I can't help doing something/can't help but doing something/ can't help but do someth

[misu]

If I were asked to esxplain the difference between:

1 I can't help doing something
2 I can't help but doing something
3 I can't halp bu do something

I woud say that I can't help doing something has the meaning of a spontenous reaction to a sort of trigger. For example, someone tells a very good joke and I feel the urge to laugh. Thus, I start laughing as an uncontrolled impulse: I cannot help laghing
In other contexts, it seems to me that this construction have the meaning of not being able to stop doing something as in: Her boyfriend broke up with her. She is very sad. She can't help thinking of him (she can't stop thinking of him)

As far can't help but doing something and can't help but do something are concerned, I would say that they both have the meanig of "there is no other choice than to do /doing something" as in: "I had no money left. I couldn't help but to accept that bad paid job." If my explanation is correct, then, using I cannot help but laugh in the same context of my previous example as well as I cannot help accepting that bad paid job, would be both incorrect.

I would appreciate your opinon on this matter.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

If I were asked to esxplain the difference between:

1 I can't help doing something. Yes.
2 I can't help but doing something. No.
3 I can't help but do something. Yes.

I woud say that I can't help doing something has the meaning of a spontenous reaction to a sort of trigger. For example, someone tells a very good joke and I feel the urge to laugh. Thus, I start laughing as an uncontrolled impulse: I cannot help laughing.

In other contexts, it seems to me that this construction has the meaning of not being able to stop doing something as in: Her boyfriend broke up with her. She is very sad. She can't help thinking of him. (She can't stop thinking of him.)

As far can't help but doing something and can't help but do something are concerned, I would say that they both have the meanig of "there is no other choice than to do /doing something" as in: "I had no money left. I couldn't help but [STRIKE]to[/STRIKE] accept that badly-paying job." If my explanation is correct, then, using I cannot help but laugh in the same context of my previous example as well as I cannot help accepting that badly-paying job, would be both incorrect.

I would appreciate your opinon on this matter.

That all sounds right to me. Let's see what others think.

PS - Remember to punctuate the ends of all sentences. We're very picky about that!

 

[misu]

So "I can't help but doing something" is wrong.
Otherwise, as for the rest, you agree with me.
Thank you!

By the way, I see that you corrected my " ...that bad paid job". Yes, in fact an adverb (badly) rather than an adjective is needed there but why not "paid"? Why "paying" ?

 

[tedmc]

So "I can't help but doing something" is wrong.
Otherwise, as for the rest, you agree with me.
Thank you!

By the way, I see that you corrected my " ...that bad paid job". Yes, in fact an adverb (badly) rather than an adjective is needed there but why not "paid"? Why "paying" ?

Badly-paying job or badly-paid job job are the same.

 

[misu]

Oh, interesting.