1
The graduate student had nothing in mind except finishing his thesis.
2
The mason will not do any work except giving the order.
Both sentences use -ing of verb finish and give. I know these sentences are grammatically correct. But I have two doubt here.
1. What if we use infinitive after except "The mason will not do any work except to give the order". Does the use of infinitive makes it incorrect?
- Are these Participle finishing and giving used as a gerund or as a noun?