But
Preposition, Conjunction
UK
/bĘŚt/
US
/bĘŚt/
Level: Easy - A1 (Beginner)
Definition
(conj) : Used to connect two ideas that are different or opposite.
(prep) : Except for; other than.
(prep) : Except for; other than.
Example
"(prep) : I can do nothing but wait for the right time."
"(conj) : They faced adversities, but never gave up."
"(conj) : She was very angry, but chose to remain silent because it could worsen the situation."
Explanation
But is a word used to connect two ideas that are different or opposite. It shows contrast, meaning something happened differently than expected. For example, “Children wanted to play outside, but it started raining” means the rain stopped the plan. But can also be used to limit or add conditions, like “Everyone but John came,” meaning John didn’t come. It’s one of the most common joining words in English and is used in speaking and writing to make ideas clearer.