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Sandip Kumar Posted 6 years ago
Grammar

What is 'but' in "nothing but" ?

"It did nothing but make us ridiculous."

It means : "It did nothing but It did make us ridiculous."

Here, 'but' seems to be a conjunction.

But I know, 'but' is a preposition (meaning 'except') in the phrase 'nothing but'!

Again, if 'but' is a preposition, the verb following it should be in -ing from. But here the verb is in the base from - 'make'!

Then, what is the parts of speech of 'but' in the phrase "nothing but"?

  

Top answer

" ... "Here, 'but' seems to be a conjunction. Yes.

— CalifJim

  • " ...
  • "Here, 'but' seems to be a conjunction.
  • Yes.
  • That's what I would call it.
  • Sandip Kumar 'but' is a preposition (meaning 'except') in the phrase 'nothing but' Not always, as you can see.
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2 Answers
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Sandip Kumar"It did nothing but make us ridiculous." ...
"Here, 'but' seems to be a conjunction.

Yes. That's what I would call it.

Sandip Kumar'but' is a preposition (meaning 'except') in the phrase 'nothing but'

Not always, as you can see. Not in traditional grammar anyway. But it's quite possible that it c

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Sandip KumarThen, what is are the parts of speech of 'but' in the phrase "nothing but"?

But is usually classified as a conjunction in the pattern "do nothing but (base form of verb)", an idiomatic grammatical pattern.

She was so sorry that she could do nothing but cry.
It did nothing but

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