[Grammar] to speak/ speaking

[shibli.aftab]

When I stopped (speaking/to speak) to Mary, she was picking some flowers in her garden.

What should be the sentence and why ?

Thanks

 

[Rover_KE]

What do you want the sentence to mean?

 

[shibli.aftab]

Actually I got this sentence in the test, so I don't know what it wants to mean. But it has "to speak" as a correct answer. Now please explain.

 

[5jj]

Both are possible.

When I stopped speaking to Mary ... - At the time that I became silent ...
When I stopped to speak to Mary ... - At the time that I stopped whatever I was doing so that I could begin speaking to Mary ...

 

[MikeNewYork]

When I stopped (speaking/to speak) to Mary, she was picking some flowers in her garden.

What should be the sentence and why ?

Thanks

The verb "stop" is one that has a dramatically different meaning when it takes a gerund or an infinitive.

When I stopped smoking = when I gave up cigarettes.
When I stopped to smoke = when I stopped doing what I was doing to have a cigarette.