help do something

Meanings

1. 1verbtransitive

   To make it easier for someone to do something by doing part of it or by giving useful advice.

   Grammar: Takes an object: help someone do something; the verb after the object has no 'to'.

   Patterns

   • help someone do something
   • help do something
   • help someone with something

   Could you help me carry these boxes upstairs?

   She helped the children find their way back to the hotel.

   A neighbor helped us move the furniture into the new apartment.

2. 2verbtransitive

   To make a situation, process, or problem easier or better.

   Grammar: Takes an object that is a thing or situation, not a person: help the economy, help matters.

   Patterns

   • help something
   • help matters
   • help the situation

   A short break would help your concentration.

   The new rules are meant to help small businesses grow.

   Nothing he said helped the situation.

3. 3verbintransitive

   To be useful or to make things easier in a general way, without naming what is helped.

   Grammar: No object; often used in the phrase 'it helps' or with 'a lot', 'a little'.

   Patterns

   • it helps
   • that helps
   • help a lot

   Turning the music down would help a lot.

   It helps to write your ideas down before you start.

   Taking notes during the talk really helped.

Word forms

Common combinations

help someone do something

He helped me finish the report before the deadline.

help with something

Can you help with the cooking tonight?

help a lot

Your advice helped a lot.

help matters

Speaking calmly would help matters.

help yourself to something

Please help yourself to more coffee.

Synonyms and how they differ

assist

More formal than help and often used for official or professional support: a nurse assists a surgeon.

aid

Also formal, and often about helping a group, cause, or country rather than one person.

support

Focuses on giving steady encouragement or resources over time, not on doing a task for someone.

Opposites

Word family

help noun

The act of helping, or the assistance given.

helper noun

A person who helps, especially with practical tasks.

helpful adjective

Giving useful help or making things easier.

helpless adjective

Unable to do anything without help.

unhelpful adjective

Not giving useful help or making things worse.

Commonly confused: help do something or help to do something?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “help do something”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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