Difference between “Surprised” and “Surprising”
What Is the Difference Between “Surprised” and “Surprising” in English?
When expressing astonishment in English, the adjectives “surprised” and “surprising” are commonly used. While both words are derived from the verb “surprise” (to astonish or to cause a feeling of wonder), they serve different functions in sentences. Understanding when to use each term correctly is crucial for clear communication.
- “Surprised” describes the emotional state of a person who feels astonishment or shock due to an unexpected event or situation.
- “Surprising” describes the event, situation, or thing itself that causes that astonishment.
In this article, we will explore each word’s meaning, grammar rules, and provide examples to clarify their proper usage.
Surprised: Meaning, Grammar, and Usage Examples
Meaning of “Surprised”
The word “surprised” is an adjective used to describe a person’s emotional state when they feel astonishment, shock, or wonder due to something unexpected. When someone encounters something they didn’t anticipate, we say they are surprised.
Example:
- I was surprised by the outcome of the meeting.
Grammar of “Surprised”
“Surprised” is an adjective that originates from the verb “surprise” (to astonish or shock someone). In its adjective form, it represents a feeling triggered by an external cause. It is typically used in passive voice constructions, indicating that the person is experiencing an emotion due to an external event or factor.
Usage with Prepositions
- Surprised by: Used when referring to an event or thing that causes the surprise.
- I was surprised by the news.
- She was surprised by his sudden arrival.
- Surprised at: Used when talking about a specific action or outcome.
- We were surprised at how well he played the piano.
- They were surprised at her reaction.
Tense Usage of “Surprised”
“Surprised” can be used with various forms of the verb “to be”, allowing it to be used across different tenses.
- Present Simple:
- I am surprised by how quickly time passes.
- Past Simple:
- She was surprised when she saw the present.
- Future:
- You will be surprised by what happens next.
Examples of “Surprised” in Sentences
- He was surprised to see his old friend at the party.
- I was surprised by the generosity of the donation.
- We are surprised that they managed to finish the project on time.
- She seemed surprised when I told her the truth.
- They will be surprised by how easy the test is.
Grammatical Characteristics
- “Surprised” is usually applied to subjects that are capable of experiencing emotions, like people or animals.
- It is often used in passive voice constructions, as it reflects a feeling caused by an external factor. For instance:
“I was surprised by the news.” (The news caused my surprise.)
Tips for Remembering
- “Surprised” describes an emotional state experienced by a person.
- Use “by” or “at” after “surprised” to indicate the cause of the astonishment or shock.
Surprising: Meaning, Grammar, and Usage Examples
Meaning of “Surprising”
The adjective “surprising” is used to describe something that causes astonishment or is unexpected. In other words, when an event, thing, or situation leads people to feel surprise, we use “surprising” to describe it.
Example:
- The results of the election were surprising.
Grammar of “Surprising”
“Surprising” is the adjective form derived from the verb “surprise” (to astonish). Unlike “surprised,” which describes a person’s emotional state, “surprising” describes the quality or characteristic of a situation, object, or event. It indicates that something causes a reaction of surprise.
“Surprising” is often used before nouns or after verbs like “be” to describe the unexpected nature of something:
- It was a surprising discovery.
- The news was surprising.
Tense Usage of “Surprising”
“Surprising” can be used in all tenses when paired with the verb “to be”:
- Present Simple:
- This book is surprising.
- Past Simple:
- The test was surprisingly easy.
- Future:
- I think the results will be surprising.
Usage with Adverbs
“Surprising” can often be intensified with adverbs like “very” or “quite”:
- The news was very surprising.
- It was quite surprising how quickly she recovered.
Examples of “Surprising” in Sentences
- It is surprising how much he has improved in such a short time.
- The movie had a surprising ending that no one expected.
- What a surprising result! I didn’t think we would win.
- It was surprising to see her at the concert.
- The fact that they finished the project so quickly is really surprising.
Grammatical Characteristics
- “Surprising” is used to describe events, objects, or situations that evoke feelings of surprise.
It is not used to describe a person’s emotions; for that, we use “surprised.” - “Surprising” can be used in attributive (before a noun) or predicative (after the verb “to be”) constructions:
- A surprising result. (attributive)
- The result was surprising. (predicative)
Tips for Remembering
- “Surprising” describes something that causes astonishment or shock.
- Use it to describe events, things, or situations, not a person’s emotional state.
“Surprising” emphasizes the external factors that trigger emotional reactions, while “surprised” refers to people’s reactions to those factors.
The Difference Between “Surprised” and “Surprising”: How These Words Are Formed from “Surprise”
1. Surprise – The Base Verb and Noun
Before we explore the difference between “surprised” and “surprising,” it’s important to start with the base word – “surprise.” This word can function both as a verb and a noun, from which all other forms are derived.
- As a verb, “surprise” means to astonish or catch someone off guard.
- The news surprised everyone.
- As a noun, “surprise” refers to the feeling of astonishment or an unexpected event.
- It was a big surprise.
2. Formation of the Adjectives “Surprised” and “Surprising”
From the verb “surprise,” two adjectives are formed – “surprised” and “surprising.” This is where the primary difference in their usage comes into play:
- “Surprised” describes the emotional state of a person who feels astonished due to an event, thing, or situation.
- “Surprising” describes an event, thing, or situation that causes astonishment in someone.
3. The Difference Between “Surprised” and “Surprising”
Surprised: A Person’s Feeling or State
“Surprised” is the past participle form of the verb “surprise” in the passive voice, used to describe the state or emotional reaction of someone who has experienced something unexpected.
Example:
- I was surprised by the sudden rain.
The key point is that “surprised” describes a person or living being who feels emotions. You can say that someone is surprised by something.
Surprising: The Characteristic of an Event, Situation, or Thing
“Surprising” is an adjective used to describe something that causes astonishment in people. This could be an event, thing, situation, or phenomenon.
Example:
- The sudden rain was surprising.
Here, “surprising” describes the rain (the event) that made people feel astonished.
4. How Does It Work in Practice?
To better understand the difference between “surprised” and “surprising,” consider the following situation:
- Event – The sudden rain. This event is unexpected, so we say it is “surprising” (unexpected).
- The rain was surprising.
- Reaction – People’s response to the rain. They were astonished, so we use “surprised” to describe their state.
- We were surprised by the rain.
So, “surprising” is used to describe something that causes astonishment, while “surprised” describes the emotional state of a person who feels astonishment.
5. Other Important Forms and Constructions
- “Surprisingly” – This is an adverb meaning unexpectedly or astonishingly. It is used to emphasize the unexpected nature of an event or situation.
- Surprisingly, the meeting ended earlier than expected.
6. Summary of the Difference Between “Surprised” and “Surprising” (Table)
| Surprised (astonished) | Surprising (unexpected) |
|---|---|
| Describes a person’s state or feelings. | Describes an event, thing, or situation. |
| Formed from the verb “surprise” in the past participle. | Formed from the verb “surprise” in the present participle. |
| Used with a subject referring to a person or living being. | Used with a subject referring to an event or thing. |
| She was surprised by the result. | The result was surprising. |
Thus, it’s clear that different forms are derived from the word “surprise,” each with its specific usage depending on whether you are describing an event (“surprising”), a person’s state (“surprised”), or emphasizing the surprise (“surprisingly”).