There’s a mistake in this sentence, but can you find it before I tell you what it is? If you did, let me know in the comments! In today’s video, I give you two common expressions that both contain the word “but” when it means “except,” but oddly enough, the grammar that comes after “but” in these two expressions is different! I also explain why it’s different in this video, and I hope you find it helpful! Take note of these two useful expressions that you’ll hear natives use in spoken English: 🔹can’t help but do something = if you can’t help but do something, this means that you can’t stop yourself from doing it; in order words, you feel such a strong need to do it that you can’t control yourself. After the preposition “but,” we use the base form of the verb: I can’t help but wonder if I made the wrong decision by moving halfway across the country. 🔹to have no choice but TO do something = if you have no choice but to do something, this means that you HAVE to do this one thing because it’s your only option. After the preposition “but,” we need to use the infinitive form of the verb, which is “to” plus the verb: Despite my perfect attendance record, I had no choice but to call in sick when I came down with the flu. So, as you can see here, we have to use “to” after “but” in the phrase “have no choice but to do something,” but we DON’T use it in the phrase “can’t help but do something.” Why is this? The answer more or less has to do with the word “choice,” since in English, we use an infinitive verb after a noun like “choice” and say something like “My only choice was to lie.” Here are some other examples of nouns that work like this: 🔹goal: My goal has always been to help others. 🔹dream: Her dream is to sing on Broadway. 🔹calling: I know that my calling is to be a painter. 🔹plan: The plan is to see a movie and then get dinner at a restaurant. 🔹idea: Our idea is to send out a survey to get a feel for our younger customers’ pain points. 🔹option: Sometimes, the only option you have is to swallow your pride and move on. Now practice using these expressions in the comments below! . . . . .
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