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The phrase "as a surprise when" is not standard and may lead to confusion in written English.
It could be used in contexts where you want to describe an unexpected event occurring at a specific time, but it lacks clarity.
Example: "She planned the party as a surprise when he returned from his trip."
Alternatives: "unexpectedly when" or "as a shock when".
Exact(59)
It came as a surprise when they actually did it.
It came as a surprise when he saw the news that November afternoon.
So it came as a surprise when Mr. Blumenthal himself got on the line.
Still, it came as a surprise when the general contractor belted out Shania Twain's "Man!
So it comes as a surprise when the painting starts to yield satisfaction.
People must know this, but it sort of came as a surprise when we started to show it around.
This rationale might come as a surprise when you look at her paintings.
So it didn't come as a surprise when he brought the Trashers to Danbury.
This came as a surprise when I first started cooking from her.
Despite this, it came as a surprise when my anxiety went into overload last year.
Similar(1)
John Peel: "It really came as quite a surprise when people started to like Mogwai".
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Justyna Jupowicz-Kozak
CEO of Professional Science Editing for Scientists @ prosciediting.com