assist doing vs assist to do

Both "assist doing" and "assist to do" are commonly used phrases in English, but they are used in slightly different contexts. "Assist doing" is used when the action is ongoing or in progress, while "assist to do" is used when the action is about to happen or is being planned.

Last updated: March 30, 2024 • 4153 views

assist doing

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English.

This phrase is used when the action being assisted is ongoing or in progress. It indicates that the assistance is in the process of happening.

Examples:

She assisted in organizing the event.
He assisted in preparing the report.
They assisted in cleaning up the mess.

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The Authority should take on the role of an independent scientific point of reference and in so doing should assist in ensuring the smooth functioning of the internal market.
Masked as black marketeer, mad about playing cards, I will strive through the gambling clubs trying to put the "mystery man" on my track - and you will assist me in doing so.
Will the Commission act upon the recommendations of governments and health organisations to introduce the traffic light system and assist them in doing so?
Calls therefore on the Commission to come forward with a proposal to Parliament and Council on how to ensure that manufacturers provide environmental lifecycle data on their products and to assist them in doing so and on how this information can be used;
What is the Council Presidency doing to assist Christian churches and religious communities in Turkey in finally obtaining a guaranteed legal status, which would be an important step in the direction of religious freedom?
If an application is not sufficiently precise, the EFTA Secretariat shall ask the applicant to clarify the application and shall assist the applicant in doing so, for example, by providing information in accordance with Article 11.
ask the applicant to clarify the application and shall assist the applicant in doing so, for example, by providing information on the use of the public registers of documents.
Calls on the neighbouring countries of the region to facilitate by all means possible the humanitarian operations for hosting Afghan refugees, and calls on the Council and the Commission to do everything possible to assist these countries in doing so;
You're doing R&D on deaf assist devices.
Mr President, it is good that we are doing something to assist the poultry industry.
We should therefore be doing everything possible to assist the economic, social and democratic development of that country.
We have been doing everything in our power to assist and help the Spanish Government, authorities and people.
Furthermore, the Commission ought to actively assist in concluding and approving border agreements with Russia in all cases and in so doing eliminate this area of uncertainty.
The Presidency is, however, committed to doing its part to assist in ensuring that all necessary measures are in place in order to address the current problems.
It can help Europe's market in financial services at a difficult time, and it can empower and assist our consumers in obtaining credit and doing so competitively.
And finally because the possibly genuinely disinterested persons who assist illegal immigrants are probably doing the immigrants themselves no good but are certainly doing their fellow citizens no good by presenting them with a problem which will be practically impossible to resolve for generations to come.
What is it doing in order to assist regions which are affected by the use of cluster munitions?
I would like to assist the President-in-Office of the Council by addressing my fellow Members from Greece and asking them if they would tell us about the rumours which are doing the rounds on the application for Greece's accession to Yugoslavia.
We intend to do what we can to assist the process and I want to express once again my gratitude to Ambassador Moratinos for all that he has been doing in the region to contribute a great deal of assistance on the part of the Union.
(17b) The absence of financial guarantees or insurance does not exonerate a Member State from its obligation to assist a ship in distress and to accommodate it in a place of refuge if by doing so it can reduce the risks to the crew and the environment.

Alternatives:

help doing
aid in doing
support doing
assist with doing
participate in doing

assist to do

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English.

This phrase is used when the action being assisted is about to happen or is being planned. It indicates that the assistance is in preparation for the action.