think over

Meaning

To consider something carefully and thoroughly, especially before making a major decision. In academic life, this often applies to choosing a research topic, deciding on a major, or evaluating feedback from a supervisor.

Examples

• The advisor told me to think over my thesis topic before committing to it.

  The advisor told me to think over my thesis topic before committing to it.

• I need a few days to think over the job offer from the university's research department.

  I need a few days to think over the job offer from the university's research department.

• After thinking it over, she decided to change her major from chemistry to biochemistry.

  After thinking it over, she decided to change her major from chemistry to biochemistry.

• Please think over the feedback I gave you on your essay and revise it for next week.

  Please think over the feedback I gave you on your essay and revise it for next week.

• Before you reject the scholarship offer, make sure you think it over carefully.

  Before you reject the scholarship offer, make sure you think it over carefully.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ I need to think over about the proposal.

  ✓ I need to think over the proposal.

  'Think over' is a transitive phrasal verb and takes a direct object; do not add the preposition 'about' after it.

• ✗ He decided to think over it for a week.

  ✓ He decided to think it over for a week.

  If the object of 'think over' is a pronoun (like 'it'), it must be placed between 'think' and 'over'.

Related Expressions

Practice

• That is a major decision, so you should take some time to think it ___.

  💡 The particle that completes the phrasal verb meaning to consider carefully.

  Show answer

  over

• I will ___ over your suggestions and get back to you with my decision tomorrow.

  💡 The verb meaning to contemplate or meditate on an idea.

  Show answer

  think