English UsageComparison guide
Be Surprised To Do vs. Surprised At Something
Cambridge directly records surprised + to-infinitive and surprised at + noun/event. The title avoids claiming a gerund-specific pattern that was not directly established.
Use “surprised to do/find/learn…” when surprise is expressed through an infinitive construction. Use “surprised at something” when the complement names the event, fact, or object causing surprise.
Key details
Confusion Familyverb-complement
Rule Familyverb-complementation
Termssurprised to do, surprised at something
Further guidance
Core difference
Cambridge documents surprised + to-infinitive and surprised at + noun/event as standard patterns.
Style Boundary
Do not turn the documented surprised-at noun pattern into an unsupported general surprised-at-doing rule.
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.
- Surprised (opens in a new tab)Cambridge University Press · Direct learner-dictionary evidence for surprised at + noun/event and surprised + to-infinitive.