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Ms. Deviers-Joncour has repeatedly said that she worked almost exclusively for Mr. Sirven, who instructed her on lobbying Mr. Dumas to make decisions that would be of use to Elf.

The New York Times

This isn't because these courses have no inherent value or use (quite the opposite), it is just that the skills and knowledge obtained are so specific many employees fail to appreciate how they would be of use in a non-specialist field.

The Guardian

The judge, William Alsup, said the information, which is due Aug. 17, "would be of use on appeal" and could "make clear whether any treatise, article, commentary or analysis on the issues posed by this case are possibly influenced by financial relationships to the parties or counsel".

The New York Times

For example, when practitioners raised alternative research topics that would be of use to them.

Life Sciences, Society and Policy

Robert Hempsall on Twitter  : "Chanderpaul's powers of concentration would be of use in my upcoming two-day history open exam".

BBC

This would be of use to both application developers and enterprise customers looking to move to the cloud.

TechCrunch

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "would be of use", ensure the context clearly indicates who or what will benefit from the use. For clarity, directly state the beneficiary.

Common error

A common mistake is to omit specifying to whom or what something "would be of use". Always clarify the beneficiary to prevent ambiguity and ensure the sentence's meaning is clear.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "would be of use" functions as a modal phrase indicating the potential helpfulness or utility of something. It suggests a conditional benefit, often implying a future scenario where the subject could provide assistance or value. Ludwig confirms the proper usage of the phrase.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

40%

News & Media

35%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Formal & Business

5%

Social Media

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "would be of use" is a versatile phrase indicating potential benefit or utility. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, it is grammatically correct and commonly employed across various contexts, particularly in science, news media, and general informational content. While suitable for professional and neutral registers, more informal alternatives like "could be helpful" might be preferable in casual settings. Remember to clearly specify the beneficiary to avoid ambiguity. While the phrase is very common, it's important to maintain clarity in your writing by directly stating who or what will benefit from the use to make your message as effective as possible.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

could be helpful

This alternative replaces "of use" with the more direct adjective "helpful", offering a slightly less formal tone.

might be beneficial

Using "beneficial" highlights the positive impact or advantage something could offer.

may be valuable

Shifting the focus to "valuable" emphasizes the worth or importance of something.

could prove advantageous

This option suggests a stronger, more strategic benefit than "of use", often in a competitive context.

could be relevant

This alternative focuses on the pertinence or applicability of something in a specific situation.

might be applicable

Using "applicable" indicates that something could be readily applied or put into practice.

could serve a purpose

This phrase centers on the idea of fulfilling a need or function.

may assist in

This alternative emphasizes the helping aspect of something, suggesting it could facilitate a task or process.

might contribute to

Focusing on contribution highlights how something can add to a larger goal or outcome.

could offer assistance

This option emphasizes the support or aid that something can provide.

FAQs

How can I rephrase "would be of use" to sound more formal?

For a more formal tone, consider alternatives such as "might be beneficial" or "could prove advantageous", which emphasize the positive impact or strategic benefit.

Is "would be of use" suitable for everyday conversations?

While grammatically correct, "would be of use" can sound slightly formal for casual conversations. Alternatives like "could be helpful" or "may assist in" are more approachable in informal settings.

What's the difference between "would be of use" and "would be helpful"?

"Would be of use" and "would be helpful" are very similar, but "would be of use" can sometimes imply a more specific or practical application, while "helpful" is a broader term for providing assistance.

How to use "would be of use" in a sentence?

You can use "would be of use" to suggest that something might be beneficial or helpful in a particular situation. For example, "This information "might be valuable" to the research team."