I thought of calling

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "I thought of calling" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when expressing a consideration or intention to make a phone call in the past. Example: "I thought of calling you yesterday, but I got busy with work."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

10 human-written examples

I thought of calling the police.

The New York Times

"I thought of calling my autobiography A Life of Surprises.

The Guardian - Books

I thought of calling my book "Rebuilding America".

The New York Times - Magazine

"I thought of calling Tom's office," he said, "and saying: 'I'm with a gay cruise company.

The New York Times

"My readers will know what to expect – indeed I thought of calling it More of the Same".

The Guardian - Books

I will. 2 I thought of calling this piece "In Memoriam," because "in memoriam" has always suggested a place to me — Memoriam, Oklahoma, say, or Memoriam, Tennessee — and because, to my tinker's brain, "in memoriam," sounds like "in memory am".

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

50 human-written examples

That is the one I will always remember when I think of calling the roll".

The New York Times

I first thought of calling my book In Search of English, echoing HV Morton's series of bestselling explorations in the 20s and 30s - In Search of England, In Search of Scotland..

The Guardian - Books

"I actually thought of calling the sale "Weibermacht," said Mr. Wachter, the director of Sotheby's old master paintings department worldwide, using the German word for the artistic theme of depicting the power of women.

The New York Times - Arts

I had originally thought of calling tonight's talk 'Make Good Programmes' and the plan was to be introduced, come over to the lectern and say, 'Good evening.

The Guardian

The valedictory words suggest dire situations: I thought of cellphone calls made from the World Trade Center on 9/11.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "I thought of calling" to clearly express a past consideration or intention to call someone. It implies the action was contemplated but not necessarily carried out.

Common error

Avoid using "I thought of calling" when you currently intend to call someone. Use "I'm thinking of calling" or "I plan to call" instead to convey a present or future intention.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "I thought of calling" functions as an expression of a past intention or consideration. As Ludwig points out, it describes an idea that occurred to the speaker, but it doesn't confirm the action was completed. It commonly introduces an action that was contemplated but not necessarily performed.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "I thought of calling" is a grammatically sound phrase used to express a past consideration or intention to make a phone call. Ludwig's analysis indicates that it’s most frequently found in news and media contexts and is generally considered to have a neutral register. Although Ludwig AI marks the phrase as correct, it's important to avoid confusing it with present or future intentions. Alternative phrasing such as "I considered calling" or "I almost called" can add nuanced meaning to the sentiment.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

I considered calling

Uses "considered" as a synonym for "thought of", implying a more deliberate consideration.

I almost called

Highlights the near completion of the action but ultimately not doing it.

I entertained the idea of calling

Adds a sense of briefly considering the action, but perhaps not seriously.

I contemplated calling

Uses "contemplated" suggesting a deeper thought process about making the call.

I had the intention of calling

Focuses on the intent, though it doesn't necessarily mean the call was made.

I was on the verge of calling

Indicates being very close to making the call.

Calling crossed my mind

A more casual way of saying the idea occurred to the speaker.

The thought of calling occurred to me

A more formal way of expressing the idea entering one's mind.

It occurred to me to call

Similar to the previous, but with a slightly different sentence structure.

I envisioned calling

Implies a mental image or scenario of making the call.

FAQs

What does "I thought of calling" mean?

It means that at some point in the past, the idea of making a phone call came to your mind. It does not necessarily mean you acted on that thought.

What's the difference between "I thought of calling" and "I'm thinking of calling"?

"I thought of calling" refers to a past consideration, whereas "I'm thinking of calling" indicates a present or near-future consideration. The first is past tense; the second, present continuous.

What can I say instead of "I thought of calling"?

You can use alternatives like "I considered calling", "I almost called", or "I contemplated calling" depending on the nuance you want to convey.

Is "I thought to call" grammatically correct?

While understandable, "I thought to call" is less common and can sound slightly awkward. "I thought of calling" is the more natural and widely accepted phrasing. You could also say, "I meant to call" or "I intended to call".