Grammar: 'stop buying' or 'stop to buy'? - BBC English Masterclass

Some verbs change meaning depending on whether they are followed by a gerund or infinitive verb. Learn about three of them – ‘stop’, ‘regret’ and ‘go on’ - in this Masterclass with Sian.

Transcript:
Sian
Hi Sian here for BBC Learning English. Now lots of people stop to buy a coffee on their way into work, but not me - I've stopped buying coffee. What's the difference - 'stop buying' 'stop to buy'? You'll find out in this Masterclass.

In English we have a group of verbs that can be followed by the gerund or the infinitive, but with a change in meaning. We're going to look at three of them: 'stop', 'regret' and 'go on'.

1) Stop

'I've stopped buying' 'I stopped to buy'?

OK, number one, listen to these two examples with 'stop' and try and work out the difference in meaning.

So, 'I've stopped buying coffee' and 'I stopped to buy a coffee this morning'. What's the difference?

Well, the first example 'I've stopped buying coffee' 'stop' is followed by the gerund. This means the activity in the gerund form stops, so 'I've stopped buying coffee because it's so expensive. I'm drinking tea from now on.'

In the second example, 'I stopped to buy a coffee this morning' the verb after 'stop' is in the infinitive, 'I stopped to buy a coffee' this means that we stop doing one action in order to do the action in the infinitive. So, this morning I stopped walking in order to buy a coffee.

2) Regret

'I regret telling you' 'We regret to tell you'?

Number two; listen to these two examples with 'regret'. 'I regret telling you that' 'we regret to tell you that...' What's the difference?

Ok, so the first example, 'I regret telling you that' 'regret' is followed by the gerund. This is when we feel sorry about something we've done in the past. So 'I regret telling you about that singing competition, now everybody knows I've entered!'

The second example 'I regret to tell you that...' is followed by the infinitive. We use this when you're about to give bad news - when you're sorry for something you're going to say. So, 'We regret to tell you that your application has been unsuccessful'. This is normally quite formal and often in written English and normally with verbs like 'say', 'tell' or inform.

3) Go on

'She went on talking' 'She went on to talk'

Ok, finally number three. What's the difference between these two examples with the verb 'go on'. 'She went on talking for hours' 'she went on to talk'? What's the difference?

Ok, the first example 'she went on talking' we use the gerund because the action continues 'She went on talking for hours about gerunds and infinitives!' The second one 'she went on to talk' the verb is followed by the infinitive. This means the activity changes to another one. For example, 'she started talking about gerunds and infinitives and she went on to tell a joke.'

That's all for now - Don't forget to visit our website. Ah now, there's another one - what's the difference between 'forget to do something' and 'forget doing something'?

[emersoms]

Congrats Sian, your explanations are perfect! I'm a Brazilian trying to learn English and I understand everything you teach for us! Thanks a bunch! :)

[omerrkaya]

Sian is the beautiest instructor in BBC learning English.

[josuetw]

Sian has such a charismatic personality

[ricardoribeiro]

Dear Sian, I appreciate very much your video lessons, they´re great! You and your colleagues have this fun way of getting things across to us !well done! I lived in London once .how many times I walked past the BBC studios.

[agapihanialidi]

Hello, Sian!
Hello, guys!
That's Agapi from Greece!
I have just watched this video and I am excited from your teaching!
You have turned this difficult topic into an easy and comprehensible lesson!!!
Thank you a lot!
Have my appreciation!
The best wishes...

[nirmalnaveen]

Thank yo Sian, your explanations are very clear to me. i like to learn with BBC English.

[Ta-zbow]

thanks so much for this lessons. I like your pronounciation and your character. It is a good information

[Jezakhan]

Hi, Sian. You're brilliant. Well done!

[taherelsayed]

Very well explained. thank you very much

[contextenglish]

Great video as always one of the hardest topic for learners to grasp. You made it easy for them hope the world sees it.Great work as usual BBC!

[jinounglee]

I forgot watching Sian's great lesson for words that changes its meaning depending on which one is followed gerund or infinitive
even it's less than one minutes after I watched it.

but hopefully
I don't forget to watch Sian's lesson
again and again

even though
I'll forget watching it again.

[sergeyltk]

Music in this video is brilliant! :) Sian is awesome :) however, I couldn't get the difference for some examples

[rebecapuebla]

I’ve stopped by to see if I could learn some difference in use between the gerund and infinitive. Regretting now not have done it before. Come to think of it, now I can go on and try to use them properly after this enlightening video. Thanks for the upload! 👏🏻😊

[jcr]

Also the verb remember.
I remember doing homework after lunch. (I remember when I used to do homework after lunch)
I remember to do homework after lunch. (I remember I have homework to do after lunch)

[mohamedaladdin]

I miss your videos of masterclass ms.sian

[SR-snup]

Wonderful, I like to learn with BBC English.

[santoshdalai]

Thanks shun.Indeed helpful for me your class.

[mustaphaomer]

thank u for this lesson
I wanna to add pranunsation this program

[emrearslan]

I have a wish that please Sian tell every video about these things Her telling a story sounds more like informative :)))

[igooa]

Thank you, these videos help me a lot :D (student from Germany)