Why 【think IT over】but【think about IT】?
Hi there
I just bumped into something that I didn't realize I couldn't explain.
1. think it over
2. think about it

So why the position shift of "it"? Why does it sound odd to say "think over it" and "think it about"?
Is it influenced by the part of speech? Or the meaning of "over" and "about"? Or how close the verb "think" is to "over" and "about", i.e. "think about" is more like ONE word and can't be separated?

More examples:
3. look it up
4. look for it

Thanks :)

Ps. I am aware of the "take off your coat" ----"take it off" structures, where the pronoun is supposed to precede the preposition.

Question

Why 【think IT over】but【think about IT】?
Hi there
I just bumped into something that I didn't realize I couldn't explain.
1. think it over
2. think about it

So why the position shift of "it"? Why does it sound odd to say "think over it" and "think it about"?
Is it influenced by the part of speech? Or the meaning of "over" and "about"? Or how close the verb "think" is to "over" and "about", i.e. "think about" is more like ONE word and can't be separated?

More examples:
3. look it up
4. look for it

Thanks :)

Ps. I am aware of the "take off your coat" ----"take it off" structures, where the pronoun is supposed to precede the preposition.

Answer

Hi Darker

There is some difference in meaning here. Let me start with the first part of your question.

To think about it:
You can think about something, for example, what university you will attend or what you will have for lunch. If you are already discussing a subject, you can simply say "think about it".

To think it over:
The verbal phrase "think it over" actually means you will carefully consider something before making a decision. You have all the facts and needed information, but now you want to think it over. If you would replace the word "it" with something else, e.g. "that problem", that would change the position in the sentence: "I will think over that problem" (vs "I will think it over").

Answer

I suspect that the (1) structures may come from an archaic use, and are in an idiomatic order. I really don't know.