I need help explaining the difference between about and of.
About=contemplating something
*I am thinking about buying a new car.
Of=comes to you
*Think of a number from one to five.
In some cases either one seems okay.
Any ideas. Thank you.
***** NOT A TEACHER *****
Wagner,
(1) I have checked my books. Most of them seem to feel that
think of/about are interchangeable.
(2) For example,
Grammar in Use by Mr. Raymond Murphy (a book
that I think is used by many students) gives this example:
Are you thinking
of/about buying a house?
(3)
On the other hand,
A Comprehensive Grammar of the English
Language (which
some people consider the most complete
grammar book currently available) agrees with you. It gives this
example:
He thought
about the problem. = He considered the problem.
He thought
of the problem.= He brought the problem to his mind.
(4) I guess that in the "real world," native speakers don't
worry too much about which one they use. Nevertheless, here are
two examples that
may illustrate the difference. (They are
only
my examples -- not the book's)
I can't work; I can't eat; I can't sleep. All I can do is think
about you. Please come back to me. And every time that someone
says, "Okey-doke," I immediately think
of you because that was your
favorite word.
UPDATE:
I have found a good explanation on the Web. Please google:
BBC Learning English Think of/about lyrics
