“I believe it's sold over the counter.”

English Lesson: I believe it's sold over the counter.

You're talking with a friend who has allergies. Your cousin has allergies and told you about a medicine that she takes which helps. You tell your friend about this medicine. You don't think she needs a prescription to get it.

I believe it's sold over the counter.

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I believe (something)

This is a very light way to use "I believe". Usually people say "I believe..." when describing their important and strongly-held opinions. For example:

I believe that everything happens for a reason.

But you can also use "I believe..." to talk about something that you're not completely sure of. Here are some examples of "I believe" used this way:

There's a keyboard shortcut for that... I believe it's "Control" plus "E".

A: When is the company picnic?

B: I believe it's on the fifteenth.

When you use "believe" this way, emphasize the word "believe", rather than "I".

(a medicine) is sold over the counter

Medicine is sold in two ways:

  • "Prescription drugs" require a prescription from a doctor. You can't buy them unless you have this. They're only sold at drug stores.
  • "Over-the-counter drugs" don't require a prescription. You can buy them at a drug store or sometimes even at grocery stores, convenience stores, etc.

For over-the-counter drugs, you can say that they are "sold over the counter":

A: Is it sold over the counter?

B: No, it's a prescription drug.