we were thought

USAGE SUMMARY

The sentence 'we were thought' is not correct and usable in written English.
It should be written as either 'we were taught' or 'we thought.' For example: We were taught the multiplication tables in third grade. OR We thought the best way to tackle the problem was to break it into smaller parts.

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

"That's because we were thought worthless.

The Guardian - Books

"We challenged authority, so we were thought to be bolshie.

The Guardian

"As women, we were thought of as a subculture," she said.

The New Yorker

"In the summer we were thought with a full emersion with us and the rest of the professional players, he will improve and maybe understand more".

BBC

We were thought we were missing out on talented folks that come from all different areas.

Los Angeles Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

We are thought".

The New York Times - Books

We're think that's not true".

Huffington Post

"Others would say they were not interested in moving or were scared by the term 'headhunting' we were thought to be industrial spies".

The Economist

As we were, or thought we were.

The Guardian - Film

Family thought we were nuts, colleagues thought we were crazy.

BBC

We are, I think.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always proofread sentences using passive voice to make sure they are grammatically correct and convey the intended meaning precisely.

Common error

Avoid using "we were thought" when the intended meaning is "we thought". This error typically arises from incorrect construction of the passive voice, leading to sentences that are grammatically unsound and confusing.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "we were thought" typically attempts to function as a passive construction, indicating that someone else held a particular opinion or belief about "we". However, as pointed out by Ludwig AI, the sentence construction is grammatically incorrect.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "we were thought" is generally considered grammatically incorrect in standard English. While it appears in some contexts, primarily within news and media, Ludwig AI indicates that this construction is flawed. To express the idea that others held a particular opinion of you, it's better to use alternatives like "we were considered", "we were regarded as", or "it was thought that we were". These alternatives provide clarity and grammatical correctness, avoiding potential confusion.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

we were taught

Replaces 'thought' with 'taught', indicating instruction or learning.

we believed

Uses 'believed' to convey a state of holding an opinion or conviction.

we assumed

Employs 'assumed' to suggest a supposition without proof.

people considered us

Changes the structure to emphasize others' perceptions of the subject.

it was thought we were

Restructures the sentence to clarify the subject and action.

we had been thought to be

Emphasizes a past perception or misconception about the group.

we were regarded as

Indicates a formal assessment or view held by others.

we were deemed

Signifies a formal judgment or decision made about the group.

we were under the impression

Highlights a specific understanding or belief held by the group.

we were of the opinion

Formally expresses a collective viewpoint or stance.

FAQs

What is the correct way to express that others had a specific opinion about us?

Instead of "we were thought", use more accurate phrases like "we were considered", "we were regarded as", or "we were deemed" to clearly indicate an external viewpoint.

How can I avoid misusing passive voice when writing?

Ensure that the passive voice is properly constructed by including the correct auxiliary verbs and past participle forms. If the intended meaning is active, rephrase the sentence to reflect the active voice directly.

What's the difference between "we were thought" and "we thought"?

"We thought" indicates that the subject (we) did the thinking, expressing a personal belief or opinion. "We were thought" is grammatically incorrect; a correct passive construction might be "It was thought that we were...", indicating someone else's thinking about the subject.

When is it appropriate to use the passive voice?

Use the passive voice when the action is more important than the actor, or when the actor is unknown or irrelevant. However, ensure the sentence is grammatically correct, unlike the incorrect usage in "we were thought."