becoming and leading

Hi,

I'd say 'thinking of going..........' None of this had happened at the point in the past which is being described.

Clive

Dear Taka,

You may think of it as a sequence of events:

1. going into politics


2. becoming the President of the United States


3. leading people to a better, fairer way of life

Kind regards

And working the thought backwards:

He was thinking of leading people to a better way of life, by becoming the President of the United States, after first going into politics.

If davkett's interpretation is true, 'becoming the President of the United States' and 'going into politics' are connected with 'leading people', not the object of 'thinking of', strictly from grammatical point of view, isn't it?

Perhaps, I misled.

I believe there is a thought-stream here. In 'thinking of going into politics', thinking includes the reasons, the procedures, the purposes. I'll call it a 'thought-stream' rather than a succession of independent thoughts. My post was not meant as a contrast to Clive's, or Goldmund's, but as an amplification.

No, you didn't mislead at all. In fact, I totally agree with your idea. That is:

I'll call it a 'thought-stream' rather than a succession of independent thoughts.

Right! I don't think it's a succession of independent thoughts either. When I say, 'I was thinking of enjoying the DVD back home, having a cup of coffee', I don't think of enjoying

Hi guys,

He was thinking of going into politics, becoming the President of the United States and leading people to a better, fairer way of life.

Well, sure, if by a 'thought stream' you mean thinking of a sequence of activities. In bed this morning, I thought about getting up, having a shower and putting my clothes on. The sequencing of all this is im

The term 'thought-stream' is, perhaps, inadequate, since it may imply thought-sequence. I would want to get rid of the notion of sequence of thoughts, as in: I think about going into politics, next, I think about becoming the President, then I think about improving people's lives.

What I think is the sense here is the simultaneity of the three thoughts. The thinking involves al

Clive,

activities at the same time
Don't you think participals don't always imply activities that happen at the same time?

Example:

·She entered the room, switching on the light. (enter the room=>switch on the light: a sequence)
·The train starts at two, arriving in London at nine. (starts at two=arrive at nine: a sequence)

Hi Taka,

I agree with Davkett: Bottom line, I believe the three responders here agree that the separate phrases point back to 'thinking', not 'going into politics'.

You ask why is it not possible for participals to describe the sequence of 'go into politics=>become the President=>lead the people