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Jason7377 Posted 16 years ago
Grammar

Grammar Question

When I stopped to speak to Mary, she was picking some flowers in her garden.
Why does "to speak" have to be used in this sentence instead of "speaking"?
  

Top answer

jason7377 Why does "to speak" have to be used in this sentence instead of "speaking"? Because if you used "speaking" it would mean something different. If you stop speaking to Mary, you will never speak to her again.

— CalifJim

  • jason7377 Why does "to speak" have to be used in this sentence instead of "speaking"?
  • Because if you used "speaking" it would mean something different.
  • If you stop speaking to Mary, you will never speak to her again.
  • Compare: I stopped to smoke.
  • = I interrupted what I was doing in order to smoke.
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3 Answers
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jason7377Why does "to speak" have to be used in this sentence instead of "speaking"?
Because if you used "speaking" it would mean something different. If you stop speaking to Mary, you will never speak to her again.

Compare:

I stopped to smoke. = I interrupted what I was doing in order to smoke.
I stopped smoking. = I never smo
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Thanks, your explination helped greatly. If I wanted to explain how when the person finished speaking to Mary, she was picking flowers. Would it be correct to say: Upon finishing our conversation, Mary was in her garden picking flowers. So, for example the conversation may have started in the garden, and ended with Mary picking her flowers. Would this be correct?

Thanks
Jason
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jason7377Would it be correct to say: Upon finishing our conversation, Mary was in her garden picking flowers. So, for example the conversation may have started in the garden, and ended with Mary picking her flowers. Would this be correct?
Yes. You could also say

At the time we finished our conversation, Mary was in her garden picking flowers.
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