Why we should not use the term think?

[Salman]

English Idioms and Expressions, Elementary Level

ESL/EFL Test #5 "In Control", question 7

What I really have in mind is a garden where there is very little to look after throughout the year.

(a) think
(b) believe
(c) visualize
(d) consider

English Idioms and Expressions, Elementary Level

ESL/EFL Test #5 "In Control", answer 7

What I really visualize is a garden where there is very little to look after throughout the year.

Correct answer: (c) visualize

Your answer was: incorrect
What I really think is a garden where there is very little to look after throughout the year.
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why we should not use the term think?

Salman

[Mister Micawber]

.
The reason is that have in mind means visualize, conceive-- not think.
,
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Native English teacher at Mister Micawber's

[Pamela]

Visualize is correct.
Think is used with of, anyway. And has another meaning.

[Torsten]

You are right, Pamela. You can think of some or think about something.

TOEIC listening, photographs: A computer class

[Pamela]

Thank you, Torsten! :D

[Alan]

Hi,

Out of interest there's a popular way of using think without any preposition. We can say: Think money - Think big profits - Think happiness. All of these are using think in the sense of Just imagine.

Alan
_________________
English as a Second Language
You can read my ESL story Present Simple

[Torsten]

Yes Alan, you can think profit and talk business ;-).

TOEIC listening, photographs: The painter

[Mister Micawber]

.
Those thinks sound pretty businesslike. I think their meaning is closer to concentrate on.
.
_________________
Native English teacher at Mister Micawber's

[Canadian45]

"Why we should not use the term 'think'(?)" is not a grammatically correct question. Putting a question mark after it may let us know that you want to ask a question but you also need to use correct question grammar.

You have to say something like "Why (should we not) (shouldn't we) (can't we) use the term 'think'?"

"Why we should not use the word 'think' " is not even a complete sentence. A complete sentence would be something like "I want to know why we should not use the word 'think'."

Grammatically incorrect 'questions' are very commonly constructed by ESL students and the students are often not told that their questions are incorrect. (Even the site administrator here constructs incorrect questions.)

Finally, it is better to call 'think' a word and you should use quotation marks or italics to highlight a word or words when you are talking about them in your sentences.

[Mister Micawber]

.
While your points are valid when writing or grading essays and other formal applications, Canadian, fora are more casual opportunities for learners and leaders to communicate in a relaxed and cooperative way. Register is an important part of what students experience here; an open, relaxed environment is a significant aid to learning.

In casual conversation here, all are permitted a latitude in mode of expression and punctuation when communicating-- as opposed to the care that should be taken in presenting direct examples in explanation. This includes the way that individuals care to format their statements.

In addition, any experienced ESL/EFL teacher knows that s/he does not constantly correct the student, but steps away from time to time to let communication attempts come to fruition. I myself make a point of avoiding any correction of the student's question itself, so long as it is intelligible. The writtten question is the student's direct attempt to communicate, and this should not be impeded. On the other hand, the topic of the question should be addressed with all the rigour we can muster: that is the thrust and focus of the student's concern at the moment.

As you learn the various weakpoints of the students here and have developed more cordial individual relationships, then is the time for casually addressing faulty collateral habits.
.
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Native English teacher at Mister Micawber's

[Torsten]

[Alan]

Hi Canadian,

I really must back up what has been said following your comments. The idea behind each and every forum is principally to help and advise rather than to issue strictures about what should and should not be said or written in the various points raised by contributors. The last thing we want to do is put people off from asking a question or raising an issue for fear that they'll trip over some rule or other. I don't know about your classroom technique but I always tried to encourage students to have their say first before commenting on the way they made their comment or asked their question. I see also that you have a fondness for the word 'construct'. That's not the word I would use when talking about the creative activity of using language.

Alan
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English as a Foreign Language
You can read my EFL story Progressive Forms

[Canadian45]

Thanks for all your comments. I consider myself soundly scolded but don't worry about me too much because I have thick skin.
There are many things I could say but I will try to be relatively brief.
Infact, I am not a teacher; I'm just a native English speaker who over the past few years and for a few reasons developed an interest in ESL and has tried to help ESL students, both in person and online. As you know, I am new to your forums but I am already quite aware that yours is not just a place for English learners and 'teachers' to interact; your site is a business, so your approach to students is different.
So I will have to decide whether there is a place for me here. Maybe you think not and, if you so, you can tell me quite directly. Otherwise, I will decide for myself over the next little while.

[Torsten]

Hi Canadian45, could you please tell us what you mean by "your site is a business"?

Regards,
Torsten

TOEIC listening, photographs: A woman leading a donkey

[Canadian45]

Torsten
I am surprised by your question. Are you saying that this site is not primarily a business?