expected to see

USAGE SUMMARY

"expected to see" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you are talking about an anticipated sight, event, or occurrence. For example: When I opened the door, I expected to see my brother, but he was not there.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

57 human-written examples

Huffman expected to see nothing but fastballs.

The New York Times - Sports

I expected to see pages of explanation.

The New York Times

I expected to see carnage.

The New Yorker

I expected to see my father.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

I expected to see very few rigs.

The New York Times - Magazine

I expected to see justice served.

The New York Times

One wonders what they expected to see.

The Guardian

Dave and I expected to see bears.

The Guardian

"I'm expected to see Easter," he said.

The Guardian - Music

The jury is expected to see them.

The New York Times

I never expected to see him again.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "expected to see" when describing a situation where you had a reasonable basis for anticipating a particular sight or outcome.

Common error

Avoid using "expected to see" when describing actions that are not related to visual perception. For instance, it's incorrect to say, "I expected to see him finish the report", when you mean "I expected him to finish the report."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "expected to see" functions as an infinitive phrase expressing anticipation or anticipation. It is used to describe something that someone thought they would witness or observe. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is grammatically correct and widely used.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "expected to see" is a grammatically sound and commonly used expression for describing anticipated visual experiences. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and usability across various contexts. Predominantly found in "News & Media", it serves the purpose of conveying anticipations and reactions to visual events. While alternatives like "anticipated witnessing" or "looked forward to seeing" exist, "expected to see" remains a straightforward and effective choice for expressing anticipated sights or outcomes.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

looked forward to seeing

Expresses eagerness and positive anticipation about seeing something.

anticipated witnessing

Emphasizes the act of witnessing something that was predicted.

was waiting to see

Highlights the act of waiting with anticipation for something to appear.

envisioned viewing

Focuses on visualizing or imagining something before actually seeing it.

was prepared to view

Indicates readiness or mental preparation for seeing something.

presumed to observe

Implies an assumption or prior belief about what would be seen.

counted on observing

Implies a high degree of certainty about witnessing something.

thought I would find

Highlights a personal belief about what would be discovered or encountered.

believed I'd witness

Conveys a conviction or expectation about seeing a particular event or sight.

had hoped to view

Expresses a desire or wish to see something specific.

FAQs

How can I use "expected to see" in a sentence?

You can use "expected to see" to describe something you anticipated viewing or encountering, such as "I "expected to see" my friend at the party, but he wasn't there."

What are some alternatives to "expected to see"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives like "anticipated witnessing", "looked forward to seeing", or "presumed to observe".

Is it correct to say "I was expecting to see" instead of "I expected to see"?

Both "I was expecting to see" and "I expected to see" are grammatically correct. The continuous form, "I was expecting to see", suggests an ongoing state of anticipation, while "I expected to see" simply states the expectation.

What's the difference between "expected to see" and "hoped to see"?

"Expected to see" implies a reasonable anticipation based on prior knowledge or circumstances. "Hoped to see", on the other hand, expresses a desire or wish, rather than a firm expectation.