Phrasal verb
contribute to sth
Definition
phrasal verb. to help cause something to happen or to give something, like money or ideas, to a group project.
phrasal verb. to be one of the causes of an event or result; to provide a portion of money, time, or effort toward a collective goal.
Examples
“Smoking can contribute to serious health problems.”
“Every member of the team must contribute to the final report to ensure its success.”
“Several factors, including rising interest rates and low consumer confidence, contribute to the current economic downturn.”
Examples
simple
“Smoking can contribute to serious health problems.”
contextual
“Every member of the team must contribute to the final report to ensure its success.”
complex
“Several factors, including rising interest rates and low consumer confidence, contribute to the current economic downturn.”
Usage
the object is usually the result being caused or the project being supported.
Teaching tip
highlight that 'contribute' is often followed by the preposition 'to'; it can describe both positive help and negative causes.
Pitfall
He contributed the project.
He contributed to the project.
the preposition 'to' is necessary when describing the goal or result being helped.
Phrasal verb
Particles
to
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
contribute + to + object