I have written a sentence: Using the helping verb phrase "can't help something"
#1. We couldn't help it if our customer got angry with delay for the meeting. It was caused by sudden cancellation of our flight.
#2. I can't help thinking of the life after retirement.
Are they appropriate use of this phrase?
Does it make sense?
Thank you.
Search from various English teachers...
Corrections · 8
1
I have written a sentence: Using the helping verb phrase "can't help something"
#1. We couldn't help it that our customer got angry with the delay of the meeting. It was caused by the sudden cancellation of our flight.#2. I can't help but think of life after retirement.
Is this the appropriate use of the phrase?
Does it make any sense?
Thank you.
1
For #1, you are using it correctly, but the verb tenses between the two sentences don't match.
You would say "We couldn't help it if our customer got angry for a meeting delay. It would be caused by the sudden cancellation of our flight." That makes it sound like a hypothetical possibility (that your flight might be cancelled) rather than something that actually happened.
If you're talking about a flight that was actually cancelled, then you would say:
"We can't help it that our customer got angry for the meeting delay. It was caused by the sudden cancellation of our flight."
Small things change then - could (couldn't) changes to can (can't), if changes to that, a meeting delay changes to the meeting delay, and would changes to was. This switches the sentence from a describing a possibility to recounting something that happened.
For #2, you've got it correct as well, but to sound slightly more natural you'd say:
"I can't help but think of the life after retirement" or even "I can't help but think of life after retirement"
0
Jake, thank you for your corrections with explanation. "The" is one of most difficult thing for me!
Also, I'm glad to learn the way of saying "angry about the meeting being delayed". I did't have any idea to say like that until you taught. I will try to use it. Such as "I am very happy about the meeting being succeeded." I hope it is correct...
0
Your use of "couldn't/can't help" is perfect and makes complete sense. There are a couple other minor changes I would make. Instead of saying "angry with delay for the meeting", it would be better to write "angry with THE delay OF the meeting" (or you could write "angry about the meeting being delayed"). Also, it should say "It was caused by THE sudden cancellation of our flight". In the second example, there should be no "the", it should just say "I can't help thinking of life after retirement".
Want to progress faster?
Join this learning community and try out free exercises!
Don’t miss out on the opportunity to learn a language from the comfort of your own home. Browse our selection of experienced language tutors and enroll in your first lesson now!
Start Learning Today
