Consulting Journal: Words

Words: 'With'

by David Blakey

Problems with 'with'.

[Monday 1 March 2004]

Consider the following sentence.

This article will provide readers with an understanding of the problem.

The sentence means that the article with give readers an understanding of the problem. The readers may not previously have understood the problem. The article will give them an understanding of that problem.

Now consider the following sentence.

This article will assist readers with an understanding of the problem.

This sentence means that the article will assist those readers who already have an understanding of the problem. The readers understand the problem; the problem will assist them in dealing with the problem.

The word with has different meanings in these two sentences, even though the construction of the sentences is the same. In fact, with is used to modify the meaning of the sentences in two different ways. In the first sentence, with applies to the verb provide: an understanding of the problem is what will be provided. In the second sentence, with applies to the noun readers: the readers who will be assisted are those that have an understanding of the problem.

In some circumstances, this variation may not be obvious.

This article will inform readers with an understanding of the problem.

It is not clear whether the article will inform readers by giving them an understanding of the problem or whether the article will inform readers who already have an understanding of the problem. When you use with, you should always check whether the meaning is clear.

It is probably better to avoid using with completely. The first sentence could be changed to the following

This article will provide an understanding of the problem to its readers.

The second sentence could also be changed.

This article will assist readers who have an understanding of the problem.

The meaning of both sentences is unambiguous. The same can be done with the third example to make sure that it conveys the single meaning that I intended.

This article will assist readers to understand the problem.

This article will assist readers who understand the problem.

These sentences are clear and unambiguous. They are also simpler than the examples that used with.

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