Be Shocked To Do vs. Shocked At Something
Cambridge directly records shocked + to-infinitive and shocked at + complement, supporting this narrow complement comparison.
Use “shocked to see/hear/discover…” when shock is followed by an infinitive event. Use “shocked at something” when the complement names the fact, result, or circumstance producing shock.
Key details
Choose the right form
| Meaning / situation | Construction | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| shock linked to seeing, hearing, learning, or discovering an event | shocked + to-infinitive | use the infinitive event construction |
| shock caused by a named fact, result, degree, or circumstance | shocked at + noun phrase / complement | use “at” to identify the matter |
Quick tests
Event-or-matter test
Are you presenting the shocking event through an infinitive or naming the fact/result that caused the reaction?
If yes: Use “shocked to + verb.”
If no: Use “shocked at + complement.”
Caveat: The guide compares directly documented patterns; it is not an exhaustive list of every preposition possible with “shocked.”
Examples
We were shocked to discover the duplicate records.
The infinitive presents the discovery event.
They were shocked at the size of the discrepancy.
“At” names the matter causing shock.
She was shocked to see the result and shocked at how quickly it changed.
The two complement shapes serve different grammatical roles.
Further guidance
Core difference
Cambridge documents shocked + to-infinitive and shocked at + noun/clause as standard patterns.
Style Boundary
Use at for the thing, fact, or degree that causes shock; use to + base verb for an event or discovery expressed as an infinitive.
Sources and evidence
Sources are shown with the role they play in this guide. Historical or style-sensitive claims are kept within the evidence boundary described above.
- Shocked (opens in a new tab)Cambridge University Press · Direct learner-dictionary evidence for shocked + to-infinitive and shocked at + noun/clause.