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Anonymous Posted 19 years ago
Grammar
correct usage of surprised
Hi all,
I have studied english for some years now but my skills are getting rusty due to lack of practise. So any help here would be much appreciated
The thing is I have seen written "I surprised at english people" I think this is wrong since "surprised" is adjetive so should be with a verb "I was surprised at english people" but then I started thinking and re-thinking about it and noticed that it could act as past tense like when I say "I went to the cinema", then I started to check here and there and I got so much confussion about this stuff so I think that only people from EnglishForward could solve that. So could someone bring me some light please
I have studied english for some years now but my skills are getting rusty due to lack of practise. So any help here would be much appreciated
The thing is I have seen written "I surprised at english people" I think this is wrong since "surprised" is adjetive so should be with a verb "I was surprised at english people" but then I started thinking and re-thinking about it and noticed that it could act as past tense like when I say "I went to the cinema", then I started to check here and there and I got so much confussion about this stuff so I think that only people from EnglishForward could solve that. So could someone bring me some light please
Top answer
) I was suprised when I found the dead mouse behind my refrigerator, not to say horrified. It's also a transitive verb: I surprised Peter when I jumped out of the closet wearing a gorilla costume. )
- ) I was suprised when I found the dead mouse behind my refrigerator, not to say horrified.
- It's also a transitive verb: I surprised Peter when I jumped out of the closet wearing a gorilla costume.
- )
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6 Answers
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If you want to use it as an adjective, then you are correct: "I was surprised..." (Some people may argue that it's really the passive there, but I don't agree.) I was suprised when I found the dead mouse behind my refrigerator, not to say horrified.
It's also a transitive verb: I surprised Peter when I jumped out of the closet wearing a gorilla costume.
(I have GOT
It's also a transitive verb: I surprised Peter when I jumped out of the closet wearing a gorilla costume.
(I have GOT
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Thanks a lot for the quick reply Grammar Geek . Now I understand it, but then using it as a reflexive verb like "I surprised (myself
. Now I understand it, but then using it as a reflexive verb like "I surprised (myself00
I am surprised at ... is what you want.
You can have I surprised (someone) ...
But never I surprised at (someone) ...
CJ
You can have I surprised (someone) ...
But never I surprised at (someone) ...
CJ
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Thanks CJ, and sorry our posts crossed there since I forgot my password and all my post have to be approved first.
Well since I have seen what you said, then can I have "I surprised at (somthing)"? as in the previous post "I surprised at modern culture"? Re-thinking about it my guess is that its incorrect since it should be as adjective "I am surprised at modern culture", is that right?
Well since I have seen what you said, then can I have "I surprised at (somthing)"? as in the previous post "I surprised at modern culture"? Re-thinking about it my guess is that its incorrect since it should be as adjective "I am surprised at modern culture", is that right?
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I neglected to mention the case of I surprised at something, which is also incorrect.
You guessed right. The right version is I am surprised at modern culture.
You can also say Modern culture surprises me. This is a very usual way of saying it.
CJ
You guessed right. The right version is I am surprised at modern culture.
You can also say Modern culture surprises me. This is a very usual way of saying it.
CJ
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