thought me

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "thought me" is not grammatically correct as written.
The correct phrase is "taught me," which is both a verb and a past tense of "teach." For example, "My father taught me how to drive a car."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

First thought: me?

The New York Times

He thought me obtuse, I'm sure.

The New Yorker

"I thought, me and Jane Austen?

The Guardian - Books

I actually thought me and Mysty could end up together.

The New Yorker

He thought, Me and the world; the world and me.

The New Yorker

He evidently thought me a bother and a fool.

The New Yorker

They thought me and my bandmate were Daft Punk.

The Guardian - Music

But what about all those people who thought me rude for not replying to invitations?

Independent

My regular partners have seen me hit shots of which they never thought me capable.

Independent

"I know, you never would have thought me, right?" she told Larry King last year.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

1 human-written examples

And he out-thought me tactically, planned his fight better than I did".

The Guardian - Sport

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using "thought me" in formal writing. Opt for "taught me" when referring to instruction or rephrase the sentence for better clarity.

Common error

Be careful not to confuse the past tense of "think" (thought) with the past tense of "teach" (taught). "Taught me" indicates instruction, whereas "thought me" is generally grammatically incorrect.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "thought me" functions as a verb followed by a pronoun. However, as Ludwig AI indicates, this construction is generally grammatically incorrect. It often appears where "taught me" is intended, or where the sentence should be rephrased for clarity.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "thought me" appears frequently, it is generally considered grammatically incorrect. As Ludwig AI points out, the intended meaning often involves instruction (in which case "taught me" is correct) or expressing an opinion about someone, which requires rephrasing. Given its grammatical issues, avoid using "thought me" in formal writing. The high frequency of occurrence primarily stems from news and media sources, but this doesn't validate its correctness. Always consider alternatives like "taught me", "considered me", or rephrasing the sentence for better clarity and grammatical accuracy.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

taught me

Corrects the grammatical error by using "taught" instead of "thought", indicating instruction or learning.

considered me

Replaces "thought" with "considered", focusing on perception or judgment.

regarded me

Similar to "considered", suggesting how someone viewed or thought of the speaker.

viewed me as

Similar to "regarded me", suggesting a particular perspective or viewpoint.

saw me as

Implies a way of understanding or interpreting the speaker.

deemed me

Similar to "considered", but implies a more formal or official judgment.

believed me

Emphasizes the act of believing or trusting in someone.

judged me

Focuses on the act of forming an opinion or evaluation.

assumed me to be

Specifies that someone made an assumption about the speaker's character or state.

took me for

Indicates that someone mistook the speaker for someone or something else.

FAQs

What's the correct way to use "thought" or "taught" with "me"?

The phrase "thought me" is generally considered grammatically incorrect. If you intend to convey that someone instructed you, the correct phrase is "taught me". If you want to say someone had an opinion of you, rephrase to "thought about me" or similar.

What can I say instead of "thought me"?

Instead of "thought me", consider using "taught me" if you mean someone instructed you. Alternatively, rephrase the sentence to use phrases like "considered me", "deemed me", or "believed me" depending on the context.

Is "thought me" ever correct in a sentence?

In most standard English contexts, "thought me" is grammatically incorrect. It's more likely that the intended meaning involves instruction, in which case "taught me" is the correct phrase. If you aim to express an opinion someone held about you, rephrase the sentence.

How does the meaning change if I use "taught me" instead of "thought me"?

"Taught me" implies instruction or imparting knowledge, as in "My father taught me how to ride a bike". "Thought me" doesn't have a clear grammatical meaning and should be replaced with a more appropriate construction like "thought about me" or alternatives such as "regarded me" if you want to express a sentiment.