I thought will

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "I thought will" is not correct in written English.
It seems to be a mix-up of tenses and does not convey a clear meaning. Example: "I thought I would go to the store later."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

15 human-written examples

Ah, I thought, will there be music?

The Guardian - Arts

I thought: will this change things?" That fear is understandable.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

"It was very much my voice, and I thought will people outside Ireland even understand it?

The Guardian - Books

DVD & Blu-ray, Paramount It was then that I thought: will this franchise ever end?

The Guardian - Film

I've known since I was young, and to some degree, I thought Will had always known.

The New York Times - Magazine

"I thought, Will it smell?" But, within a matter of weeks, interest in his property spiked, and prospective renters came calling.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

45 human-written examples

"Which I think will be funny".

The New York Times

What I think will happen is different.

Independent

That I think will change.

The New York Times

So the Panthers, I think, will win.

The Guardian - Sport

Commodity prices, I think, will remain weak.

The Guardian - Money

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When expressing past thoughts about future events, use the structure "I thought I would" or "I thought it would" to ensure grammatical correctness and clarity.

Common error

Avoid directly combining "I thought" with "will"; this often results in ungrammatical sentences. Always insert an auxiliary verb like "would" to correctly convey past thoughts about future actions.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "I thought will" typically functions as an incomplete or ungrammatical expression of a past thought related to a future event or action. According to Ludwig AI, this phrase is not considered correct English, as it misses the necessary auxiliary verb (e.g., 'would') to form a coherent thought.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

75%

Science

25%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "I thought will" appears in some sources, it is generally considered grammatically incorrect. As Ludwig AI explains, the phrase needs an auxiliary verb like "would" to properly convey a past thought about a future event. The correct form is usually "I thought I would" or "I thought it would". Although understandable in informal contexts, it's best to avoid this phrase in formal writing. Reliable sources occasionally use it, most likely when quoting speech, but it is not considered standard English. Correct alternatives like "I believed I would" and "I assumed I would" offer more precise and grammatically sound ways to express the intended meaning.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

I thought I would

Adds the auxiliary verb 'would' to form a grammatically correct construction for expressing a past intention or expectation.

I believed I would

Replaces 'thought' with 'believed' to indicate a stronger conviction or certainty about a future action.

I assumed I would

Uses 'assumed' instead of 'thought' to convey a sense of taking something for granted without concrete evidence.

I imagined it would

Employs 'imagined' to suggest a mental picture or scenario that was considered likely to happen.

I anticipated it would

Substitutes 'thought' with 'anticipated' to indicate expecting something to happen and preparing for it.

I considered whether I would

Presents a more reflective tone, indicating a careful weighing of possibilities.

I wondered if it would

Indicates uncertainty or curiosity about a future event or outcome.

I had a feeling it would

Expresses an intuition or premonition about what might happen.

I expected it to

Uses a direct expectation of something occurring, simplifying the original phrase.

I reckoned it would

Employs 'reckoned' to indicate a more informal or speculative assessment of a future event.

FAQs

What is the correct way to use "I thought" when referring to a future action?

To correctly refer to a future action in the past using "I thought", use the structure "I thought I would" or "I thought it would". For example, "I thought I would go to the store later" is grammatically sound.

What can I say instead of "I thought will"?

You can use alternatives like "I thought I would", "I believed I would", or "I assumed I would" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "I thought will" or "I thought I would"?

"I thought I would" is the correct and grammatically sound way to express a past thought about a future action. "I thought will" is generally considered incorrect.

What's the difference between "I thought will" and "I thought it would"?

"I thought will" is grammatically incorrect, while "I thought it would" correctly expresses a past thought about a future event or action. The inclusion of "would" is essential for proper tense and structure.