Forget about doing something

Question

Hi teachers,What does "forget about doing something" mean? Does it mean "forget to do something"? Or does it mean "forget doing something"?

KrisBlueNZ · Accepted Answer

"Forgot about doing ..." most likely means "Forgot to do ..." but it's not a clear way to say it.

If you meant "I forgot that I'd done ..." then I would say that, or "Forgot having done ..."

HUBLOT · Answer

Thank you, Kris. Could you tell me your usage of "forget doing something"?

KrisBlueNZ · Answer

I don't think it has a clear meaning.
For example, "I forgot doing my homework" doesn't really mean anything clear.

HUBLOT · Answer

Thanks a lot, Kris. Can "I forgot doing my homework" mean both "I forgot to do my homework" and "I forgot having done my homework"?

KrisBlueNZ · Answer

I don't think it means either of those. If someone said that to me, with no context, I would probably assume he meant "I forgot having done my homework", but I would probably ask "What do you mean?"

Daylighttt · Answer

Both of them have different meanings.
"I forgot doing my homework\ having done my homework" : You did your homework but you just remember that you did it.( Maybe you are free now and have time to do something else).
I forgot to do my homework:You didn't do your homework but you remember that you must do it (before it is too late)

Your sentence in yellow is like the second one in terms of the context. To forget about doing sth is a correct usage? I am not sure of that.

Forget about sth is a common phrase, I think but maybe the writer don't know the usages of "forget" as infinitive or gerund. He\she used it with the preposition "about."

Daylighttt · Answer

I respect  the explanation of KrisBlueNZ but I try to explain how I see them  in the sentences.

KrisBlueNZ · Answer

To clarify.

1. "I forgot doing my homework"
2. "I forgot to do my homework"
3. "I forgot having done my homework"?

Sentence 1 is not something I would ever say, and its meaning is not totally clear. Sentences 2 and 3 are good.

If someone said sentence 1 to me, without any other context, I would assume they meant sentence 3. The act of doing their homework is the thing they forgot. So they did it, but forgot that they did it. But I would ask for clarification. I would assume they meant sentence 3 but they might possibly mean sentence 2.

HUBLOT · Answer

Thanks a lot, Kris.

Charles inecting · Answer

I forgot posting the birthday card to my mother so I was surprised when she called me to say thank you.

I forgot to post the birthday card to my mother so I apologised on the telephone when I called to wish her Happy Birthday.

In sentence 1, with FORGOT + GERUND, the actions happened in this order: First, I posted the birthday card but then second, I forgot that I had done it. So my mother received the card because I had posted it.

In sentence 2, with FORGOT + INFINITIVE the actions happened in this order: First, I forgot and second, I did not post the birthday card. So mother did not receive it on her birthday.

Forget about doing something

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