grammar · neutral

Can't stand + V-ing

Band 5-6speakingtask1

To strongly dislike something; to be unable to tolerate it.

Examples

“I can't stand waiting in long queues.”

“She can't stand people who are rude.”

“He can't stand being late for meetings.”

Band 8 sentence

“I can't stand being interrupted when I'm concentrating on my work.”

Collocations

  • can't stand + V-ing
  • can't bear + V-ing

Word family

stand verbtolerate verb

Common mistakes

I can't stand to wait in queues.→I can't stand waiting in queues.

She can't stand that he arrives late.→She can't stand him arriving late.

Say it for a higher band

5don't like + to V→6hate + V-ing→7+can't stand + V-ing

Synonyms

hate + V-ing

can't bear + V-ing

Easily confused

can't stand + V-ing vs hate + V-ing

“I can't stand listening to loud music when I'm studying.”

Related words

look forward to + V-ingtry + V-ing / try to + Vfor + somebody + to + Vavoid + V-ingbe likely to + Vbegin / start + V-ing / to + Vprevent + somebody + from + V-ingturn out + to + V

Learn this word with the rest of its set, and get reminded at the right time.

In Gerunds & infinitives

Learn it with its set