we thought

USAGE SUMMARY

'we thought' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use 'we thought' when you want to express a collective opinion or assumption shared among a group of people. Example: After discussing the situation, we thought the best course of action was to contact the authorities.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

We thought alike".

The New Yorker

We thought perhaps not.

The New Yorker

We thought wrong.

The New York Times

"We thought, 'Fantastic!

The Economist

We thought, Pretty good".

The New Yorker

We thought, Oh, God.

The New Yorker

Yes, we thought.

The New York Times

"That's what we thought".

The New York Times

Tiny thing, we thought.

The New Yorker

Or so we thought.

The New York Times

Possible disaster, we thought.

Independent

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "we thought" to clearly indicate a shared understanding or belief within a group at a specific point in the past. This helps establish a collective perspective and provides context for subsequent actions or realizations.

Common error

Avoid using "we had thought" when "we thought" is sufficient. The past perfect implies that the thinking occurred before another past action, which may not always be the intended meaning. Stick to the simple past unless you need to explicitly sequence past events.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "we thought" primarily functions as a declarative statement, expressing a shared belief, assumption, or understanding held by a group in the past. It's a common way to introduce a past perspective or rationale, as seen in the Ludwig examples.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "we thought" is a grammatically sound and frequently used phrase to express a past, shared belief or assumption. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness. Primarily found in News & Media contexts, it serves to provide background, context, or rationale for actions or decisions. When writing, remember that "we thought" refers to the past, and be mindful of when the past perfect form "we had thought" might be more accurate to reflect the sequence of events.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

we believed

Emphasizes a stronger conviction or faith in the past assumption.

we understood

Emphasizes a shared comprehension or awareness.

we assumed

Highlights an expectation or presumption without concrete evidence.

we considered

Focuses on a past process of evaluation or deliberation.

we figured

Suggests a casual or informal estimation or calculation.

we were of the opinion

Formally expresses a collective judgment or assessment.

it seemed to us

Indicates a perception or impression held by the group.

we had the impression

Highlights a feeling or vague belief shared among the group.

we were under the impression

Highlights a misunderstanding or incorrect assumption.

our initial thought was

Focuses on the original or preliminary idea.

FAQs

How can I use "we thought" in a sentence?

"We thought" is used to express a past belief, assumption, or understanding shared by a group. For example, "We thought the meeting was on Tuesday, but it was actually on Wednesday."

What's a good alternative to "we thought"?

Depending on the context, you could use alternatives like "we believed", "we assumed", or "we considered".

What is the difference between "we thought" and "we think"?

"We thought" refers to a past belief, while "we think" expresses a current belief or opinion. The tense indicates whether the belief is held now or was held in the past.

Is it ever incorrect to use "we thought"?

It would be incorrect if the belief wasn't actually shared or if you're trying to express a current belief. Ensure the tense aligns with the timeframe you're referring to.