Are Garlic cloves supposed to be put as whole or as chopped up pieces in a soup?
From my experience and what I've seen, garlic cloves are often applied to soup in un-chopped glove. 

Overtime, the boiling will release the garlic's sweet to the soup without melting itself into the liquid or dissolving into tidbits that attached to the ingredients. 

I have also seen people pan fry the garlic gloves to golden brown before dumping them into the water. I believe the purpose is to harden the outside of the garlic while getting more exotic flavor out of it.

Otherwise, I would chop/dice/smash garlic for dips and frying.