'think' as a state verb and as an action verb

[forum_mail]

Hi there,

The verb "to think" can be either a stative verb or an adction verb, however it changes its meaning. For example:

1) I think Greece is a nice conutry expresses our beliefs, convictions, about Greece, right?>

2) I'm thinking of going to Greece here "think" expresses considering a possibility of going to Greece, right?

BUT! What about the following sentences:

3) She thinks about/of Peter all the time.
4) She is thinking about/of Peter all the time.
5) She is thinking about Peter (now)
6) She thinks about Peter (now)

Which ones are correct, and why?

Thanks, best wishes,

[MashUK]

Hi there,

The verb "to think" can be either a stative verb or an adction verb, however it changes its meaning. For example:

1) I think Greece is a nice conutry expresses our beliefs, convictions, about Greece, right?>

2) I'm thinking of going to Greece here "think" expresses considering a possibility of going to Greece, right?

BUT! What about the following sentences:

3) She thinks about/of Peter all the time.
4) She is thinking about/of Peter all the time.
5) She is thinking about Peter (now)
6) She thinks about Peter (now)

Which ones are correct, and why?

Thanks, best wishes,

Hi,
3) She thinks about Peter all the time is synonymic to She always thinks about Peter-the verb "think" here states a fact, this is why Present Simple is used.
4)However, this variant is correct, too. We can use Present Continuous with "always", "constantly", "all the time" to stress the fact that we are really annoyed by something ( a different shift in meaning). It's equal to "He's always complaining about his life" (he complains about it far too often than other people do)
5) She is thinking about Peter now (Pr. Cont. is used to underline the process that is going on at the moment of speaking)
6) Wrong. The key word is "now" tha indicates the usage of Present Continuous.

All the best,
Maria

[banderas]

4)However, this variant is correct, too. We can use Present Continuous with "always", "constantly", "all the time" to stress the fact that we are really annoyed by something ( a different shift in meaning). It's equal to "He's always complaining about his life" (he complains about it far too often than other people do)
If your boyfriend says to you: "I am thinking about you all the time", does it mean that he complains about himself to you?:)

All the best,
Maria

a

[MashUK]

a

While considering "She is thinking about/of Peter all the time" i had the following context in mind:It's someone else's opinion about her, her behaviour probably annoys them as she can think of Peter only, and nobody or nothing else. And i cited the "He is always complaining about his life" example to show other similar contexts that this works in. But it doesn't mean that the first example is equal to the last in terms of semantics.

I admit the context you've supplied, exists, too. In this case the use of Pr.Cont. definitely has a positive connotation, and implies the ongoing process.

[Tdol]

always & present progressive doesn't have to express anoyance, though it often does; it basically just has to be something worth highlighting as out of the ordinary.