I considered doing

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "I considered doing" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when expressing that you thought about or contemplated taking a specific action or course of action. Example: "I considered doing my homework early to have more free time later."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science & Research

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

13 human-written examples

I considered doing my fellow below-90-m.p.h.

The New York Times - Magazine

"I considered doing it in a restaurant, but that seemed too common".

The New York Times - Arts

After graduating from Cambridge, I considered doing further study in America.

The Guardian - Opinion

Since I easily imagined that I'd never get published, I considered doing other things.

The New Yorker

"I considered doing a sea ritual: making a little boat, lighting a candle, saying a blessing and sending the CD's out to sea," she said.

The New York Times - Arts

In the early 1990s, when our Babel nation seemed briefly endangered by English-only advocates, I considered doing my part for polyglotism and improving my rudimentary French or German.

The New York Times - Magazine

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

47 human-written examples

So I considered: do I go for prosthetics, which will be easy, or sensation, which will be hard?

The New Yorker

"I consider doing this for tens of thousands commuters an awesome responsibility".

The New York Times

What would you suggest I consider doing to position myself as a potential leader?

Huffington Post

I should explain why I even considered doing this.

The New York Times

I have several things that I have considered doing.

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "I considered doing" when you want to express that you actively thought about a particular action or option in the past, but didn't necessarily commit to it.

Common error

Avoid using "I consider doing" if you are referring to a past consideration. "Consider" in the present tense implies you are currently contemplating the action, not that you thought about it previously.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "I considered doing" functions as a statement of past contemplation. It introduces an action or activity that the speaker contemplated performing. Ludwig AI shows examples where the phrase is used to express various scenarios, from considering further education to contemplating different career paths.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science & Research

30%

Formal & Business

30%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "I considered doing" is a grammatically correct and common phrase used to express past contemplation of an action. Ludwig AI confirms its validity and provides examples across varied contexts, mainly in News & Media, Science & Research and Formal & Business domains. When using the phrase, ensure the tense is correct and that it accurately reflects your intent to convey past consideration rather than present action. Alternatives such as "I thought about doing" offer slight nuances in formality and emphasis. Overall, it’s a versatile phrase useful in both formal and informal communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

I thought about doing

Replaces "considered" with "thought about", offering a slightly more informal tone.

I contemplated doing

Substitutes "considered" with "contemplated", suggesting a more formal and deliberate consideration.

I entertained the idea of doing

Expresses consideration as 'entertaining an idea', implying the action wasn't necessarily taken seriously.

I weighed the possibility of doing

Indicates a careful evaluation of whether to perform the action.

I gave thought to doing

Highlights the act of thinking about doing something, often implying it was a serious consideration.

I had in mind to do

Shifts the focus to having an intention, although it might not have been fully considered.

I looked into doing

Suggests a preliminary investigation into the possibility of doing something.

I explored the option of doing

Emphasizes the exploration of a potential course of action.

I had it in my thoughts to do

A more descriptive way of saying 'I thought about doing' with a slightly more reflective tone.

I had plans to do

Focuses on the planning stage, rather than the consideration itself.

FAQs

What's the difference between "I considered doing" and "I thought about doing"?

While both phrases are similar, "I considered doing" implies a more deliberate and thoughtful process than "I thought about doing". The latter can suggest a fleeting idea, while the former suggests more serious contemplation.

What can I say instead of "I considered doing" to sound more formal?

For a more formal tone, you can use alternatives such as "I contemplated doing" or "I entertained the idea of doing".

Is "I considered to do" grammatically correct?

No, "I considered to do" is grammatically incorrect. The verb "consider" is typically followed by a gerund (verb + -ing), so the correct form is "I considered doing".

How to use "I considered doing" in a sentence?

You can use "I considered doing" to express that you thought about a certain action in the past, like in this example: "I considered doing a master's degree, but I decided to travel instead."