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Prepositions with nouns

For help or of help?

Use for help when asking or searching for assistance. Use of help in the expression be of help, meaning useful or beneficial.

Quick answer

Which form is correct?

For help is common after verbs such as ask, call, or look. Of help appears mainly after be, especially in be of help.

She called for help immediately.
I hope this guide is of help to you.
They asked for help from a neighbour.

Choose the pattern by meaning

These forms are not interchangeable. Choose the construction by meaning, not by which preposition appears most often.

1
ask for help

Requesting assistance

Use for help after verbs connected with requesting or searching.

Do not hesitate to ask for help.
She went online looking for help.
2
be of help

Describing usefulness

Use of help after be to mean useful or beneficial.

I hope this information will be of help.
The extra notes were of help to the team.
3
help with + task

Naming the activity

Use help with when mentioning a specific task or problem.

Can you help me with the report?
She needs help with childcare.

See the difference in context

The same subject can take different constructions because each sentence answers a different question.

Construction
Example
Meaning
for help
He shouted for help.
Used when requesting assistance.
of help
Your advice was of help.
Means useful or beneficial.
help with
She needs help with maths.
Introduces a task or subject.
help from
We received help from volunteers.
Names the source of assistance.

Common mistakes

Some combinations appear in real text but do not mean what learners often assume.

Using of help after ask

Ask normally takes for help, not of help.

✕ She asked of help. ✓ She asked for help.

Omitting be before of help

Of help usually follows a form of be.

✕ This guide of help to beginners. ✓ This guide is of help to beginners.

Confusing help with purpose

For help does not describe usefulness.

✕ The manual was for help. ✓ The manual was of help.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. He called ___ after the accident.
2. Your comments were ___ to the editors.
3. She needs help ___ her homework.

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Frequently asked questions

Is of help formal?

Yes. Be of help is slightly more formal than helpful.

Can I say ask help?

In standard English, ask for help is more natural.

What is a simpler alternative to of help?

Helpful is a common alternative.

for, admission, of, admission "for adoption", "of adoption" or "to adoption"? "for answer" or "of answer"? "for approval" or "of approval"? for, at, after, to or before lunch? "for breakfast" or "after breakfast"? "for collection" or "of collection"? "for dad" or "with dad"? for, during, in, of or with period? "for enforcement" or "of enforcement"? "for examination" or "of examination"? "for generation" or "of generation"?

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