she thought that

USAGE SUMMARY

"she thought that" is a perfectly correct and usable phrase in written English.
For example, you could write: "She thought that he was the most handsome guy she had ever seen."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

47 human-written examples

Hypothesis: she thought that was sexy.

The New Yorker

She thought that might hinder her performance.

The New York Times - Sports

She thought that was the proper response".

The New York Times

She thought, that can't be right".

The Guardian

Sawant said she thought that was absurd.

The New Yorker

("She thought that was too close for comfort").

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

13 human-written examples

Why does she think that is?

The Guardian - Arts

She thinks that's beautiful.

The Washington Post

She thinks that soon she will start on nudes.

The New Yorker

Well, she thinks that will happen.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

Does she think that will change?

The Guardian - Books

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "she thought that" to clearly convey a character's internal perspective or belief in narrative writing. It directly attributes a thought to the subject, enhancing clarity.

Common error

Avoid repeatedly using "she thought that" within dialogue tags. Vary your sentence structure by using alternative verbs like 'believed', 'assumed', or restructuring the sentence to avoid the phrase altogether for a more natural flow.

Linguistic Context

"She thought that" primarily functions as a reporting clause. It introduces a subordinate clause that expresses what a female subject believed, assumed, or considered. Ludwig confirms that it's grammatically correct and widely used.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

70%

Science

15%

Formal & Business

5%

Less common in

Wiki

3%

Academia

2%

Encyclopedias

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "she thought that" is a grammatically sound and frequently used phrase to convey a female subject's beliefs or assumptions. As supported by Ludwig, this phrase is appropriate for various contexts, with a neutral register suitable for news, literature, and everyday conversation. While versatile, vary your sentence structure in writing to avoid overuse. Consider alternatives like "she believed that" or "she considered that" for nuance. The phrase's high frequency and presence in authoritative sources confirm its widespread acceptance and utility.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

she believed that

Replaces "thought" with "believed", conveying a stronger sense of conviction.

she considered that

Substitutes "thought" with "considered", suggesting a more deliberate assessment.

she assumed that

Uses "assumed" instead of "thought", implying a conclusion reached without complete evidence.

she figured that

Replaces "thought" with "figured", indicating a more casual or intuitive conclusion.

she gathered that

Uses "gathered" to suggest that the thought was formed from collected information.

her impression was that

Changes the structure to emphasize the impression she received, rather than her direct thought.

it seemed to her that

Shifts the focus to how things appeared to her, instead of her active thinking.

she had the idea that

Emphasizes the formation of an idea in her mind.

in her estimation

Presents the thought as her considered judgment or opinion.

she surmised that

Replaces "thought" with "surmised", implying a conjecture based on incomplete information.

FAQs

How can I use "she thought that" in a sentence?

Use "she thought that" to introduce a character's internal thoughts or beliefs. For instance, "She thought that /s/he+would+never see him again after he left".

What are some alternatives to "she thought that"?

Alternatives include "she believed that", "she considered that", or "she assumed that", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey. Consider that "she believed that" suggests a stronger conviction than "she assumed that".

Is it grammatically correct to use "she thought that"?

Yes, "she thought that" is grammatically correct and commonly used to report someone's thoughts or beliefs.

What's the difference between "she thought that" and "she knew that"?

"She thought that" indicates a belief or opinion, while "she knew that" implies a state of certainty or awareness of a fact. The former suggests a possibility of being incorrect, whereas the latter suggests confirmed knowledge.