not thought that

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "not thought that" is not correct in standard written English.
It may be intended to express disbelief or a lack of consideration regarding a particular idea or statement, but it requires rephrasing for clarity. Example: "It was not thought that the project would succeed without proper funding."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

58 human-written examples

More worryingly, more people than not thought that Obamacare includes a public option, undocumented immigrant insurance, "death panels", and cuts to Medicare.

The Guardian - Opinion

Henry Kissinger: (laugh) No, I have not thought that way.

Huffington Post

I had not thought that this would make a difference.

The New Yorker

She had not thought that they were on a date.

The New York Times

It is not thought that the weapons were targeting Israelis.

The Guardian

It is not thought that Whittingdale attended the ceremony.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

But Cashman said he had not thought that far ahead.

The New York Times - Sports

However, it is not thought that Kostenko himself was a pilot.

Independent

It is not thought that The Theory of Everything director James Marsh is involved.

The Guardian - Film

It's not thought that this plan has much of a chance.

The New Yorker

Defense lawyers argued during the trial that their clients had not thought that what they were doing was wrong.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using alternatives like "did not consider" or "had not believed", ensure the tense aligns with the rest of the sentence for grammatical consistency.

Common error

Avoid using "not thought that" in contexts where active voice would be clearer and more direct. For instance, instead of "It was not thought that the project would succeed", use "We did not think the project would succeed" for greater impact.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "not thought that" functions as part of a clause expressing a lack of prior consideration or belief. However, according to Ludwig AI, it's considered grammatically incorrect. Therefore, it's advisable to use more precise alternatives.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

65%

Science

20%

Formal & Business

5%

Less common in

Wiki

5%

Encyclopedias

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "not thought that" appears frequently in various sources, Ludwig AI identifies it as grammatically incorrect. It's used to indicate a lack of prior consideration or belief. To ensure clarity and correctness, it's recommended to substitute "not thought that" with alternatives like "did not consider that", "it was not thought that", or other more precise expressions. Proper attention to tense and voice is crucial for effective communication. News and media sources are the most frequent contexts. Thus, while common, avoiding this phrase in formal writing is best.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

did not consider that

Emphasizes a lack of prior consideration; more direct and grammatically sound.

had not believed that

Focuses on a lack of prior belief; suitable when the context involves disbelief.

did not anticipate that

Highlights the lack of expectation; appropriate when discussing unforeseen events.

it was not believed that

Impersonal construction; emphasizes general disbelief or lack of expectation.

it is not considered that

Formal alternative; suitable for academic or professional contexts.

it wasn't anticipated that

Focuses on something unexpected; suitable when referring to things that did not happen as expected.

I hadn't imagined that

Expresses personal surprise or lack of foresight.

failed to consider that

Highlights a failure in the thought process; suitable when emphasizing oversight.

it escapes my consideration

Indicates that something was not taken into account due to oversight or neglect.

it didn't cross my mind that

Indicates a complete lack of prior awareness or consideration.

FAQs

What are some alternatives to "not thought that"?

You can use alternatives like "did not consider that", "had not believed that", or "did not anticipate that depending on the context.

Is "not thought that" grammatically correct?

The phrase "not thought that" is generally considered grammatically incorrect in standard written English. It's better to use phrases like "did not think that" or "it was not thought that".

How can I use "not thought that" in a sentence correctly?

While "not thought that" is generally discouraged, consider rephrasing your sentence using alternatives such as "It was not thought that..." or actively stating who did not think something, for example, "They did not think that..."

What's the difference between "not thought that" and "did not think that"?

"Did not think that" is a more direct and grammatically correct way of expressing a lack of prior thought or belief compared to the somewhat awkward and less precise "not thought that".