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Thread: About infinitive after BUT.

  1. #1
    hoangkha is offline Member
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    Default About infinitive after BUT.

    Hi!
    Is an infinitive with or without TO used after BUT , please?

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    Default Re: About infinitive after BUT.

    Could you write the sentence you have in mind?
    I'm not a teacher, but I write for a living. Please don't ask me about 2nd conditionals, but I'm a safe bet for what reads well in (American) English.

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    hoangkha is offline Member
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    Default Re: About infinitive after BUT.

    There is an argument between two people.
    Person 1 posted an exercise and its key as follows


    -The little girl had no choice but______ ____at home. 
     A. to stay B. to staying  C. stayed D.stay

    Person 1 says: If before BUT is a verb of non-action, after BUT is a verb with TO.
    Ex:
    - The Taliban have no other option but to negotiate with Afghanistan's government
    - I have no other choice but to trust You That's all I can do
    - Does Obama Have No Other Choice but To Threaten Iran?
    - I have no other choice but to close the ask box for now.
    - I have no (other) choice but to leave.(en.wiktionary.org/wiki/but )
    - The first problem for all of us, men and women, is not to learn, but to unlearn.
    - The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win but to take part


    Person 2 says: According to PEU by Micheal Swan
    The verb form after BUT usually depends on what came before. Infinitives are normal without TO.

    Who is correct, please?

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    5jj
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    Default Re: About infinitive after BUT.

    Swan says in that article, "Infinitives with to are used after no alternative/choice/option but." You have to read the whole article, not just select one sentence.
    hoangkha likes this.
    Context is important. Please provide enough for us to be able to deal effectively with your question.
    Your thread title should include all or part of the word/phrase being discussed.
    If you just want to know the meaning of a word, try OneLook Dictionary Search first.


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