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In which of the following sentences is "but" used as a preposition?
In which of the following sentences is "but" used as a preposition?
A, I wanted to leave, but I was embarrassed to do so.
B. The lake is pretty, but it's too cold for swimming.
C. I would like to return to Italy, but I have no money.
D. We discovered that Candy will do anything but work.
11 Answers
- 1 decade agoFavorite Answer
I believe the answer is D. because in the other sentences the word is a conjunction. But, you can't prove it by me because I have been out of school for too many years!
- enginerdLv 61 decade ago
I'm not really a grammar whiz but,
I'd have to go with D
a preposition needs an object I think which is a noun that is not the subject of the sentence (or so Mrs Gerbig my 6th grade teacher told me many years ago...I wonder if she is still alive...)
looking at the sentences, only D seems to have a noun as an object of "but" that is "work"
also, note that the first three all have "but" after a comma, sort of connecting two separate parts of the sentence
i think this makes the word "but" a conjunction, or maybe thats not the right word but some kind of "joining" word
anyway, I'm voting for D
the others are all the same so it can't be them anyway
- allforasiaLv 51 decade ago
"But" is not a preposition in any of them. As far as i know, but is never a preposition.
In sentences A, B and C it is a coordinting conjunction, similiar to the word "yet".
I am not sure about "but" in sentence D, but it is neither a spatial prepostion, or non-spatial (semantic) preposition.
If i had to make a guess about its use in "D" I would say it is a adverbial conditional. Its purpose is to connect the clause.
- sunshine05roseLv 51 decade ago
D
*But is very seldom a preposition. When it is used as a preposition, but means the same as except--Everyone ate frog legs but Jamie. But usually functions as a coordinating conjunction.
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- Anonymous1 decade ago
definitely is D