i assumed him

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "I assumed him" is not correct in standard English usage.
It may be intended to convey a meaning related to making an assumption about someone, but it lacks clarity and proper structure. Example: "I assumed him to be the leader based on his confident demeanor."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

Likewise, the author, Kahlil Gibran, is not the mysterious Indian guru I assumed him to be when I saw the book on my hippie parents' bookshelf: He was a New Yorker.

Huffington Post

Being good friends with both Bailey and me, Vasey was bothered that Bailey assumed me to be a senseless postmodernist beholden to political correctness and that I assumed him to be a homophobic, transphobic, sloppy scientist.

Archives of Sexual Behavior

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

It no longer strikes me -- and I assume him -- as such a swell idea.

The New York Times - Arts

I always assumed him to be a spy and I always assumed that he assumed the same of me on the logic that I attributed to him, namely, that if all Soviet journalists were really spooks then all American journalists had to be, too.

Forbes

My friend Yalchin worked for TASS and I always assumed him to be a spy.

Forbes

When I first encountered him, I assumed he was just one more of the 6 million.

Stanford University

I tell him I assumed he'd be a boozer, like Smithy.

The Guardian

"When I entered his room at 6 30 am and didn't see him, I assumed he had gone for another walk," she says.

HuffPost

Five years later when we started dating, I teased him and told him that I assumed he was shallow that night because all he talked about were his fraternity brothers, going out, and having fun.

Huffington Post

He disliked the insularity of Britain and rarely returned, but his house was full of carefully alphabetised videos of films and television programmes, as well as innumerable books his agent sent him, so I assumed he wanted reminders of home.

The Guardian - Books

But if Glen decides to move him, I assume he'll call everybody and we'll talk".

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

For clarity and grammatical correctness, it is better to use the structure "I assumed that he was..." or "I assumed him to be..." instead of "I assumed him".

Common error

Avoid using "I assumed him" without a 'that' clause or 'to be' construction. This can lead to ambiguity and make your writing sound unnatural. Instead, ensure your sentence clearly indicates what you assumed about the person.

Linguistic Context

The phrase, while not strictly grammatical, serves as a declarative statement expressing a past assumption about someone. While Ludwig AI flags it as incorrect, examples exist in varied sources, suggesting an attempt to convey a quick, less formal expression of belief.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

66%

Science

34%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

While the phrase "I assumed him" appears in some published sources, it's grammatically questionable and generally better to avoid. Ludwig AI marks this as an incorrect phrase in standard English. For clearer and more accurate communication, use alternatives like "I assumed that he was" or "I presumed him to be". Although the phrase may be seen in news or media contexts, it's more appropriate to use grammatically correct and well-structured sentences, particularly in formal writing. The infrequency of its correct use, along with available alternatives, suggests it's a phrase best replaced for clarity and precision.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

I assumed that he was

This alternative adds a 'that' clause for grammatical correctness and clarity.

I presumed him to be

Uses 'presumed' as a more formal synonym for 'assumed'.

I took him to be

Employs the idiom 'took him to be' to express a similar assumption.

I believed him to be

Replaces 'assumed' with 'believed' which indicates a level of trust in the assumption.

I figured he was

Uses 'figured' as a more informal synonym for 'assumed'.

I gathered that he was

Suggests that the assumption was made based on available evidence.

I understood him to be

Indicates the assumption was based on previous information or knowledge.

I inferred that he was

Highlights that the assumption was reached through reasoning.

I gathered he might be

This alternative uses a modal verb to express less certainty.

I had the impression he was

Emphasizes the subjective nature of the assumption.

FAQs

Is "I assumed him" grammatically correct?

According to standard English grammar, the phrase "I assumed him" is not considered correct. It is better to say "I assumed that he was..." or "I assumed him to be..." for grammatical accuracy.

What can I say instead of "I assumed him"?

You can use alternatives like "I assumed that he was", "I presumed him to be", or "I took him to be" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "I assumed him" or "I assumed that he was"?

"I assumed that he was" is the grammatically correct choice. The phrase "I assumed him" lacks the necessary clause to complete the thought.

What's the difference between "I assumed him to be" and "I assumed him"?

"I assumed him to be" is a more complete and grammatically acceptable form compared to "I assumed him". The "to be" provides clarity on what was assumed.