In this short video lesson, the Ukrainian sentence «Я не можу перестати гортати стрічку» (“I can’t stop scrolling through my feed”) appears in the notebook with a hint: cannot = can’t. Sound familiar? Watch the video, then read on.
The phrase: I can’t stop scrolling
After stop (meaning “quit doing”), the verb takes -ing. And you don’t even need the word “feed”: scroll already means moving through a screen or feed.
- I can’t stop scrolling.The phone just won’t let go.
- I can’t stop laughing.can’t stop + -ing
- Stop scrolling and go to sleep!A command with stop + -ing.
To say what you’re scrolling: scroll through Instagram, scroll through the news. And doomscrolling is endlessly scrolling through bad news.
Stop doing or stop to do?
- stop + -ing — to quit an activity: I stopped scrolling.
- stop + to + verb — to pause in order to do something else: I stopped to check my phone.
Cannot, can’t or can not?
Cannot is written as one word — the neutral, formal form. Can’t is the contraction for speech and messages. Separate can not is rare and used mainly for special emphasis.
Check yourself
Say it in English, then reveal the answer:
1.Something keeps coming back into your head.
Answer
I can’t stop thinking about it.
2.Tell someone to put the phone down.
Answer
Stop scrolling!
3.He paused his walk to drink some water.
Answer
He stopped to drink some water.
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