Meaning & use
help doing
Last updated
Meaning
phraseidiom
Used after can't or couldn't to say that someone is unable to stop themselves from doing something.
Grammar: Followed by an -ing form, not an infinitive: I can't help laughing (NOT can't help to laugh).
Patterns
- can't help doing something
- couldn't help doing something
- can't help but do something
I couldn't help laughing when I saw his face.
She can't help checking her phone every few minutes.
He knew it was rude, but he couldn't help staring.
Common combinations
- can't help laughing
- I can't help laughing every time I watch that video.
- can't help feeling
- I can't help feeling that we made the wrong decision.
- can't help wondering
- She can't help wondering what would have happened if she had stayed.
- couldn't help noticing
- I couldn't help noticing that you've changed your hair.
Synonyms and how they differ
- can't resist
- Can't resist is stronger and suggests a temptation you give in to; can't help is more about an automatic reaction.
- can't stop
- Can't stop doing something often suggests a habit you want to break; can't help doing something is usually a single, uncontrollable reaction.
Commonly confused: help doing or help to do? help doing or can't help but do?
help doing vs help to do
Help to do means 'assist in doing something' (She helped me to move the sofa). Help doing is only used in the negative and means 'be unable to stop'.
help doing vs can't help but do
Can't help but do is followed by the base form of the verb (I can't help but laugh), while can't help doing uses the -ing form. Both mean the same.
Practice
I know it's not funny, but I can't help ______ when I see that photo.
Choose one answer.
The pattern can't help is followed by an -ing form, so 'laughing' is correct. 'To laugh' would be used with help meaning 'assist' (She helped me to laugh), and 'laugh' or 'laughed' do not fit the pattern.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “help doing”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.