imagine living abroad

Meaning

This phrase means to form a mental picture or think about what it would be like to reside in a country other than your own. Grammatically, the verb 'imagine' is followed by a gerund (verb + -ing), making this a key pattern for B1 learners to master.

Examples

• Can you imagine living abroad in a country where you don't speak the language?

  Can you imagine living abroad in a country where you don't speak the language?

• I often imagine living abroad in a warm, tropical place like Spain.

  I often imagine living abroad in a warm, tropical place like Spain.

• She used to imagine living abroad, but now she prefers staying close to her family.

  She used to imagine living abroad, but now she prefers staying close to her family.

• Many young people imagine living abroad to experience different cultures.

  Many young people imagine living abroad to experience different cultures.

• If you could choose any country, would you imagine living abroad in Japan?

  If you could choose any country, would you imagine living abroad in Japan?

Common Mistakes

• ✗ I often imagine to live abroad.

  ✓ I often imagine living abroad.

  The verb 'imagine' must be followed by a gerund (verb-ing), not an infinitive with 'to'.

• ✗ Can you imagine live abroad?

  ✓ Can you imagine living abroad?

  Learners often use the bare infinitive after 'imagine'. Remember to use the '-ing' form.

Related Expressions

Practice

• I love my hometown, but sometimes I ___.

  💡 Picture myself residing in another country.

  Show answer

  imagine living abroad

• Did you ever ___ when you were a university student?

  💡 Think about what it would be like to reside overseas.

  Show answer

  imagine living abroad