made me surprised

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "made me surprised" is not the most natural expression in written English.
It can be used when describing a situation that caused you to feel surprise, but it is better to use more common phrasing. Example: "The unexpected news made me surprised at first, but I quickly adjusted to the change."

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Thus, I am supposed to read more resources…The huge time gap difference between the age of the Earth and fossil records of human beings made me surprised though nothing changed regarding the TOE in my mind.

Evolution: Education and Outreach

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

His complete absorption into the show made me surprise.

Unicef

Since both Drummond and I worked in the music and arts department of the Beeb in the early 70s (although I am relieved to discover I do not figure in his soon to be published memoirs, Tainted By Experience, Faber, £25 ) the broadcasting industry, and especially the public sector of it, has changed at a rate that makes me constantly surprised that I am still employed in it.

The Guardian

It's one of the few novels I've read that has made me gasp in surprise.

The Guardian - Books

Each story surprised me, made me rethink what I thought I knew.

Huffington Post

Graham Greene's Travels with My Aunt - a surprise, made me laugh - from growing dahlias to taking hold and living life.

The Guardian - Books

You couldn't predict what a new set of pages would be about, and this element of surprise made me want to read more".

The New Yorker

Since we were close to the university, this wasn't hard to believe, but because I'd just thought about him after so many years spent not thinking about him the surprise made me yell his name across the room.

The New Yorker

This has surprised me and made me feel insecure about searching for a partner.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

It surprised me that it made me feel rather noble".

Huffington Post

Her question caught me by surprise and made me pause.

The New York Times - Health

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

While "made me surprised" is understandable, consider using stronger verbs like "astonished", "amazed", or "stunned" for greater impact. For example, instead of saying "The news made me surprised", try "The news astonished me".

Common error

Avoid relying too heavily on the "made me" construction. Vary your sentence structure by using direct statements of feeling. Instead of saying "The movie made me sad", try "I felt sad after watching the movie".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "made me surprised" functions as a descriptive statement, indicating that an external event or situation caused a feeling of surprise in the speaker. As Ludwig AI states, it's not the most natural expression, but it's understandable.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

45%

Science

25%

Formal & Business

15%

Less common in

Wiki

5%

Encyclopedias

5%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

While the phrase "made me surprised" is understandable, it is not the most idiomatic choice. Ludwig AI highlights that it is better to use more common phrasings, such as "surprised me" or "caught me off guard". The phrase functions to express an emotional reaction to an unexpected event and is generally suitable for neutral contexts, though more formal settings might benefit from more polished language. When writing, consider using stronger verbs or varying sentence structure to avoid overuse of the "made me" construction. Although commonly used, it is disputed if it is grammatically correct, therefore you should replace it.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

surprised me

Omits "made me" for a more concise expression.

astonished me

Replaces "surprised" with a stronger synonym.

caught me off guard

Indicates unexpectedness rather than simple surprise.

took me by surprise

Emphasizes the suddenness of the surprise.

left me astonished

Uses a different verb to express the feeling of astonishment.

filled me with surprise

Emphasizes the emotional impact of the surprise.

it was surprising to me

Rephrases to focus on the surprising nature of the event.

i was taken aback

Expresses a mild shock or surprise.

i didn't expect that

Highlights the unexpectedness of the situation.

it caught me completely unaware

Focuses on the lack of anticipation before the event.

FAQs

What's a more natural way to say "made me surprised"?

Instead of "made me surprised", you can use phrases like "surprised me", "astonished me", or "caught me off guard" for a more natural tone.

Is "made me surprised" grammatically incorrect?

While not strictly incorrect, "made me surprised" is less common and can sound awkward. It's generally better to use a direct verb like "surprised me".

Can I use "made me surprising" instead of "made me surprised"?

No, "made me surprising" is grammatically incorrect. "Surprising" is an adjective describing something that causes surprise, while "surprised" describes the state of feeling surprise. You want to describe how you felt, so use "made me surprised" or better, "surprised me".

What is the difference between "surprised me" and "made me feel surprised"?

"Surprised me" is more concise and direct. "Made me feel surprised" is grammatically correct but wordier; both express the same basic meaning.