except do和except to do的规律

【问】

1. The government has few options except ____ (keep) interest rates high.
2. She had nothing to do except ____ (spend) money.

答案：1. to keep 2. spend

问题：except后用do和to do有何规律？

【答】

except前如果有实义动词do，如2句，则用except do；如果except前没有实义动词do，如1句，则用except to do。

再如：

• He wouldn’t talk about work, except to say that he was busy.

前半句没有do，所以用except to say。

注意，这里说的do是实义动词的do，而不是助动词的do。例：

1. We do not know what to say, except to keep silent.
2. We do not know what to do, except keep silent.

1句中的do是助动词，不是实义动词，所以except后是to keep；2句中的第二个do是实义动词，意为“做”，所以except后是keep。