imagined doing

USAGE SUMMARY

"imagined doing" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you are referring to something that you thought of doing, but didn't actually do. For example, "As I sat in silence, I imagined doing a million things at once."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

47 human-written examples

"I immediately imagined doing this in slow motion.

The New York Times - Arts

"It was something I would never have imagined doing.

The Guardian - Books

I imagined doing harm to the people who were trying to murder me.

The New York Times - Magazine

They acknowledge that it is a peculiar undertaking, with more manual labor than they, as college graduates, ever imagined doing.

The New York Times

Once I was in it, though, I was in it for good, and I never really imagined doing anything else".

The Guardian - Film

And if that's not happening you devastate the youth and make them do things they would not have imagined doing".

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

13 human-written examples

Imagine doing that, forever.

The New Yorker

I couldn't imagine doing anything else.

Independent

She can't imagine doing anything else.

The New York Times

No, I can't imagine doing that.

The New York Times - Magazine

"I cannot imagine doing that".

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "imagined doing" to express a past thought or plan that didn't necessarily materialize. For instance, "I imagined doing the dishes, but then I fell asleep."

Common error

Avoid using "imagined doing" when you should be using conditional tenses. "I would have imagined doing" is incorrect; instead, use "I imagined I would do".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "imagined doing" functions as a gerund phrase, where "doing" acts as a noun that is the object of the verb "imagined". As supported by Ludwig, it expresses a past mental consideration or visualization of performing an action.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

88%

Wiki

3%

Science

3%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "imagined doing" is a grammatically correct and commonly used gerund phrase that expresses a past mental consideration or visualization of performing an action. According to Ludwig, it’s best used to convey scenarios that were contemplated but not necessarily executed. It is versatile and suitable for a neutral register, found most frequently in news and media. Alternatives include "envisioned doing" or "contemplated doing". When using this phrase, avoid confusing it with conditional tenses or using "imagined to do" incorrectly. Ludwig's AI confirms its usability and provides numerous real-world examples.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

envisioned doing

Replaces "imagined" with "envisioned", suggesting a more detailed mental picture.

pictured doing

Uses "pictured" instead of "imagined", implying a visual representation in the mind.

fantasized about doing

Suggests a more elaborate and perhaps unrealistic imagining of the action.

contemplated doing

Implies a more thoughtful consideration of whether to do the action.

considered doing

A more neutral alternative, simply indicating that the action was thought about.

thought about doing

Replaces "imagined" with a more basic "thought", reducing the intensity of the mental image.

entertained the idea of doing

Indicates a passing consideration of doing the action.

dreamed of doing

Conveys a strong desire or aspiration to do the action.

speculated about doing

Suggests a more detached and analytical consideration of the action.

pretended to do

Focuses on feigning the action, rather than genuinely imagining it.

FAQs

How can I use "imagined doing" in a sentence?

Use "imagined doing" to describe something you considered or visualized yourself doing in the past. For example, "She "imagined doing" a backflip, but decided it was too risky".

What's a more formal alternative to "imagined doing"?

In a more formal context, you could use "envisioned doing" or "contemplated doing". For example, "The architect "envisioned doing" a complete renovation of the building".

Is "imagined to do" correct instead of "imagined doing"?

While "imagined to do" isn't grammatically incorrect, it implies a different meaning. "Imagined doing" refers to visualizing the act of doing, while "imagined to do" suggests believing something was destined or planned. Prefer "imagined doing" for visualizing an action.

How does "imagined doing" differ from "thought about doing"?

"Imagined doing" suggests a more vivid and detailed mental picture compared to "thought about doing", which is a more general consideration. Imagine is more detailed, thought about is just a quick reflection.