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Hi English teachers,
could I ask if my following sentence is acceptable?Many thanks in advance.
This common set of metrics facilitates users to analyze the quality of various datasets.

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Type: Question • Score: 5 • Views: 999 • Replies: 13

[+3] - contrex - 09/12/2014[quote="Loh Jane"] Hi English teachers, could I ask if my following sentence is acceptable?Many thanks in advance. This common set of metrics facilitates users to analyze the quality...

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@Loh Jane,

The sentence is fine. A native speaker would probably more likely use help, rather than facilitate.

1 Reply

@Setanta,

I would use help, but people trying to climb the management food chain are way too likely to say facilitate.

1 Reply

@Loh Jane,

Loh Jane wrote:

Hi English teachers,
could I ask if my following sentence is acceptable?Many thanks in advance.
This common set of metrics facilitates users to analyze the quality of various datasets.

You can't use the verb 'facilitate' in this way. It is not an exact synonym of 'help' in this sentence; it means to make an action (expressed by a noun) something easier, like this: This common set of metrics facilitates for users the analysis of the quality of various datasets. In fact 'for users' might well be left out of placed at the beginning: For users this common set of metrics facilitates the analysis of the quality of various datasets.

A sharp knife helps a cook to cut up vegetables fast.
A sharp knife facilitates the fast cutting up of vegetables.

Spectacles can help you to read small print.
Spectacles can facilitate the reading of small print.

The cocoons were then put in hot water to facilitate the difficult and tedious task of extracting the silk

If your best friend is very shy, you could facilitate her efforts to meet new people

1 Reply

@roger,

roger wrote:

I would use help, but people trying to climb the management food chain are way too likely to say facilitate.

Using big words to get up the food chain is all very well, but using them wrongly (as here) may provoke derision.

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Hi all,
thanks a lot for the guidance.

0 Replies

@contrex,

How dare you point out Setanta's error? But while we are on the subject of egregious errors:

Quote:

... it means to make an action (expressed by a noun) something easier, like this:

You can't use "something" in this manner. You either meant "somewhat" or more likely you forgot to delete "something".

Quote:

In fact 'for users' might well be left out of placed at the beginning:

Surely you must mean "or" instead of "of".

Why did you not address the extraneous drivel in the original sentence?

Loh Jane, "Metrics are used to analyse the data."

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@knaivete,

knaivete wrote:

more likely you forgot to delete "something".

Correct.

Quote:

Quote:
In fact 'for users' might well be left out of placed at the beginning:

Surely you must mean "or" instead of "of".

Correct.

Quote:

Why did you not address the extraneous drivel in the original sentence?

Metrics are used to analyse the data.

Good question.

1 Reply

@contrex,

Otherwise I concur completely with your position.

0 Replies

@knaivete,

knaivete wrote:

How dare you point out Setanta's error? But while we are on the subject of egregious errors:

I feel that my typos & hasty editing are are not "egregious" errors. At least I corrected the erroneous impression that 'help' and 'facilitate' are interchangeable in that piece. By the way:

adjective: egregious

outstandingly bad; shocking. synonyms: shocking, appalling, terrible, awful, horrendous, frightful, atrocious, abominable, abhorrent, outrageous, monstrous, heinous, dire, unspeakable, shameful, unforgivable, intolerable, dreadful

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@contrex,

Facilitate means to make easy. I have not claimed that help and facilitate are synonymous, but it is not in fact incorrect to use facilitate in that sentence, regardless of the pronouncements of the great god of English which you appear to think that you are. I also pointed out that the native speaker would be unlikely to use facilitate in such a manner, but would more likely use help.

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'Facilitate' is being used here as an intransitive verb: "facilitates users to analyze" whereas it is in fact a transitive verb, requiring an object to receive the action. Setanta can carry on stubbornly and pig-headedly denying this all he wants.

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The object is users. You've got an hilarious gall to call anyone else pig-headed.

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@contrex,

Quote:

I feel that my typos & hasty editing are are not "egregious" errors. At least I corrected the erroneous impression that 'help' and 'facilitate' are interchangeable in that piece. By the way:

Agreed. The consonance of 'egregious error' was so seductive that my assonance couldn't resist.

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