would have supposed

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "would have supposed" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to express a hypothetical situation or assumption that someone might have made in the past. Example: "If I had known about the event earlier, I would have supposed that you would attend."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

12 human-written examples

In addition, Coward's plays hold up less well than I would have supposed.

The New York Times - Books

Hearing the fierce singing, "one would have supposed that we were the captors and they the prisoners," a veteran recalled.

The New York Times

She would have supposed that after a day presumably spent at the lab and several hours at the co-op Anton would be dazed with exhaustion.

The New Yorker

The new control measures, undertaken in September of 1949, were carefully planned, and few people would have supposed that any harm could result.

The New Yorker

Neither he nor anyone else would have supposed for a moment that the ploughboy should know his Chaucer, or even Homer.

The Guardian - Opinion

Discipline - the self-discipline which one would have supposed every comedian to pride himself upon - is curiously absent in a player familiar with television.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

46 human-written examples

I'd have supposed that my chances of winning the lotto were greater than those of my being asked to give a sermon.

The New Yorker

If you'd said Blair Witch Project to me six months ago, I'd have supposed it was a focus group set up by New Labour to study either covens or consumerism.

The Guardian - Film

Nor, of course would we have supposed that there was anything inevitable about the victory; these things, we naturally suppose, are a matter of chance.

SEP

How would she ever have supposed that her dialogue with Moss would become a trialogue, in which another reader would materialize to question and puzzle over her annotations?

The New Yorker

Could they really have supposed there would be no spillage from their hyperbole?

Vice

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "would have supposed", ensure that the context clearly indicates a past hypothetical situation or a counterfactual scenario. This helps maintain clarity and avoids misinterpretation.

Common error

Avoid using "would have supposed" in situations that require a simple past tense or present perfect tense. This phrase is specifically for hypothetical past scenarios, not for general past events.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "would have supposed" functions as a modal verb construction, expressing a hypothetical or counterfactual assumption in the past. As Ludwig AI underlines, this construction indicates something that someone might have believed or expected, but which turned out not to be the case.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science

30%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "would have supposed" is a modal verb phrase used to express a past hypothetical assumption or expectation. Ludwig AI indicates that it is grammatically correct and most commonly found in news and media and scientific contexts. While not extremely frequent, understanding its proper use, particularly in distinguishing it from simpler past tenses and related phrases like "would have assumed" or "would have thought", is key to clear and effective writing. Remembering the nuances of tense and context is crucial for avoiding common errors.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

would have assumed

Emphasizes a belief formed with some evidence, but without proof.

would have thought

Focuses on a cognitive process of forming an opinion or expectation.

would have imagined

Highlights the act of forming a mental image or idea.

would have believed

Stresses the acceptance of something as true, based on available information.

might have guessed

Suggests a less certain or confident assessment of a situation.

could have predicted

Highlights the ability to foresee a future event or outcome.

might have expected

Expresses an anticipation of a particular event or behavior.

could have foreseen

Indicates an ability to anticipate something before it happened.

would have anticipated

Focuses on expecting or preparing for something in advance.

would have predicted

Emphasizes foretelling or prophesying a future event based on current information.

FAQs

How to use "would have supposed" in a sentence?

Use "would have supposed" to express a past assumption or expectation that turned out to be incorrect or did not happen. For example, "I "would have supposed" they would attend the meeting, but they were absent".

What can I say instead of "would have supposed"?

You can use alternatives like "would have assumed", "would have thought", or "might have guessed" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "would of supposed" instead of "would have supposed"?

No, "would of supposed" is grammatically incorrect. The correct form is ""would have supposed"", where "have" is an auxiliary verb forming the perfect conditional tense.

What's the difference between "would have supposed" and "would have thought"?

While both express past assumptions, ""would have supposed"" often implies a stronger expectation or belief, whereas "would have thought" can suggest a more casual or less certain assumption.