“sequence of tenses”

Question

I am wondering whether it is better to say:

You would think that I was a thief.

or

You would think that I am a thief.

and

I wouldn't say one was more correct than the other

or

I wouldn't say one is more correct than the other

Answer 1

It really depends on what you want to say

You would think that I was a thief.
(You probably think (now), I was a thief (in the past and now))

You would think that I am a thief.
(You probably think (now), I currently am a thief (now))

You would have thought that I was a thief, but am not.
(You might have thought (in the past) that I was a thief (in the past), but I am not (now).

And your other examples

I wouldn't say one was more correct than the other
(Both were correct (in the past))

I wouldn't say one is more correct than the other
(Both are correct, both now and in the past)