this is very surprising

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "this is very surprising" is correct and can be used in written English.
It is typically used to express shock or disbelief at something unexpected. Example: "I couldn't believe it when my team won the championship. This is very surprising!".

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

14 human-written examples

This is very surprising.

Columbia University

None of this is very surprising, but it is good to see the combination done formally.

The Guardian

And he also implicitly welcomed the reductions in class sizes which have been made.None of this is very surprising.

The Economist

This is very surprising, given that there are so few apes in such small geographic areas conditions that one might expect to produce a more homogeneous gene pool.

Encyclopedia Britannica

"This is very surprising," said Taha, 26, a former engineering student, who, like others interviewed for this article, asked that his surname not be published.

The New York Times

They fell by about 67% according to the FBI statistics, and I think this is very surprising, as it was very close on the heels of 9/11 about the most spectacular terrorist attack in history certainly in this country—and yet these numbers went down dramatically.

University of California, Berkeley

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

46 human-written examples

He said this was "very surprising and disturbing to me" as an attorney for Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford.

The Washington Post

"This was very surprising," says BBC Persian's Soroush Pakzad.

BBC

This was very surprising to colleagues in other disciplines, for whom "methods" classes were standard fare.

Johns Hopkins University

This was very surprising to me but it definitely motivated me to be more involved" and "[Youth] are committed to attending the club weekly and they constantly stay engaged and ready to have fun" PP-V-2016 PP-V-2016 PP-V-2016

International Journal of STEM Education

"This was very surprising for us," Pechenkina notes.

Vice

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "this is very surprising" when you want to express genuine shock or disbelief at an unexpected event or piece of information. Ensure the context clearly establishes what is surprising.

Common error

Avoid using "this is very surprising" too frequently in your writing, as it can become repetitive. Vary your expressions with synonyms like "unexpected", "astonishing", or more specific descriptions of your surprise.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "this is very surprising" is as a declarative statement expressing surprise or astonishment. It functions to convey the speaker's reaction to something unexpected, as demonstrated in the examples provided by Ludwig.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

32%

Science

40%

Academia

28%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "this is very surprising" is a grammatically sound and frequently employed phrase to express astonishment or disbelief. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is suitable for various contexts, primarily appearing in news, scientific, and academic domains. When writing, vary your language with synonyms like "this is quite surprising" or "it's completely unexpected" to avoid repetition. By doing so, you can use the expression to emphasize genuine reactions to the unexpected while maintaining writing quality.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

This is quite surprising

Replaces "very" with "quite", softening the level of surprise slightly.

This is really surprising

Uses "really" instead of "very" for a more emphatic expression of surprise.

This is indeed surprising

Adds "indeed" to emphasize the unexpected nature of the situation.

It's quite astonishing

Substitutes "surprising" with "astonishing" for a stronger sense of wonder.

It's completely unexpected

Focuses on the lack of anticipation rather than the surprise itself.

That's wholly unexpected

More formal way to say that something wasn't foreseen or predicted.

I find that astounding

Shifts the focus to the speaker's personal reaction of disbelief.

That's rather baffling

Indicates confusion along with surprise, suggesting something is difficult to understand.

I never saw that coming

An idiomatic expression indicating a complete lack of foresight.

That catches me off guard

Emphasizes the unpreparedness caused by the surprising event.

FAQs

How can I use "this is very surprising" in a sentence?

You can use "this is very surprising" to express your astonishment or disbelief about something unexpected. For instance, "The fact that he won the competition; "this is very surprising"!"

What are some alternatives to saying "this is very surprising"?

Consider alternatives such as "this is quite surprising", "this is really surprising", or "it's completely unexpected" to vary your language.

When is it appropriate to use "this is very surprising" in writing?

It is appropriate to use "this is very surprising" when you want to convey a genuine sense of shock or disbelief in response to something unexpected. Ensure the context makes it clear what you find surprising.

What's the difference between "this is surprising" and "this is very surprising"?

While both phrases convey surprise, ""this is very surprising"" intensifies the feeling, indicating a greater level of astonishment or disbelief than the simpler "this is surprising".