Is "quitting to smoke" grammatically correct?
Usually, we use the gerund, but is it grammatically correct to use the infinitive of smoke with the verb to quit?
Quitting to smoke is difficult. I didn't succeed in quitting to smoke.
If it's incorrect, is there a reason?
Top answer
'quit' is a catenative verb. It takes only an -ing form. org/wiki/Appendix:English_catenative_verbs CJ
- 'quit' is a catenative verb.
- It takes only an -ing form.
- org/wiki/Appendix:English_catenative_verbs CJ
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'quit' is a catenative verb. It takes only an -ing form. (Other catenative verbs can take infinitives or past participles.)
See https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Appendix:English_catenative_verbs
CJ
0red purple 810but is it grammatically correct to use the infinitive of smoke with the verb to quit?
No. English catenative verbs are rather irregular.
The infinitive comes after "start" and the present participle after "quit."
Starting to smoke is easy, but to quit smoking is difficult.
Starting to smoke is easy, but quitting smoking is diffi
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