Another Think/Thing Coming

A listener named John called in with a question about "another thing coming" versus "another think coming":

“Hey, Grammar Girl. This is John. I've enjoyed your podcast for several years, but I don't think you've ever address this critical issue that I have. Recently, my 20-something daughter and I had a conversation, and I remarked that “If you believe that you have another thing coming,” to which she replied, “No, dad, the expression is ‘You have another think coming.’” I laughed and told her that she was the victim of either of mondegreen or an eggcorn, but that her interpretation was clearly wrong. We agreed to disagree, and later I searched online for her foolish version only to find out that it is indeed acceptable. Can you please explain how such a travesty can be allowed to stand? Thanks.”

This made me laugh, John. Good for you for admitting your error, although you’ll see that you are not alone.

The older and more common phrase, at least in edited text, is “another think coming.” And although the two phrases seem about equally common in American English, with “think” barely edging out “thing”  in a Google Ngram search, “You’ve got another think coming” is much more common in British English, where the saying actually originated in the late 1800s. 

It showed up just a bit later in the United States. (Note that when you click through, none of the earliest examples included in the graph are of the phrase about “another think/thing coming.” They are along the lines of “There is another thing coming for you in the mail.”)

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