How do I prevent the gears from grinding when stopped?

Also if u leave the truck in gear at a stop.. Lets say u stop in 5th gear , sitting at a light , clutch pushed in. You should be able to move between the gears without using clutch brake. I learned this when driving with a broken clutch brake for 2 months

 

naturally i didn't appreciate it when it was happening, but starting out in an old pos will teach one a lot more than we realize. i've driven trucks without functioning brakes, clutches, turbos lol not at highway speed, or on interstates, but you get the idea.

first truck i got into with less than 500k on it was the one i have now, which i took with 250 miles. first assigned auto, as well. 210k into it, i still prefer a manual transmission.