Chew over

[Bassim]

Dear teacher,
Please would you take a look at these sentences and correct my mistakes. I just wanted to see if I could use the phrase "chew over" in these sentences.

1. When he became old he started to drink heavily and chew over his past life.
2.The whole family gathered and chewed over until the late in the night about the inheritance.
3. It has become almost his habit to sit every day for hours, and chew over his divorce.

 

[MikeNewYork]

Dear teacher,
Please would you take a look at these sentences and correct my mistakes. I just wanted to see if I could use the phrase "chew over" in these sentences.

1. When he became old he started to drink heavily and churn over his past life.
2.The whole family gathered and chewed over until the late in the night about the inheritance.
3. It has become almost his habit to sit every day for hours, and chew over his divorce.

Did you mean "chew" instead of "churn" in the first sentence?

If so, 1 and 3 are correct.

In 2 you have "chew over about the inheritance. That doesn't work for me. The second could be: The whole family gathered and chewed over the inheritance [until late in the night]/[late into the night]. But I would prefer "discussed" in this sentence.

 

[Bassim]

Thank you Mike,
In the first sentence I meant to write "chew over", but made a mistake.

 

[emsr2d2]

Thank you Mike,
In the first sentence I meant to write "chew over", but made a mistake.

It is very easy to edit a post when you realise that you made a mistake. Click on "Edit Post" at the bottom of post #1, make the relevant change and then click "Save".

 

[probus]

Dear teacher,
Please would you take a look at these sentences and correct my mistakes. I just wanted to see if I could use the phrase "chew over" in these sentences.

1. When he became old he started to drink heavily and chew over his past life. Almost OK, but I would say habitually chew over. Chewing something over is a singular act. If you want it to be chronic, you need an adverb like habitually.

2.The whole family gathered and chewed over until the late in the night about the inheritance. No. Chew over is transitive. You chew something over. You do not chew over about something.

3. It has become almost his habit to sit every day for hours, and chew over his divorce. Good, but not perfect.

Here are some natural examples:

I wanted to retaliate. I chewed it over at length, but eventually decided it would be best to just let it slide (i.e. do nothing.)

They loved to get together in the evening to chew over the events of the day.

Chew it over as much as you want, but in the end I think you will always come to the same conclusion.