quit to continue

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "quit to continue" is not standard in written English and may cause confusion.
It could be used in contexts where one must stop an action or process in order to proceed with another, but it is not commonly recognized. Example: "To update the software, you need to quit to continue with the installation process."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

We therefore do not require those participants who failed to maintain abstinence and abandoned their quit to continue to attend clinics except for reasons detailed below.

BMC Public Health

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

Considering that patients do not always make a change to less risky behaviours at one go (even in the face of a serious diagnosis) [ 26], HCPs need to recognize their duty to motivate tobacco users to quit and to continue to provide support to patients during the process of changing undesirable health behaviours [ 17].

BMC Family Practice

At the first week and first, third and sixth month follow-up meetings, after each client's smoking or cessation status was assessed, we conducted a 'booster' session and asked whether the smokers or quitters had experienced any problems, offered problem-oriented suggestions or advice when necessary, and encouraged the clients to quit or to continue abstaining from smoking.

BMJ Open

He mounted a risible run for the White House in 1999; loudly quit the Republican Party to continue his run as an independent; and then rejoined the party just in time to assume the chairmanship of an important committee.

The Economist

In a typical case of akrasia, I conclude that I ought to quit, but decide to continue smoking instead.

SEP

Meanwhile, Barcelona fans will form a mosaic for Vilanova, who quit in July to continue treatment for cancer.

BBC

Apart from condition-specific support from health professionals during and after pregnancy, women with an LLI may require extra help to quit smoking and to continue breast feeding.

BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth

If Trump were to quit, despite his promises to continue, the Republican National Committee could replace him with Pence or someone else, according to Rule 9 of the party's bylaws.

Los Angeles Times

She just kept hugging me, said she was sorry and told me this would be the year she would officially quit because she wants to continue having memories with our family.

Huffington Post

PSM involves matching individuals within a sample based on their propensity to belong to an exposure group, or here, matching on the propensity to quit or continue smoking without considering the association of those variables with the outcome.

BMJ Open

The message says even though it's best for smokers to quit, many will continue to smoke. .

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using "quit to continue" in formal writing. Opt for clearer and more common phrases like "stop to proceed" or "pause to resume" to ensure better understanding.

Common error

Don't assume that "quit to continue" is universally understood. While it might make sense in specific contexts, its unconventional nature can lead to misinterpretation. Using more standard phrasing prevents confusion.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "quit to continue" functions as a purpose connector, indicating that the act of quitting is performed in order to enable the continuation of something else. Ludwig considers this construction unconventional, suggesting more common alternatives may be preferable for clarity.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

33%

News & Media

33%

Wiki

16%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "quit to continue" is a relatively uncommon and potentially confusing construction. As highlighted by Ludwig, it's not standard English, and clearer alternatives like "stop to proceed" are generally recommended. While the phrase suggests a purpose – that the act of quitting enables further action – its infrequency can lead to misinterpretations. It appears across various contexts, from science to news, but its usage is rare overall. For most writing scenarios, opting for a more conventional phrase will ensure greater clarity and understanding.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

stop to proceed

A direct and simple replacement, but lacks nuance.

leave to continue

Replaces "quit" with "leave", emphasizing a temporary departure to allow continuation.

cease to continue

Uses "cease" instead of "quit", suggesting a more formal or complete stop before continuing.

interrupt to proceed

Highlights the temporary halt in one action to move forward with another.

pause to resume

Emphasizes a brief break before the action is restarted.

halt to advance

Suggests a stop is necessary for forward progress.

discontinue to proceed

Uses "discontinue", which implies a more permanent stop than "quit" but still for the purpose of continuing something else.

suspend to proceed

Indicates a temporary suspension is needed to progress.

end to carry on

Emphasizes the conclusion of one task to move to the next.

break to resume

Suggests a temporary pause, after which the action will start again.

FAQs

How can I rephrase "quit to continue" for clarity?

Consider using phrases like "stop to proceed", "pause to resume", or "interrupt to continue" depending on the specific context.

Is "quit to continue" grammatically correct?

While not strictly ungrammatical, "quit to continue" is an uncommon construction. It's generally better to use more conventional phrasing for improved clarity.

When is it appropriate to use "quit to continue"?

The phrase is best reserved for situations where stopping one action is a direct and necessary prerequisite for beginning or continuing another. However, even in such cases, a clearer alternative is often preferable.

What are some alternatives to "quit to continue" in a technical context?

In technical contexts, consider using phrases like "exit to proceed", "terminate to continue", or "close to advance" for greater precision.