thinking of buying vs. thinking to buy

[Boris M.]

English Language Tests, Intermediate level

ESL/EFL Test #65 "How to ask a question", question 8

When are you thinking of buying a ......... washing machine?

(a) novel
(b) new
(c) recent
(d) actual

English Language Tests, Intermediate level

ESL/EFL Test #65 "How to ask a question", answer 8

When are you thinking of buying a new washing machine?

Correct answer: (b) new
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What should I use:
"When you are thinking to buy"
or "When you are thinking of buying"
and why

Boris M.

[Nanucbe]

Thinking is usually followed by the preposition 'of', even like 'suffering from'.

So here it should be 'thinking of'.

Going to gets the particle to and the infinitve phrase 'to get' or 'to buy' can be used.

nanu.nana
http://avialblah.blogspot.com/

[Alan]

Hi Boris,

'Thinking of' in the context of your sentence has the idea of 'considering'. 'Thinking to buy' means you have thought about the idea of doing something and now it is your intention to do it.

You can say: I am thinking of buying a new car and I am thinking to buy a smaller car.

Alan
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English as a Second Language
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