About English literature. Need as soon as possible.

[Tdol]

I'd go for 'useful' rather than helpful- people can be helpful, tools are useful.

[RonBee]

Re:

• It is helpful to use more than one example in an explanation.

(It is helpful to whom? It is helpful to the learner.) That is indeed the right way to put it.

:)

[MikeNewYork]

Originally Posted by tdol

I'd go for 'useful' rather than helpful- people can be helpful, tools are useful.

I would too. :wink:

And how can you explain:
1. A shovel is helpful for digging up treasure.
or this sentence
2. A shovel is helpful to dig up a treasure.
sound both very logical.

[RonBee]

I would say a shovel is useful for digging up treasure. However, I don't know how to explain why I use for instead of to. :(

(I wouldn't use helpful for an inanimate object, because help implies something more active than use.)

:)

[MikeNewYork]

Originally Posted by sanny

And how can you explain:
1. A shovel is helpful for digging up treasure.
or this sentence
2. A shovel is helpful to dig up a treasure.
sound both very logical.

I have thought about this some more. The difference in usage seems to be that "helpful to" is used before a person, people, or other agents, whereas "helpful for" is used before conditions, processes, activities, etc. Check some of the contrasting uses here:

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&i...=Google+Search

[RonBee]

Mike, your link didn't work.

:(

[MikeNewYork]

Originally Posted by RonBee

Mike, your link didn't work.

:(

Hmmm. I just tried it and it worked for me.

[Tdol]

Me too.

[MikeNewYork]

Originally Posted by RonBee

Mike, your link didn't work.

:(

Have you tried it again? Perhaps Google burped. :?