Irregular verb
The verb to think
think → thought → thought
A1Meaning: to have an opinion; to use your mind · Type: irregular · Frequency: Top 10 English verbs
Key points to remember
- Present Simple:
I/you/we/they think·he/she/it thinks - Past Simple:
thought(said /θɔːt/) - Past participle:
thought(the same as the Past Simple) - -ing form:
thinking
Conjugation of the verb to think
Present Simple
| I | think |
| You | think |
| He / She / It | thinks |
| We | think |
| You (pl.) | think |
| They | think |
Present Perfect
| I | have thought | I've thought |
| You | have thought | You've thought |
| He / She / It | has thought | He's / She's / It's thought |
| We | have thought | We've thought |
| You (pl.) | have thought | You've thought |
| They | have thought | They've thought |
All the forms of the verb to think
Present Simple
Full pagethink / thinks
“I think English is interesting.”
See the pagePresent Continuous
Full pageam / is / are thinking
“I am thinking about the holidays right now.”
See the pagePast Simple
Full pagethought
“I thought the film was great.”
See the pagePast Continuous
Full pagewas / were thinking
“I was thinking about the holidays when the phone rang.”
See the pagePresent Perfect
Full pagehave / has thought
“I have thought about it a lot.”
See the pagePast Perfect
Full pagehad thought
“She had already thought about the holidays when I arrived.”
See the pageFuture Simple
Full pagewill think
“I will think about the holidays tomorrow.”
See the pageGoing to Future
Full pageam / is / are going to think
“I'm going to think about the holidays this weekend.”
See the pageConditional (would)
Full pagewould think
“I would think about the holidays if I had time.”
See the pageHow to use to think
1. Giving an opinion
I think (that) + a sentence. People often leave out that.
- I think (that) English is fun.
- What do you think?
2. Thinking about something right now
Be thinking means that the thinking is happening right now.
- I'm thinking about it.
- Let me think.
3. Believing something that was wrong
In the Past Simple, I thought… often means that you believed something, but it was not true.
- I thought you were French.
- We thought the test was easy. We were wrong.
4. Common expressions
Think about or think of someone means to have them in your mind. I think so means yes and I don't think so means no. Think twice means to think carefully before you do something.
- think about / of
- I think so
- I don't think so
- think twice
Common mistakes to avoid
1. I can't think about his name ❌
Think about means to spend time on an idea: I'm thinking about my exam. Think of means to remember something or to find an idea: I can't think of his name. The little word after think changes the meaning.
2. I have thinked ❌
The Past Simple and the past participle of think are the same word: thought. I thought about it is the Past Simple. I have thought about it is the Present Perfect. Never use thinked.
3. I am thinking English is fun ❌
To give an opinion, use I think, not I am thinking: I think English is fun. Use I am thinking only for an action in your mind right now: I'm thinking about my homework.
Going further
Conjugating to think is a key skill in the English contest
Every year, the Big Challenge tests the key English verbs. Register your students so they can check their level in a real contest.
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Practise on PLAYYou can conjugate to think. Now say it out loud.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the past simple of think?+
The Past Simple of think is thought (said /θɔːt/). It is the same for every person: I thought, she thought. The past participle is also thought. Think → thought → thought.
Is it thinked or thought?+
Always thought. Think is an irregular verb, so its past form does not take -ed. Thinked does not exist, but it is a very common mistake for beginners.
What is the difference between think and believe?+
Think is for an opinion or a guess: I think it will rain tomorrow. Believe is stronger: you are sure that something is true or good. I believe in fair play. In many sentences, both are possible: I think / I believe she is right.
What is the difference between think about and think of?+
Think about means to spend time on an idea in your mind: I'm thinking about my future. Think of means to remember something or to have an idea: I can't think of his name. To ask for an opinion, say What do you think of this idea?
How do you say yes or no with think?+
Say I think so for a yes and I don't think so for a no. You do not repeat the whole sentence. Is the shop open today? I think so. These short answers are very common when people speak.
Updated on 12 November 2026 by the Big Challenge teaching team. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999. Our teaching approach →
The Big Challenge · Updated on 12 November 2026 · Source: www.thebigchallenge.com/bl/academy/learn-english/verbs/think
© The Big Challenge. Copying allowed for classroom use. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999.