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Prepositions with nouns

Aid with different prepositions

Aid commonly appears in phrases such as ask for aid and in aid of a cause. Of aid is uncommon except in specific structures like of great aid.

Quick answer

Which prepositions are used with aid?

Use for aid when talking about receiving or requesting help. Use in aid of to mean supporting a cause or purpose. Of aid is not usually a fixed expression, but it appears in structures such as of practical aid.

They appealed for aid after the storm.
The concert was held in aid of the local hospital.
Her notes were of great aid during the project.

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 aid

Requesting help or support

Use for with aid when someone needs or requests assistance.

Villagers called for aid after the flood.
The agency applied for aid from the government.
2
in aid of + cause

Supporting a cause or organisation

In aid of means intended to support or raise money for something.

They organised a run in aid of cancer research.
The dinner was held in aid of the school library.
3
of + adjective + aid

Describing usefulness

Of aid appears mainly after adjectives such as great, practical, or little.

The map was of great aid to the rescue team.
Her advice proved of little aid in the negotiations.

See the difference in context

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

Construction
Example
Meaning
for aid
The region asked for aid after the earthquake.
Used for requests, need, or provision of help.
in aid of
The auction was organised in aid of a children's charity.
Used for support of a cause or organisation.
of aid
The manual was of great aid to new staff.
Used in descriptive phrases about usefulness, not as a general fixed combination.
aid to
The app is an aid to communication.
Used to show what something helps with.

Common mistakes

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

Using of aid as a general replacement

Of aid is limited to certain descriptive structures.

✕ They asked of aid after the accident. ✓ They asked for aid after the accident.

Leaving out of after in aid

The expression is normally in aid of.

✕ The concert was in aid the hospital. ✓ The concert was in aid of the hospital.

Confusing aid with help

Aid is often more formal than help.

✓ Emergency aid arrived quickly.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. The charity walk was organised ___ aid of local shelters.
2. Several countries sent ___ aid after the cyclone.
3. The guide was of great ___ during training.

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Frequently asked questions

Is for aid correct English?

Yes. It is common in phrases about requesting or receiving assistance, such as call for aid.

What does in aid of mean?

It means supporting a cause, charity, or purpose.

Can I say of aid?

Only in certain descriptive patterns, especially of great aid, of practical aid, or of little aid.

of, about, against, to or for racism? of, about, for, in or on friendship? of, about, for, on or to thing? of, about, for, to or with sex? of, about, on, to or for moon? "of access" or "with access"? "of accommodation" or "for accommodation"? "of accuracy" or "for accuracy"? "of action" or "in action"? "of actor", "with actor" or "by actor"? "of address" or "to address"? "of administration" or "in administration"?

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