PE-65: Verbs That Change Meaning: stop doing vs stop to do
Six verbs where -ing and to + verb mean completely different things — the difference between stopping smoking and stopping to smoke.
PE-65: Verbs That Change Meaning: stop doing vs stop to do
In PE-64 most verbs took one form or the other. Now meet the small group that takes both — and changes meaning completely when it does. "He stopped smoking" means he gave up cigarettes. "He stopped to smoke" means he paused what he was doing in order to have one. Same verb, opposite lives.
In this lesson you will learn
- stop, remember, forget, try, go on — the meaning-changing verbs
- The logic behind the change: -ing looks back, to looks forward
- like doing vs like to do
- The passive-meaning pattern need washing
1. stop
stop + -ing = end the activity
He stopped smoking last year.
= he gave it up (chekishni tashladi)
stop + to = pause in order to
He stopped to smoke.
= he paused so that he could smoke
We were driving for hours, so we stopped to have lunch. Then my brother stopped complaining about being hungry.
Bir necha soat yoʻl yurdik, shuning uchun tushlik qilish uchun toʻxtadik. Keyin akam qorni ochligi haqida shikoyat qilishni bas qildi.
2. remember and forget
Here the difference is time order. With -ing, the action happened first and you remember it afterwards. With to, the remembering comes first and the action follows.
-ing = a memory of the past
- I remember locking the door. (I did it, and I recall it)
- I'll never forget meeting her.
to = a duty, before the action
- Please remember to lock the door. (don't forget!)
- I forgot to lock it. (so it's open)
3. try
I tried to open the window, but it was stuck. (I attempted
it)
Try opening the other window. (experiment — maybe that will work)
Derazani ochishga harakat qildim, lekin qotib qolgan edi. — Boshqa derazani ochib koʻring-chi.
So try to = make an effort (it may fail); try -ing = test a method as a possible solution.
4. go on
She went on talking for an hour. (continued the same
thing)
She finished her introduction and went on to explain the results. (moved to the
next thing)
U bir soat gapirishda davom etdi. — Kirish qismini tugatib, natijalarni tushuntirishga oʻtdi.
5. like, love, hate — a small difference
These usually mean the same with either form (PE-64), but there is a fine shade: -ing = I enjoy the activity; to = I think it is a good idea, a habit or a choice.
I like swimming. (I enjoy it) — I like to check my homework twice. (it's my habit; I think it's wise)
Suzishni yaxshi koʻraman. — Uy vazifamni ikki marta tekshirishni odat qilganman.
6. need + -ing — a passive meaning
One last useful pattern. When the subject is a thing, need + -ing has a passive meaning: something has to be done to it.
The car needs washing. = The car needs to be washed. — My shoes need repairing.
Mashinani yuvish kerak. — Tuflilarimni taʼmirlash kerak.
But with a person: I need to wash the car — active, normal infinitive.
7. Common mistakes
He stopped to smoke ten years ago and is much healthier now.
He stopped smoking ten years ago.
Remember locking the door before you leave!
Remember to lock the door before you leave!
I forgot turning off the lights, so they were on all night.
I forgot to turn off the lights.
I'd like going to the cinema tonight.
I'd like to go to the cinema tonight.
My bike needs to repairing.
My bike needs repairing / needs to be repaired.
Practice
1 What is the difference? (a) He stopped reading. (b) He stopped to read.
Show answer
(a) He was reading and he ended it. (b) He was doing something else and paused in order to read.
2 Choose: Did you remember ? (post) my letter?
Show answer
to post — you are asking whether the duty was carried out. Remember posting would ask whether he recalls doing it.
3 Choose: The computer isn't working. ? (try / restart) it.
Show answer
Try restarting it. You are suggesting a method that might solve the problem — not describing an effort.
4 Rewrite: Somebody needs to clean these windows.
Show answer
These windows need cleaning. (or need to be cleaned)
The thing becomes the subject and the meaning turns passive.
5 Explain: I'll never forget visiting Samarkand.
Show answer
I visited Samarkand, and the memory will stay with me for ever.
Forget to visit would mean failing to go at all.
Key words — Kalit soʻzlar
- To give uptashlamoq, voz kechmoq
- To pausetoʻxtab turmoq
- Purposemaqsad
- Memoryxotira
- Dutyvazifa, majburiyat
- To attemptharakat qilmoq
- To be stuckqotib qolmoq
- To restartqayta ishga tushirmoq
- To post (a letter)xat joʻnatmoq
- Habitodat
🎯 Remember this
- stop -ing = end it · stop to = pause in order to do it.
- remember/forget -ing = a memory · + to = a duty before the action.
- try to = make an effort · try -ing = test a method.
- go on -ing = continue · go on to = move to the next thing.
- need + -ing has a passive meaning: the car needs washing.