3.166 verbs of opinion

Some transitive verbs with the general meaning 'consider' can be used with an adjective or noun group as complement to say what someone's opinion of a person or thing is.

• They consider him an embarrassment.
• Do you find his view of America interesting?

Here is a list of these verbs:

• account, believe, consider, find, hold, judge, presume, reckon, think

'Prove' can also have an adjective or a noun group as a complement, although it means 'show' not 'consider'.

• He had proved them all wrong.

3.167

These verbs are often used in the passive. 'Believe', 'presume', 'reckon', and 'think' are nearly always used in the passive in these structures.

• In many ways the gathering could be considered successful.
• 30 bombers were believed shot down.

3.168

All the verbs listed in paragraph 3.166 except 'account' can also be used with a 'to'-infinitive clause after their object indicating what someone thinks a person or thing is like or does.

• She had always considered George Garforth to be a very presentable young man.

See paragraph 3.207 for information using a 'to'-infinitive clause after the object of these verbs.

3.169

You can use these verbs with 'it' as their object followed by a complement and a 'to'-infinitive clause to show someone's opinion of an action. For example, instead of saying 'She found breathing difficult', you can say 'She found it difficult to breathe'.

• Gretchen found it difficult to speak.
• He thought it right to resign.
• He considered it his duty to go.

These are examples of 'it' being used in an impersonal way. For more information about the impersonal use of 'it', see paragraphs 10.31 to 10.45.