Can't help but thinking?

English as a Second Language English Vocabulary, Grammar and Idioms
1

Hi, is it true that I can’t help but is a nonstandard phrase? What is a nonstardard phrase anyway? Does that mean it is a colloquial expression? And is I can’t help but followed by an infinitive or a gerund? So, would it be correct to say I can’t help but thinking… be correct? For those of you who are Internet savvy enough to use Google to verify if a phrase is correct or not - I did google I can’t help but thinking and it yielded about 14.000 pages but I can’t help but think produced more than 600.000 pages so now I’m not so sure which version is the correct one.
Thanks in advance,
FrankU

2

Hi FrankU,

I would say [i]I can’t help but think /i. Possibly the idea of the gerund comes from: I can’t help thinking.

Alan

3

Hi Alan, that was fast! Thanks and good evening. So if I understand you correctly, those are two different constructions:

I can’t help but think this is the wrong approach.
I can’t help thinking this is the wrong approach.

Do both expressions mean the same?

4

Hi FrankU,

Yes, they both mean the same but to my mind: I can’t help thinking has a more natural sound about it.

Alan

5

OK Alan, now I got it. Thanks again.
Frank