help

/help/ (bre, ipa) · /help/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈhelp Southern often ˈhep also ˈheəp/ (ame, mw)

help — verb

1. to do part of someone's work, or to give them advice, money, or support, so that

1.動詞及物 / 不及物A1
釋義

to do part of someone's work, or to give them advice, money, or support, so that their task becomes possible or easier to complete.

例句

Walid helped his younger sister with her maths homework after dinner.

help + object + with + noun phrase

The government gave money to help small businesses during the economic crisis.

help + object (no preposition)

同義詞
  • assist

    more formal than 'help'; often used in professional or official contexts

  • aid

    more formal; often refers to providing money, resources, or emergency support

  • support

    can imply longer-term help, including emotional or financial backing

反義詞
  • hinder

    to make it more difficult for someone to do something

  • obstruct

    to block or prevent progress deliberately

文法句型

help + object + infinitive

help + object + with + noun phrase

help + (object) + to-infinitive

常見錯誤

❌She helped me to carried the bags.
✅She helped me carry the bags.
💡after 'help + object', use the base form of the verb (bare infinitive), not the past tense.
❌He helped me for my homework.
✅He helped me with my homework.
💡use 'with' (not 'for') when naming the task.

2. to make a difficult, painful, or uncomfortable condition less bad or easier to b

2.動詞及物 / 不及物A2
釋義

to make a difficult, painful, or uncomfortable condition less bad or easier to bear.

例句

Taking a warm bath helps the pain in Meera's back.

helps + noun phrase (the thing improved)

Talking to a close friend can really help when you feel sad or worried.

help used intransitively

同義詞
  • relieve

    specifically about reducing pain, pressure, or worry

  • ease

    focuses on making something less severe; common with physical discomfort

  • soothe

    suggests calming or making something feel better gradually

反義詞
  • worsen

    to make a bad situation even worse

  • aggravate

    to make an injury, problem, or bad situation more serious

文法句型

something + helps

it helps + to-infinitive

something + helps + noun phrase

用法筆記

The subject of this sense is typically a thing or a circumstance (medicine, rest, talking), not a person acting intentionally.

常見錯誤

❌The medicine helped me to my headache.
✅The medicine helped my headache.
💡when the subject is a treatment, the object is the problem being improved, not the person.

3. to be one of the reasons or causes that make something happen, often together wi

3.動詞不及物B1
釋義

to be one of the reasons or causes that make something happen, often together with other factors.

例句

The warm spring weather helped the crops grow faster than usual this year.

help + object + bare infinitive (cause-effect)

Regular exercise helps to keep your heart healthy as you get older.

help + to-infinitive

同義詞
  • contribute to

    more formal; emphasises being one factor among several

  • facilitate

    formal; means to make a process easier or more likely to happen

  • promote

    suggests actively encouraging or supporting a result

反義詞
  • prevent

    to stop something from happening

  • hinder

    to make it harder for something to happen or develop

文法句型

something + helps to + infinitive

something + helps in + -ing

用法筆記

Commonly used with 'to' (helps to explain) or a bare infinitive (helps explain). The subject is a factor or circumstance, not a person choosing to help.

常見錯誤

❌Exercise helps you to lose weight' (when the intended meaning is that exercise contributes to weight loss).
✅Exercise helps you lose weight' or 'Exercise helps to lose weight.
💡both the bare infinitive and the 'to'-infinitive are correct; avoid adding 'you' as the object if the focus is on the general effect.

4. describes a feeling or action that a person cannot prevent, no matter how hard t

4.動詞不及物B1
釋義

describes a feeling or action that a person cannot prevent, no matter how hard they try.

例句

I couldn't help laughing when Quan told that silly joke.

couldn't help + -ing (involuntary reaction)

Leila can't help checking her phone every few minutes when she is bored.

同義詞
  • can't stop

    similar meaning but less idiomatic; can feel more literal

  • can't resist

    stronger; implies temptation or desire, not just lack of control

文法句型

cannot/can't help + -ing

cannot/can't help + it

couldn't help + -ing

用法筆記

This sense ALWAYS appears in the negative form (can't help / couldn't help). The phrase 'can't help it' is a fixed expression meaning the person has no control over the situation. Distinguish from sense 1 — here the person is NOT choosing to act; the action is automatic.

常見錯誤

❌I can help feeling happy when I see you.' (with positive 'can' — this changes the meaning completely).
✅I can't help feeling happy when I see you.
💡the negative form is essential for this sense.
❌I couldn't help but to laugh.
✅I couldn't help laughing.
💡use the -ing form after 'can't help,' not 'but' + infinitive.

5. to take and offer food or a drink to yourself or another person at a table.

5.動詞及物B1
釋義

to take and offer food or a drink to yourself or another person at a table.

例句

Christopher helped himself to another slice of pizza from the box.

help + oneself + to + food

Please help yourselves to coffee and cake from the table.

polite invitation: help + yourself/yourselves + to

同義詞
  • serve

    more formal; the server is typically in a host or waiter role

  • take

    neutral; lacks the polite, welcoming tone of 'help yourself'

文法句型

help + yourself + to + food/drink

help + someone + to + food/drink

用法筆記

Very common in polite invitations: 'Help yourself.' The reflexive pronoun (yourself / himself / herself / themselves) is required. This sense is polite and welcoming, unlike sense 6 which has a negative tone.

常見錯誤

❌Help you to some rice' (missing reflexive pronoun).
✅Help yourself to some rice.
💡the reflexive pronoun 'yourself' is required in this pattern.

6. to take an item that belongs to someone else, without their agreement.

6.動詞及物B2
釋義

to take an item that belongs to someone else, without their agreement.

例句

Someone helped themselves to the money from my desk drawer.

help + oneself + to (stealing/taking without right)

The stranger helped himself to a bottle of wine while the host was not looking.

同義詞
  • steal

    more direct and stronger; always implies illegality or wrongdoing

  • take without asking

    more literal; less serious in tone than 'steal'

  • pinch

    informal British English; suggests taking something small

反義詞

文法句型

help + oneself + to + something (without permission)

用法筆記

Same structure as sense 5 (help + reflexive pronoun + to), but the tone is negative and disapproving. Context makes the difference: when the thing taken belongs to someone else and is taken secretly, the meaning shifts from 'serving oneself politely' to 'stealing.'

常見錯誤

❌He helped himself to a cookie' (when the tone is neutral or positive — this should be sense 5, not sense 6).
✅He helped himself to a cookie from the jar
💡the situational context (ownership, permission) determines which sense applies.

help — noun

help — exclamation