Can't help thinking

[Guest]

Test No. errors/inter-6 "The worse it will be", question 1

I can't help think that it would be much better if we went there next week instead of this week.

(a) can't
(b) think
(c) would be
(d) went

Test No. errors/inter-6 "The worse it will be", answer 1

I can't help thinking that it would be much better if we went there next week instead of this week.

Correct entry: thinking
The error was: (b) think
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explain the answer

[yo]

thinking is a verb in sense so in the phrase I can't help thinking it means you can't help doing it. Think is not a verb so it's not doing anything. Plus it doesn't make any sense haha. being an English teacher is harder than I thought

[Alan]

I can't help thinking means literally I can't stop myself from thinking. Note also I couldn't help laughing means it was impossible for me not to laugh.

After the construction can't/couldn't help we use the gerund and not the infinitive.
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English as a Second Language
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