【问】 有一本英语惯用法辞典说：“no choice but to do something一语中的‘to’不可省去。”但我却不止一次地读到不带“to”的句子：
 1. I could not choose but go.
 我不得不去。
 2. He did nothing but complain.(PEG)
 他只是抱怨。
 【答】 统而言之，介词but后面的动词，一般带有“to”：
 1. We had no alternative but to confess our guilt. (RWRT)
 除了承认有罪，我们别无选择。
 2. We have no choice but to arrive late. (MD)
 除了迟到，我们别无选择。
 3. He wanted nothing but to stay there. (Sinclair)
 他只想留在那里。
 但是，在can (could)，will，do，nothing，anything，everything之后，but后边的动词不定式符号“to”可以省略：
 1. I could not choose but love her.
 除了爱她，我别无选择。
 2. He does everything in the house but put the children to bed. (CGEL)
 除了放孩子上床睡觉之外，家里的什么事他都干。
 3. We'll do anything (everything)but confess our guilt.
 除了承认我们有罪之外，我们什么事情都愿意干。
 4. I do nothing but write verse. (Yeats)
 我只写韵文
 5. There seemed nothing else to do but send for a doctor.(Mis)
 除了去请医生，看来没有别的办法。
 6. So there was nothing to do but follow.(Sinclair)
 因此，只能服从。
 7. There was nothing to do but wait till he came back. (PEG)
 只好等待他回来。(除了等他回来以外，别无他法。)
 8. I’ve done everything you want but make the beds. (LEG)
 除了铺床之外，你要我做的事我都做了。
 (参见 nothing but watch)