thought it useful

USAGE SUMMARY

'thought it useful' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you are talking about something that you or another person found to be beneficial or advantageous. Example: I'd heard interesting things about the app, so I thought it useful to download it and give it a try.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

14 human-written examples

However given the potential for injury and the association with early admission to long term care we thought it useful to determine the feasibility of collecting data on health and social care use.

BMC Psychiatry

They thought it useful.

The New Yorker

Intrigued by the insightful and interesting comments that individuals and communities came up with, we thought it useful to extend this approach.

The Guardian

Curiously, neither major party thought it useful to point out that over the past 15 years roughly 90% of all boat people turned out, on assessment, to be refugees entitled to our protection.

The Guardian - Opinion

But given the silly things that are being said about trade policy and food prices, I thought it useful to trot through the basic logic.The standard blackboard-case for free trade rests on productive efficiency.

The Economist

And with Congress and the presidential candidates talking about ways to help small-business owners who have fallen on hard times, I thought it useful to look closely at a program whose success did not depend on money but time.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

45 human-written examples

If referees think it useful we would be happy to add a sentence or two about the use orthotopic vs. heterotopic models in our sample of experiments.

eLife

No doubt he could in all honesty think it useful to negotiate in an attempt to dissolve the allied coalition or even to obtain a general peace.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Nor do we think it useful for Democrats to fret whether it would be better for the new President to be more incremental than bold.

Huffington Post

On the basis of our data, especially Table 3, we do not think it useful to consider all those with diabetes to be at uniform high CVD risk.

Diabetes Care

"He thought it was useful.

The Guardian - Film

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "thought it useful", ensure the context clearly indicates who or what benefited from the action or information. For example, specify "I thought it useful for project planning".

Common error

While grammatically sound, "thought it useful" can sound overly formal in casual conversation. Opt for simpler alternatives like "found it helpful" or "it worked well" in informal settings.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "thought it useful" functions as a declarative statement expressing a past assessment of something's utility or benefit. It indicates that someone considered something to be helpful or advantageous in a particular context, aligning with examples provided by Ludwig.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

40%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Wiki

0%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "thought it useful" is a grammatically correct phrase used to express a past judgment of something's utility or benefit. According to Ludwig, it appears most frequently in News & Media and Science contexts, with a neutral to formal register. While appropriate for formal writing, consider more casual alternatives like "found it helpful" in informal settings. The provided examples and related phrases offer a comprehensive understanding of its usage and potential substitutions.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

considered it beneficial

Emphasizes the positive outcome or advantage.

deemed it valuable

Highlights the importance or worth of something.

found it helpful

Focuses on the assistance provided.

believed it advantageous

Stresses the strategic benefit.

regarded it as worthwhile

Highlights the merit and justification.

judged it practical

Focuses on the feasibility and applicability.

viewed it as productive

Emphasizes the output or results achieved.

felt it served a purpose

Focuses on the functionality and role fulfilled.

assumed it would assist

Highlights the anticipated aid or support.

presumed it was effective

Stresses the expected positive impact or outcome.

FAQs

How can I rephrase "thought it useful" to sound more casual?

In more casual contexts, you could use phrases like "found it helpful", "it worked well", or "it came in handy".

Is "thought it useful" appropriate for formal writing?

Yes, "thought it useful" is suitable for formal writing, especially in academic or professional contexts, where it conveys a reasoned judgment about the utility of something.

What's the difference between "thought it useful" and "considered it useful"?

While similar, "considered it useful" implies a more deliberate and reflective evaluation, whereas "thought it useful" can suggest a more immediate assessment.

Can "thought it useful" be used to describe something that might be useful in the future?

Yes, you can use "thought it useful" to express your expectation that something will be helpful in the future. For example, "I thought this guide would be useful for future reference".