词典词条 · 问答

cannot(couldn't) help but/cannot(couldn't) help

核心问题

《英语考试题典》(本科生、研究生专用)(吉林科技出版社,p.131)有一道判错题: Charlie assured his wife that there was no danger, but she could not help but worry. A B C D

该书编者判 D(but worry) 为错误。但我认为 D(but worry) 并没有错。

词典解答

可能编者把 cannot(couldn't) help butcannot(couldn't) help 两个结构弄混了。cannot (couldn't) help but 之后应跟动词原形:

  1. When a friend gave Jim a ticket to the game, he couldn't help but go. (DAI) 当一位朋友给了吉姆一张比赛门票时,他是不能不去的。

  2. Langdon could not help but feel a deep sense of loss at the curator's death. (Dan Brown, The Da Vinci Code) 对于馆长的死,兰登禁不住有一种怅然若失的感受。(《达·芬奇密码》)

而在 cannot(couldn't) help 之后则应跟动名词。请对比这两种不同的用法:

  1. She couldn't help smiling. (Mansfield) 她禁不住笑了。

  2. I don’t think Professor Jones meant to be funny this morning, do you?” “No, although I couldn’t help ____ at some of his remarks.A. from laughing B. to have laughed C. but laugh D. to laugh(TOEFL)

练习题

请做下面的英语试题:

When Jane fell off the bike, the other children ____.

A. were not able to help laughter

B. could not help but laughing

C. could not help laughing

D. could not help to laugh(全国研考,91-11)

来源:英语常见问题解答大词典-2.md · 第 72697302 行 · 原文哈希 93ce501718