a thinking of

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a thinking of" is not correct and not usable in written English.
It seems to be an incorrect construction and does not convey a clear meaning. Example: "I had a thinking of how to solve the problem."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

12 human-written examples

Inside the post office, Ms. Lewis has put up a "thinking of you" bulletin board honoring Private Lynch and two other soldiers from town, one still in Kuwait.

The New York Times

But for most cricket fans it is almost impossible to listen to Mambo No 5 without a) thinking of Michael Vaughan's pull shot and b) smiling at the memory.

The Guardian - Sport

Taking the cubic surface as an example, this paper gives a thinking of testing unsymmetrical surfaces.

Optics Communications

For Levinas, Heidegger's philosophy was a thinking of the neuter, a recrudescent paganism that sacralized natural events and anonymous forces.

SEP

But there's also a "thinking of you" button, which is a simple notification that's most similar to Facebook's classic Poke.

TechCrunch

Its alltime bestseller: a "Thinking of You" card picturing a wagon filled with purple pansies, which has rung the cash register 30 million times in 60 years.

Forbes

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

47 human-written examples

You pull up to a restaurant thinking of an extended lunch.

Forbes

A: You're thinking of Red Heat.

Huffington Post

A: You're thinking of Buck Owens.

Huffington Post

A Fu is thinking of becoming a chef.

Unicef

What a guy! Always thinking of me.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using the phrase "a thinking of" in formal writing. Opt for more grammatically sound alternatives such as "a thought about" or "consideration of."

Common error

Don't use "a thinking of" when you mean "thinking about". The former is generally ungrammatical. Instead, rephrase your sentence to use a more appropriate construction.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a thinking of" is generally considered grammatically incorrect. According to Ludwig AI, it's an incorrect construction. Instead, it could be a noun phrase, but the grammatical construction would need adjustment.

Expression frequency: Missing

Frequent in

Science

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News & Media

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Formal & Business

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Less common in

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News & Media

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Formal & Business

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Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "a thinking of" is generally considered grammatically incorrect and should be avoided in formal writing. Ludwig AI confirms this assessment. More appropriate alternatives include "a thought about" or "consideration of", depending on the intended meaning. Given its lack of established usage, it's best to opt for clearer and more grammatically sound expressions.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a thought about

Replaces "thinking" with "thought", focusing on a single instance of contemplation.

an idea regarding

Uses "idea" to emphasize a concept or plan, and "regarding" to specify the topic.

a consideration of

Highlights the act of carefully thinking about something.

a reflection on

Suggests a more in-depth and contemplative thought process.

a notion about

Implies a general or vague idea.

a perspective on

Focuses on a particular viewpoint or way of understanding something.

an angle on

Presents a specific way of approaching a topic.

a viewpoint regarding

Emphasizes a specific opinion or position related to something.

a concept concerning

Highlights a particular idea or theory related to a subject.

a line of thought on

Focuses on a connected series of thoughts or reasoning.

FAQs

Is "a thinking of" grammatically correct?

No, "a thinking of" is not generally considered grammatically correct in standard English. It's better to use alternatives like "a thought about" or "consideration of".

What are some alternatives to "a thinking of"?

Depending on the context, you can use phrases such as "a thought about", "an idea regarding", or "consideration of".

How can I rephrase a sentence that uses "a thinking of"?

Instead of saying "I had a thinking of going to the store", try "I had a thought about going to the store" or "I considered going to the store".

When is it appropriate to use "thinking of"?

"Thinking of" is appropriate when used as part of a continuous verb tense (e.g., "I am thinking of buying a new car") or to indicate that someone is being remembered or considered (e.g., "I'm thinking of you").