Cease vs. stop

[GUGA]

Test No. errors/inter-4 "When you go to France...", question 7

Yes, we were driving our car through a forest and suddenly the engine ceased.

(a) were
(b) through
(c) suddenly
(d) ceased

Test No. errors/inter-4 "When you go to France...", answer 7

Yes, we were driving our car through a forest and suddenly the engine stopped.

Correct entry: stopped
The error was: (d) ceased
_________________________

In this case ceased cannot be used because it is a transitive verb and it need a complement.Is that right?

[Alan]

Hi again GUGA,

The two verbs cease and stop are similar in meaning but have different uses. The verb cease on its own refers to an abstract noun usually as in: The noise ceased.

Obviously with something like an engine, you would have to use a verb that doesn't have an abstract subject.

Alan
_________________
English as a Second Language
You can read my ESL story Phrasal Verbs/take