0
Maj Posted 22 years ago
Grammar
Gerund or infinitive
- Stop competing. Nobody can compete with you and you know that!
- Stop to compete. Nobody can compete with you and you know that!
Which one should we use? Any clear-cut rules?
- Stop to compete. Nobody can compete with you and you know that!
Which one should we use? Any clear-cut rules?
Top answer
Actually, maj, they both mean different things. 1. is an instruction to discontinue the act of competing.
- Actually, maj, they both mean different things.
- 1.
- is an instruction to discontinue the act of competing.
- 2.
- is an instruction to discontinue some other act in order to start competing.
Get the Weekly English Kit 📬
New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.
2 Answers
0
Actually, maj, they both mean different things.
1. is an instruction to discontinue the act of competing.
2. is an instruction to discontinue some other act in order to start competing.
2 actually implies "Stop [in order] to compete". I think the rule is that only linking verbs or modal auxilliary verbs can take infinitives. "Stop" is not such a verb, so it can't take an
1. is an instruction to discontinue the act of competing.
2. is an instruction to discontinue some other act in order to start competing.
2 actually implies "Stop [in order] to compete". I think the rule is that only linking verbs or modal auxilliary verbs can take infinitives. "Stop" is not such a verb, so it can't take an
00
what rommie says about 2 could be right, but it wouldn't be a very natural sounding construction, to my ears!
For what you mean the first one is the one you should use.
For what you mean the first one is the one you should use.
0
Related Questions