kept thinking about

[Arcona]

Hello,

I need your help again.

The last time they saw each other was in September 2010. But he kept thinking about her.

I am not sure if the second sentence implies that he is still thinking of her or did he only do that in the past and is not anymore?


Thank you.

 

[Biffo]

The likelihood is that he no longer keeps thinking about her. All we know for sure from the use of the past tense is that at some time in the past he did it. We know nothing from that sentence about the present because 'kept' is simple past.

 

[Arcona]

What would you have to say then, when has been thinking about her but he still is?

He has not stoped thinking about her. But I think that means all he does is thinking about her, doesn't it. That would be too much.

 

[Biffo]

The last time they saw each other was in September 2010. But he still thinks about her [continually/often/all the time].

If you keep doing something it means that it is a regular habit or, in extreme cases, an obsession. It means continually not continuously.

 

[Arcona]

Thank you very much for your help, Biffo.
But how could you say it when thinking about her is not an obsession and not a regular habit, because he has his own happy life now. He just likes to think back to the time they had together and these memories keep come back from time to time (for instance when he hears the name of the country where they met) and he just enjoys those memories.

 

[Biffo]

The last time they saw each other was in September 2010. But he still thinks about her...

sometimes
once in a while
every so often
now and again
from time to time

 

[Arcona]

Thank you so much, Biffo