Question

2. In which one of the following sentences is but used as a preposition?

A. I would like to return to Italy, but I have no money.
B. I wanted to leave, but I was embarrassed to do so.
C. The lake is pretty, but it's too cold for swimming.
D. We discovered that Candy will do anything but work.

Answer 1

The correct answer is D. We discovered that Candy will do anything but work.
In sentences A, B, and C, the word but is used as a conjunction - it connects two independent clauses within one large sentence. However, in example D, the word but is used with the meaning of apart from which is a preposition, so but also functions as a preposition here.