it believed that

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "it believed that" is not correct in standard written English.
The correct form would typically be "it is believed that." Example: "It is believed that the new policy will improve employee satisfaction."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Academia

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

YouTube said it believed that process "will become a new distribution paradigm for years to come".

Independent

The IPCC said it believed "that potential criminal offences may have been committed".

BBC

Computer Associates said it believed that its current financial reporting was sound.

The New York Times

The company said it believed that its marketing practices "were responsible and conducted in good faith".

The New York Times

The sanctuary said it believed that its Cheetah appeared in the films made between 1932 and 1934.

The New York Times

In a brief statement, Kaiser said it believed that its employees acted in accordance with the law.

The New York Times

It believed that its core audience would appreciate the new technology and forgive the less-sophisticated console.

Harvard Business Review

It believed that with its superior technology, it could hold its increasing-returns market to itself.

Harvard Business Review

In its statement, Toll Brothers said it believed that the choppy housing market was gradually calming.

The New York Times

In that filing, the agency said it believed that it "fulfilled its statutory responsibilities" and felt it would win out.

The Washington Post

New negotiations infuriated the army, because it believed that Parliament would sell out its sacrifices and compromise its ideals.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

While "it believed that" is frequently used, consider rephrasing for improved grammatical precision, such as using "it was believed that" or more direct alternatives like "it assumed that".

Common error

Avoid overuse of the passive construction. While grammatically passable, relying excessively on structures like "it believed that" can make your writing sound less direct and impactful. Opt for active voice where appropriate.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "it believed that" functions as a clause introducer expressing an entity's conviction or supposition. Although Ludwig AI suggests the phrase is not correct, examples illustrate varied usage across sources.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

45%

Academia

25%

Encyclopedias

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

8%

Wiki

7%

Science

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

Despite being a frequently used phrase, "it believed that" is identified by Ludwig AI as grammatically questionable. The phrase functions to attribute a belief to a subject across various contexts, including news, academia, and general discourse. While common, consider opting for grammatically stronger alternatives like "it was believed that" or more direct expressions such as "it assumed that" to enhance clarity and precision. Using passive voice or more direct verbs can refine your writing style. The phrase's frequency suggests its widespread use, but a more polished version is generally recommended for formal contexts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

it assumed that

Replaces "believed" with "assumed", indicating a supposition without concrete evidence.

it presumed that

Substitutes "believed" with "presumed", suggesting an assumption based on probability.

it considered that

Replaces "believed" with "considered", implying a more thoughtful evaluation.

it thought that

Swaps "believed" with "thought", indicating a simple mental consideration.

it was of the opinion that

Offers a more formal substitute for "believed", emphasizing a considered judgment.

it held that

Replaces "believed" with "held", suggesting a firm conviction or adherence to a view.

its belief was that

Restructures the sentence to focus on the belief itself.

it surmised that

Replaces "believed" with "surmised", indicating a conclusion drawn from incomplete evidence.

it gathered that

Substitutes "believed" with "gathered", suggesting an inference from available information.

it understood that

Replaces "believed" with "understood", indicating a comprehension or interpretation of information.

FAQs

What's wrong with using the phrase "it believed that"?

While commonly used, "it believed that" is often considered less grammatically correct than the passive construction "it was believed that". This passive form is generally preferred in formal writing.

Is "it believed that" grammatically correct?

The more grammatically sound alternative is "it is believed that", using the passive voice. The active voice construction, while frequent, can be perceived as less polished.

Which is better: "it believed that" or "it was believed that"?

"It was believed that" is generally better because it uses the passive voice, which is often preferred in formal writing when the actor is unknown or less important than the action itself. However, alternatives like "it assumed that" might be more direct.

How can I rephrase "it believed that" to sound more formal?

For a more formal tone, use "it was believed that" or consider alternatives that directly state the assumption or consideration, such as "it presumed that" or "it considered that".