Give Up Doing vs. Give Up To Do
Cambridge documents give up + -ing for stopping an activity, including giving up trying, going, driving, or smoking. Other senses of give up, including surrendering or relinquishing something, have different complements; they do not create a synonymous give up + to-infinitive construction.
Use “give up doing” when you mean stop an activity or habit; direct “give up to do” is not the equivalent pattern.
Key details
Choose the right form
| Meaning / situation | Form / construction | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| stop an activity or habit | give up + -ing | Use the -ing complement for the activity being stopped. |
| relinquish or surrender something | give up + noun/object | Use the complement required by that separate sense. |
| purpose infinitive after a different clause | separate to-infinitive construction | Do not treat “give up to do” as the equivalent of “give up doing.” |
Quick tests
Meaning / construction test
Do you mean stop an activity or habit?
If yes: Use “give up” plus the -ing form.
If no: Use the complement required by the different sense or sentence structure.
Caveat: The page is limited to the stop-an-activity sense; other senses of “give up” take different complements.
Examples
He gave up smoking last year.
The -ing form names the activity he stopped.
They gave up trying after the third attempt.
“Give up + -ing” expresses stopping the activity.
She gave up her seat to a passenger.
This is a different sense of “give up” with a noun object.
Further guidance
Boundary
Other senses of give up, including surrendering or relinquishing something, have different complements; they do not create a synonymous give up + to-infinitive construction.
Construction
Cambridge documents give up + -ing for stopping an activity, including giving up trying, going, driving, or smoking.
Decision
Use “give up doing” when you mean stop an activity or habit; direct “give up to do” is not the equivalent pattern.
Sources and evidence
Sources are shown with the role they play in this guide. Historical or style-sensitive claims are kept within the evidence boundary described above.
- give up — Cambridge Dictionary (opens in a new tab)Cambridge Dictionary · Give up + -ing for stopping an activity or habit