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Anonymous Posted 12 years ago
Vocabulary
Which is better expression?
While reading Happiness for Dummies by W. Doyle Gentry PhD, I was wondering about the following sentence:
Assuming everybody does his or her job consistently and well, how can the family help but be happy?
While I'm familiar with the expression "can't help doing sth," or "can't help but do sth", I don't remember reading or hearing something like "can help but do sth."
Does it have anything to do with the fact that the sentence above is interrogative or a rhetorical question?
Assuming everybody does his or her job consistently and well, how can the family help but be happy?
While I'm familiar with the expression "can't help doing sth," or "can't help but do sth", I don't remember reading or hearing something like "can help but do sth."
Does it have anything to do with the fact that the sentence above is interrogative or a rhetorical question?
Top answer
" Does it have anything to do with the fact that the sentence above is interrogative or a rhetorical question? No, it is simply a different structure than the others you mention. Cannot/Couldn't help but do = must do/ had to do.
- " Does it have anything to do with the fact that the sentence above is interrogative or a rhetorical question?
- No, it is simply a different structure than the others you mention.
- Cannot/Couldn't help but do = must do/ had to do.
- It is only cast in negative statements.
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1 Answers
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AnonymousI don't remember reading or hearing something like "can help but do sth." Does it have anything to do with the fact that the sentence above is interrogative or a rhetorical question?No, it is simply a different structure than the others you mention.
Cannot/Couldn't help but do = must do/ had to do. It is only cast in negative stateme
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