Meaning
to help cause or bring about an outcome; to give money, time, or effort
Primary Function
indicates partial causation or assistance
Communicative Purpose
to acknowledge a contributing factor or to offer help
Pattern
contribute to
Core Structure
contribute to
Função primária
indicates partial causation or assistance
Propósito comunicativo
to acknowledge a contributing factor or to offer help
Situações de gatilho
scientific analysis, teamwork, donations
Contextos
academic, professional, everyday
Padrão
contribute to
Estrutura central
contribute to
Slots de substituição
a noun phrase or gerund phrase indicating what is being contributed to (e.g., research, the community, a project)
Colocados típicos
- significantly
- greatly
- actively
- factors that contribute to
Substituições comuns
- lead to (stronger)
- add to
- help cause
Erros comuns
using infinitive: *contribute to increase; using *contribute for
Similar / contraste
lead to, result in, add to, factor into
Interferências
some languages transfer ‘contribute for’; ensure ‘to’ + noun/gerund
Família do chunk
- lead to
- add to
- play a part in
- foster
Nuance
‘contribute to’ can be positive or negative; it implies one factor among several
Efeito pragmático
analytical and modest
Dica de memória
Exercise contributes to better health.
Nota
This chunk often appears in academic writing and professional settings to discuss factors or elements that influence an outcome.
Upgrade path
use ‘play a role in’, ‘be a factor in’ for variety
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