I remember imagining

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "I remember imagining" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when recalling a past thought or daydream that you had about a particular situation or idea. Example: "I remember imagining what it would be like to travel to distant planets as a child."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

I remember imagining the lives of these women: they were a powerful counterpoint to the movies and magazines that urged girls to find a rich husband.

The Guardian

The merit of poetry was its feeling for the common ground, feeling in both senses, and I remember imagining as he spoke that a good novelist might share the poet's healthy ambivalence.

The Guardian - Books

I remember imagining his gnarled brown finger as the hand of a strong young man gripping the candelabra, which, by the way, my great-grandparents had lugged all the way down to the Badlands, where it had come in handy for killing snakes and gophers.

The New Yorker

I wanted love so close and so far away, and I remember imagining it so fondly over a glass of Chardonnay and a cigarette.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

I can remember imagining a big sweep of landscape and mountains and clouds... it was extremely evocative.

The Guardian - Music

I distinctly remember imagining myself stuck in the middle of this space, and waving all my arms and legs in the air, and trying to understand things, looking up at the stars, pretending they are the lattice points, and just sort of daydreaming".

The Guardian

Nor did a court room with its adversarial tradition seem the best place to explain that being gay in a repressive society affects every moment of your life; every time you look, think, remember, imagine.

Independent

I'm sure his phone melted down right after Christmas, but a professor of management at Northwestern University who studies the airlines said it best: "We are deregulated, remember?" Imagine sending in the feds to snoop around the halls of General Motors because it recalled a poorly designed part.

The New York Times

On his version of empiricism, experience not only provides us with "ideas" or the raw materials for knowledge, it also teaches us how to focus attention, remember, imagine, abstract, judge, and reason.

SEP

If the covered eyes did not strain, he said, they would see "a field so black that it is impossible to remember, imagine, or see anything blacker," since light was excluded by the palms.

Wikipedia

In her all-night vigil by his side, her mind moves back over the past, remembering, imagining, wondering.

The New York Times - Books

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "I remember imagining" to vividly describe past scenarios or daydreams you once entertained. This phrase is particularly effective when setting a reflective or nostalgic tone in your writing.

Common error

While "I remember imagining" is perfectly acceptable, be mindful of overusing it in formal writing. Consider alternatives like "I recall envisioning" or "I recollect conceiving" for a more sophisticated tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "I remember imagining" functions as a verb phrase where "remember" is the main verb indicating recollection, and "imagining" is a gerund acting as the direct object, describing the content of the memory. Ludwig AI confirms its usability in written English.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "I remember imagining" is a grammatically correct and commonly used phrase to express a past recollection of a mental image or scenario. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage. While primarily found in news and media contexts, its informal tone suggests it's less suitable for strictly formal or scientific writing. For such contexts, consider alternatives like "I recall envisioning". The phrase is effective for setting a reflective or nostalgic tone, vividly describing past thoughts and daydreams.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

I recall envisioning

Replaces "remember" with "recall" and "imagining" with "envisioning", offering a slightly more formal tone.

I remember picturing

Substitutes "imagining" with "picturing", emphasizing the visual aspect of the recalled thought.

I remember visualizing

Replaces "imagining" with "visualizing", stressing the mental imagery associated with the memory.

I recollect conceiving

Uses "recollect" and "conceiving" for a more formal and less common way of expressing the idea.

I now remember imagining

Adds "now" to emphasize the present recall of the past act of imagining.

I can still remember imagining

Adds "can still" to emphasize the clarity and persistence of the memory.

I recall fantasizing

Replaces "imagining" with "fantasizing", suggesting a more elaborate and perhaps unrealistic scenario.

I have a memory of imagining

Shifts the structure to focus on the memory itself rather than the act of remembering.

As I recall, I imagined

Restructures the sentence to start with "As I recall", changing the emphasis slightly.

My memory includes imagining

Focuses on the content of the memory rather than the act of remembering and imagining.

FAQs

How can I use "I remember imagining" in a sentence?

Use "I remember imagining" to describe a past thought or scenario that you vividly recall. For example, "I remember imagining what life would be like on Mars when I was a child."

What can I say instead of "I remember imagining"?

You can use alternatives like "I recall envisioning", "I remember picturing", or "I recollect conceiving" depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is "I remember imagining" grammatically correct?

Yes, "I remember imagining" is grammatically correct. "Remember" can be followed by a gerund (imagining) to describe a past memory.

What's the difference between "I remember imagining" and "I remember imagining that"?

"I remember imagining" is a more direct way to describe a past thought. "I remember imagining that" introduces a clause, providing more detail about what was imagined. For example, "I remember imagining what it would be like to fly" vs. "I remember imagining that I could fly."