"I thought to tell" vs "It occured to me to tell"

Question

"I thought to tell" vs "It occured to me to tell"

Both phrases are correct, but they are used in different contexts. 'I thought to tell' is more commonly used when you are explaining your thought process, while 'It occurred to me to tell' is used when you suddenly realize or remember something. They are not directly comparable as they convey different meanings.

Last Updated: March 21, 2024

This phrase is used to express that you considered telling something or had the idea to tell something.

Examples:

I thought to tell him about the party.
She thought to tell her boss about the issue.
He thought to tell his parents about his decision.

Alternatives:

I considered telling
I planned to tell
I intended to tell
I decided to tell
I wanted to tell

This phrase is used to express that an idea or thought came to your mind, often suddenly or unexpectedly.

Examples:

It occurred to me to tell her about the meeting.
It occurred to me to tell him the truth.
It occurred to me to tell them about the change in plans.

Alternatives:

I suddenly remembered to tell
I realized I needed to tell
I had the idea to tell
I remembered to tell
I was reminded to tell

Answer 1

I thought to tell

This phrase is correct and can be used when explaining your thought process.

Answer 2

It occured to me to tell

This phrase is correct and is used when you suddenly realize or remember something.

"I thought to tell" vs "It occured to me to tell"

I thought to tell

It occured to me to tell

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