Does this sound like something a native English speaker would say?
There's an exercise in which you have to reformulate a sentence using a word that's given to you, but keeping its original meaning.
The word I have to use is her and the reformulated sentence must begin with the word But.
The original sentence is:
If she hadn't helped me, I would never have been able to do it.
My attempt:
But for her help, I would never have been able to do it.
Now, I am confused by that but at the begining. Is my attempt correct? Is it gramatically correct / something that a native English speaker would say?
Do you have any other ideas I could use?
Thanks!
5 Answers
Your attempt was grammatically perfect, and that is a common way to express the idea. The other suggestions for starting with "her" are excellent.
As for the "but" at the beginning of your sentence, in that context, "but" means more like "except." If you switch the order around, you'll see what I mean:
"I would never have been able to do it except for her help."
"I would never have been able to do it but for her help."
They both mean the same thing.
Now you are used to us, could you add your language levels on your profile? Obviously from your question you are trying to improve your English, but I do not know if you are fluent in Spanish and would prefer us to give you some explanations in Spanish. I agree with Ian that your sentence is fine. As an English person I would say : Without her help etc
With "her" as the first word you could say.
Her help enabled me to do it. = without her help (it) I would not have been able to do it)
if It wasn't for her help, I would have never been able to do it.
Your original sentence sounds the most natural to me, although the second one works as well.
You could also say "If it weren't for her help...."
