Assistance or Assistants?

search our site by Craig Shrives

What Is the Difference between "Assistance" and "Assistants"?

"Assistance" and "assistants" are easy to confuse because they sound the same.

• "Assistance" means help or aid. For example:
• I need assistance with my paperwork.
• "Assistants" are people who provide help. It is the plural of "assistant." For example:
• How many assistants will you hire?

More about "Assistance" and "Assistants"

The words "assistance" and "assistants" are a type of homonym called a homophone. This means they sound identical but have different meanings. Here is a summary of their meanings:

• Assistance means help.
• Assistants are helpers.

Assistance

The noun "assistance" means help. It usually means providing money, resources, or information to assist. "Assistance" can usually be substituted with the word "help."

Example sentences with "assistance":

• I am unable to drive without assistance from my glasses.
• Obviously, because of my disability, I need assistance. But I have always tried to overcome the limitations of my condition and lead as full a life as possible. (Physicist Stephen Hawking)

Assistants

The word "assistants" describes people who provide help. It is the plural of the noun "assistant."

Example sentences with "assistants":

• Rees and his assistants work at Columbia University, New York.
• I don't like to work with assistants. I'm already one too many; the camera alone would be enough. (Photographer Alfred Eisenstaedt)

Much Assistance and Many Assistants

"Assistance" is a non-countable noun; i.e., it doesn't have a plural form. Therefore, "many" cannot be used with "assistance" because "many" is only used with countable nouns (like "assistants"). With "assistance," use "much." For example:

• My many assistants provide me with much assistance.

Ready for the Test?