Stop doing means the activity ends: I've stopped drinking coffee. Stop to do means you stop what you're doing in order to do something else: We stopped to drink a coffee.
Same situation, two choices. Pick an example.
I've stopped drinking coffee.
The -ing activity was going on, and it stops.
We stopped to drink a coffee.
You stop something else so that you can do this.
| Rule | Stop doing | Stop to do |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | The activity ends | You stop in order to do something |
| What stops? | The -ing activity | Whatever you were doing before |
| Example | Stop worrying! | Let's stop to rest for a minute. |
Please stop _____. I'm trying to work.
Paste an email or an essay. Clarigram marks the mistakes you actually make, shows the rule behind each one as a picture, and builds your practice from them.
Yes, with a noun: We stopped for a coffee. With a verb, use to: We stopped to have a coffee.