0
Anonymous Posted 16 years ago
Grammar
Come to think of it - meaning
Hello,
I look up the meaning of the underlined phrase below in the dictionary, but I don't completely understand.
Come to think of it, that road back there was the one we were supposed to take.
1. According to the dictionary, it means when one considers the matter. My question is: who considers the matter in the example sentence above? Is it the person speaking? If so, it woud be the same as follows:
(I) come to think of it, that road back there was the one we were supposed to take.
2. Or is it an imperative sentence? That is, the person speaking is telling the listener to come to think of the matter as follows:
(You) come to think of it, that road back there was the one we were supposed to take.
3. The phrase in question also means: remember, on reflection, etc., but I still don't fully understand. Could you please suggest a much simpler meaning?
Thank you for your assistance.
I look up the meaning of the underlined phrase below in the dictionary, but I don't completely understand.
Come to think of it, that road back there was the one we were supposed to take.
1. According to the dictionary, it means when one considers the matter. My question is: who considers the matter in the example sentence above? Is it the person speaking? If so, it woud be the same as follows:
(I) come to think of it, that road back there was the one we were supposed to take.
2. Or is it an imperative sentence? That is, the person speaking is telling the listener to come to think of the matter as follows:
(You) come to think of it, that road back there was the one we were supposed to take.
3. The phrase in question also means: remember, on reflection, etc., but I still don't fully understand. Could you please suggest a much simpler meaning?
Thank you for your assistance.
Top answer
Hi, I look up the meaning of the underlined phrase below in the dictionary, but I don't completely understand. Come to think of it , that road back there was the one we were supposed to take. 1.
- Hi, I look up the meaning of the underlined phrase below in the dictionary, but I don't completely understand.
- Come to think of it , that road back there was the one we were supposed to take.
- 1.
- According to the dictionary, it means when one considers the matter.
- My question is: who considers the matter in the example sentence above?
Get the Weekly English Kit 📬
New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.
7 Answers
0
Hi,
I look up the meaning of the underlined phrase below in the dictionary, but I don't completely understand.
Come to think of it, that road back there was the one we were supposed to take.
1. According to the dictionary, it means when one considers the matter. My question is: who considers the matter in the example sentence above? Is it t
I look up the meaning of the underlined phrase below in the dictionary, but I don't completely understand.
Come to think of it, that road back there was the one we were supposed to take.
1. According to the dictionary, it means when one considers the matter. My question is: who considers the matter in the example sentence above? Is it t
00
Thank you very much. Now I completely understand. It was kind of you assisting me.
00
Having thought about it more deeply since the phrase's another meaning is "I remember...", I was wondering if it's literal translation should be in the present perfect tense instead of the simple present because the act of 'coming' has just now been completed. Do you think so?
I have come to think about it, that road back there was the one we were supposed to take.
I have come to think about it, that road back there was the one we were supposed to take.
00
0
Thank you very much.
Just a question... since this is a fixed phrase, therefore, there are no other forms (past or future tense) for this. Now, how do we say this in reported speech? Is the following correct?
John: Come to think of it, that road back there was the one we were supposed to take.
Reported speech: John said (yesterday) that he come to thi
Just a question... since this is a fixed phrase, therefore, there are no other forms (past or future tense) for this. Now, how do we say this in reported speech? Is the following correct?
John: Come to think of it, that road back there was the one we were supposed to take.
Reported speech: John said (yesterday) that he come to thi
00
John: "Come to think of it, that road back there was the one we were supposed to take."
Reported speech: John said that he thought that road back had been the one we had been supposed to take.
Reported speech: John said that he thought that road back had been the one we had been supposed to take.
00
Ah, I see the fixed phrase simply means "I think" or "I'm thinking" as Clive originally explained, therefore, "thought" will be the correct form in a reported speech.
Thanks very much, Mister Micawber. I've been enlightened.
Thanks very much, Mister Micawber. I've been enlightened.
0
Related Questions