Keyword: help
Grammatical Overview
Core Function: High-frequency verb/noun driving causative complement structures (bare or to-infinitive) and involuntary action idioms (can't help).
Frequency Rank: Top 50 English Verbs
🗺️ Pattern Map (Colligation & Grammar)
Pattern 1: help + (Object) + (to) + Infinitive
- Structure:
Subject + help + (Object) + (to) + Base Verb - Meaning: Assist someone to perform an action, or facilitate an outcome. (Note: "to" is optional).
- Examples:
- She helped me move the heavy table into the living room.
- Regular exercise helps to lower blood pressure.
Pattern 2: can't help + -ing
- Structure:
Subject + can't/couldn't help + V-ing - Meaning: Unable to refrain from or stop an action or feeling.
- Examples:
- I couldn't help laughing when the cat fell off the bed.
- He can't help feeling nervous before presentations.
🧩 Key Lexical Chunks (Collocations & Idioms)
Spoken Formulaic Units
- help oneself (to something): Please help yourself to tea and biscuits.
- help out: Could you help out with dinner tonight?
- there's no helping it: It's annoying, but there's no helping it now.
- give/lend a helping hand: Thanks for lending a helping hand during the move.
🎴 Interactive Web Practice (10 Questions)
Practice 1: She helped me ______ the heavy table into the living room.
Answer:
move (or to move)
Practice 2: I couldn't help ______ when the puppy fell over its own paws.
Answer:
laughing
Practice 3: Please help yourself ______ whatever food is in the kitchen!
Answer:
to
Practice 4: Could you help ______ with dinner preparations tonight?
Answer:
out
Practice 5: Regular exercise helps ______ blood pressure.
Answer:
lower (or to lower)
Practice 6: He can't help ______ anxious before public speaking.
Answer:
feeling
Practice 7: It's an unfortunate situation, but there's no ______ it now.
Answer:
helping
Practice 8: They managed to finish the project with the ______ of a local expert.
Answer:
help
Practice 9: Thank you for giving us a ______ hand during the move!
Answer:
helping
Practice 10: Would you mind ______ me carry these boxes upstairs?
Answer:
helping
🔗 Related Patterns & Chunks
- 🗺️ Pattern: verb-ing — Gerund complement structures (can't help doing)