English has many small grammar choices that can cause big confusion. “Not surprisingly” and “not surprising” are a good example.
They look almost the same, but they do different jobs in a sentence.
Compare these two sentences:
- Not surprisingly, Tom was late.
- Tom’s late arrival was not surprising.
Both sentences talk about something that was expected. However, the grammar is different. In the first sentence, “not surprisingly” describes the speaker’s reaction to a fact.
In the second sentence, “not surprising” describes a person, event, result, or situation.
This difference is easy to understand once you know what -ly adverbs and adjectives do.
The confusion is common among English learners because surprising and surprisingly come from the same word.
The word not can also appear before both forms, which makes them look interchangeable. They are not always interchangeable.
Understanding this difference can make your English sound much more natural. You will know when to say “Not surprisingly, she passed the test” and when to say “Her success was not surprising.”
By the end of this guide, you will understand the meaning, grammar, sentence patterns, common mistakes, and everyday uses of both expressions.
You will also have simple rules and practice examples that you can use in your own English.
What Does “Not Surprisingly” Mean?
“Not surprisingly” is an adverbial expression. It means “as expected,” “as was expected,” or “this was not unexpected.”
We often use it when something happens and the result is not surprising to us.
For example:
Not surprisingly, Sarah got the highest score.
This means that Sarah getting the highest score was expected. The speaker is saying that the result does not surprise them.
The expression often appears at the beginning of a sentence, followed by a comma.
Basic pattern
Not surprisingly + comma + main sentence
Examples:
- Not surprisingly, he forgot his keys again.
- Not surprisingly, the children were excited about the trip.
- Not surprisingly, she passed the difficult exam.
- Not surprisingly, the restaurant was full on Saturday night.
- Not surprisingly, John chose the cheaper option.
- Not surprisingly, the team won the match.
- Not surprisingly, prices increased during the holiday season.
- Not surprisingly, everyone enjoyed the party.
In each example, “not surprisingly” comments on the whole situation.
What does “surprisingly” mean?
The word surprisingly means that something happened in a way that was unexpected.
For example:
Surprisingly, James arrived early.
The speaker did not expect James to arrive early.
When we add not, we change the meaning:
Not surprisingly, James arrived late.
The speaker expected him to be late.
So:
- Surprisingly = unexpectedly
- Not surprisingly = as expected
When should you use “not surprisingly”?
Use it when you want to tell the reader or listener that a result, event, or action was not unexpected.
It is especially useful when the sentence contains a result that logically follows from something mentioned earlier.
For example:
Maria studied every evening for three months. Not surprisingly, she passed the exam.
Her passing the exam makes sense because she studied a lot.
Another example:
The road was covered with ice. Not surprisingly, the traffic was slow.
Slow traffic was expected because of the icy road.
Common learner confusion
A common mistake is using “not surprisingly” before a noun as if it were an adjective.
For example:
❌ The not surprisingly result made everyone happy.
This is incorrect.
You need an adjective to describe result:
✅ The unsurprising result made everyone happy.
Or you can change the sentence:
✅ Not surprisingly, the result made everyone happy.
Remember that “not surprisingly” usually comments on an action, event, result, or whole sentence.
What Does “Not Surprising” Mean?
“Not surprising” is an adjective phrase. It describes something that does not cause surprise.
It means “expected,” “not unusual,” or “not unexpected.”
For example:
Her decision was not surprising.
Here, “not surprising” describes her decision.
The decision did not surprise the speaker.
Basic pattern
A common structure is:
Subject + be + not surprising
Examples:
- His answer was not surprising.
- The result was not surprising.
- Her decision is not surprising.
- The team’s victory was not surprising.
- Their reaction was not surprising.
- The delay was not surprising.
- The high price is not surprising.
- The teacher’s decision was not surprising.
Here, surprising is an adjective. It describes the subject.
“Not surprising” can also come before a noun
The adjective phrase can sometimes be used to describe a noun directly.
For example:
It was not a surprising result.
Or:
The result was not surprising.
The first sentence uses surprising directly before result. The second uses it after the verb was.
Both are natural.
When should you use “not surprising”?
Use “not surprising” when you want to describe a person, thing, event, result, action, decision, or situation.
For example:
It is not surprising that Emma was tired.
The phrase “not surprising” describes the fact that Emma was tired.
Another example:
His success was not surprising because he worked very hard.
The speaker is describing his success as something expected.
A useful structure
You will often see:
It is not surprising that + clause
Examples:
- It is not surprising that she was nervous.
- It is not surprising that they lost the game.
- It is not surprising that he wants to leave.
- It is not surprising that the shop is busy today.
- It is not surprising that students make mistakes.
This structure is very common in both writing and everyday English.
Common learner confusion
Learners sometimes use “not surprising” when they need an adverb.
For example:
❌ Not surprising, she passed the exam.
This is sometimes heard in informal speech, but the standard form for this sentence is:
✅ Not surprisingly, she passed the exam.
Why?
Because the phrase is commenting on the whole sentence, so the adverbial form surprisingly is the better choice.
Difference Between “Not Surprisingly” and “Not Surprising”
The simplest way to understand the difference is this:
“Not surprisingly” tells us how we view an event.
“Not surprising” describes the event itself.
Compare:
Not surprisingly, Ali won the race.
Here, the speaker is saying that Ali’s victory was expected.
Now compare:
Ali’s victory was not surprising.
Here, not surprising describes Ali’s victory.
The meaning is very close, but the grammar is different.
Comparison table
| Expression | Grammar | Main job | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| not surprisingly | Adverbial expression | Comments on an action, event, or whole sentence | Not surprisingly, she won. |
| not surprising | Adjective phrase | Describes a person, thing, event, or result | Her victory was not surprising. |
Usage difference
Consider this pair:
Not surprisingly, Mark was tired.
The phrase not surprisingly tells us that Mark being tired was expected.
Now:
Mark’s tiredness was not surprising.
The phrase not surprising describes Mark’s tiredness.
The first expression modifies the idea of the sentence.
The second expression describes a noun or subject.
Grammar logic
The difference becomes easier when you remember the basic jobs of adjectives and adverbs.
An adjective usually describes a noun or pronoun:
The result was surprising.
Here, surprising describes result.
An adverb can modify a verb, adjective, another adverb, or sometimes an entire sentence:
Surprisingly, the result was positive.
Here, surprisingly gives the speaker’s comment about the whole situation.
Adding not gives us:
Not surprisingly, the result was positive.
So the basic difference is not really about the word not. The important difference is between surprising and surprisingly.
Sentence structure difference
Look at these structures:
Not surprisingly + sentence
Not surprisingly, the baby started crying.
Subject + be + not surprising
The baby’s crying was not surprising.
Another pair:
Not surprisingly, the manager rejected the offer.
The manager’s decision was not surprising.
Both sentences communicate a similar idea, but their structures are different.
Meaning comparison
There is usually a close connection between the two expressions.
For example:
Not surprisingly, the exam was difficult.
and:
The difficult exam was not surprising.
However, the second sentence may sound less natural depending on what exactly you are trying to describe. A better version might be:
The difficulty of the exam was not surprising.
This shows why grammar matters. You cannot simply replace one expression with the other in every sentence.
Grammar Rules You Must Remember
Rule #1: Use “not surprisingly” to comment on a whole situation
When the expression gives your reaction to an event or result, use not surprisingly.
Not surprisingly, the train was late.
You are commenting on the fact that the train was late.
Another example:
Not surprisingly, she was nervous before the interview.
The phrase tells us that her nervousness was expected.
Rule #2: Use “not surprising” to describe something
When you are describing a noun, event, result, decision, or situation, use not surprising.
Her nervousness was not surprising.
Here, not surprising describes her nervousness.
More examples:
The delay was not surprising.
His decision was not surprising.
The result was not surprising.
Rule #3: Use “It is not surprising that…” for a fact or situation
This is a very useful sentence pattern.
It + be + not surprising + that-clause
Examples:
It is not surprising that he is tired.
It was not surprising that they missed the bus.
It is not surprising that she needs more time.
This structure is especially useful in formal and semi-formal English.
Rule #4: Do not confuse “surprising” with “surprised”
This is another important point.
Surprising describes something that causes surprise.
Surprised describes how a person feels.
Compare:
The news was surprising.
The news caused surprise.
I was surprised by the news.
I experienced the feeling of surprise.
Now add not:
The news was not surprising.
I was not surprised by the news.
These are related but have different meanings and grammar.
Common Mistakes Students Make
Mistake 1: Using “not surprising” at the beginning of a sentence
A learner may write:
❌ Not surprising, John won the competition.
For standard English, the better choice is:
✅ Not surprisingly, John won the competition.
The reason is that the expression is commenting on the whole event.
Mistake 2: Thinking “not surprisingly” and “not surprising” are completely interchangeable
They are closely related, but they do different grammatical jobs.
Compare:
Not surprisingly, the shop was crowded.
and:
The crowded shop was not surprising.
The first comments on what happened. The second describes the situation.
Mistake 3: Forgetting the comma after “not surprisingly”
When not surprisingly begins a sentence, a comma is normally used:
✅ Not surprisingly, she refused the offer.
The comma helps separate the speaker’s comment from the main statement.
Mistake 4: Using “surprised” when “surprising” is needed
For example:
❌ The result was not surprised.
A result cannot normally feel surprise.
Say:
✅ The result was not surprising.
But:
✅ I was not surprised by the result.
The person is surprised; the result is surprising.
Mistake 5: Using “not surprising” before a noun incorrectly
Instead of:
❌ The not surprising result…
a more natural choice is:
✅ The unsurprising result…
Or:
✅ The result was not surprising.
Both are grammatically useful, depending on the sentence.
Easy correction tip
Ask yourself:
“Am I describing a thing, or am I commenting on what happened?”
If you are describing a thing:
not surprising
If you are commenting on what happened:
not surprisingly
That one question can solve most mistakes.
Easy Trick to Remember the Difference
Here is a simple memory trick:
“-ing” describes the thing. “-ly” comments on the action or situation.
Think about these two sentences:
The movie was surprising.
The movie caused surprise.
Now:
Surprisingly, the movie was very popular.
The speaker is commenting on the situation.
The same pattern works with not:
The movie was not surprising.
Not surprisingly, the movie was popular.
You can also remember it this way:
Not surprising = description
Not surprisingly = comment
Imagine that you are pointing at something.
If you say:
“The result is not surprising.”
you are describing the result.
If you say:
“Not surprisingly, the result was positive.”
you are giving your comment about what happened.
A quick test
Take this sentence:
________, David forgot his homework again.
Are you describing David or commenting on what happened?
You are commenting on what happened.
So:
Not surprisingly, David forgot his homework again.
Now try:
David’s mistake was ________.
You are describing the mistake.
So:
David’s mistake was not surprising.
This trick works in many situations.
Daily Life Examples
These expressions are common in real conversations, school, work, and everyday writing.
1. Talking about school
Not surprisingly, Maria got a high score on the test.
She studied hard, so her high score was expected.
2. Talking about traffic
Not surprisingly, the roads were busy this morning.
The speaker expected heavy traffic.
You could also say:
The heavy traffic was not surprising.
3. Talking about food
Not surprisingly, everyone loved the cake.
The cake was delicious, so people enjoying it was expected.
4. Talking about work
Not surprisingly, the manager chose the experienced candidate.
The decision was expected because the candidate had more experience.
You could say:
The manager’s decision was not surprising.
5. Talking about weather
Not Surprisingly or Not Surprising
An empty beach was expected because the weather was bad.
6. Talking about a friend
Not Surprisingly or Not Surprising
The speaker is saying that this was typical or expected.
Another version:
Not Surprisingly or Not Surprising
Here, the mistake is being described.
7. Talking about a sports result
Not Surprisingly or Not Surprising
The result was expected.
Or:
Not Surprisingly or Not Surprising
The victory itself is being described.
8. Talking about a busy restaurant
Not Surprisingly or Not Surprising
The restaurant was very busy, so this was expected.
9. Talking about a child
Not Surprisingly or Not Surprising
Their tiredness was expected.
You can also say:
Not Surprisingly or Not Surprising
10. Talking about money
Not Surprisingly or Not Surprising
The speaker expected this result.
Or:
Not Surprisingly or Not Surprising
Here, the difference in price is being described.
Practice Section
Choose not surprisingly or not surprising to complete each sentence.
1.
__________, Lisa was tired after working for twelve hours.
2.
Lisa’s tiredness was __________.
3.
__________, the children were excited about the holiday.
4.
The result was __________ because everyone expected it.
5.
__________, the shop was closed on the public holiday.
Answers
1. Not surprisingly
Not Surprisingly or Not Surprising
The expression comments on the whole situation.
2. not surprising
Not Surprisingly or Not Surprising
The phrase describes her tiredness.
3. Not surprisingly
Not Surprisingly or Not Surprising
It comments on the children’s reaction.
4. not surprising
Not Surprisingly or Not Surprising
It describes the result.
5. Not surprisingly
Not Surprisingly or Not Surprising
The shop being closed was expected.
FAQs
What is the difference between “not surprisingly” and “not surprising”?
Not surprisingly is an adverbial expression used to comment on an event or whole sentence. Not surprising is an adjective phrase used to describe something.
For example:
Not Surprisingly or Not Surprising
Not Surprisingly or Not Surprising
Both express a similar idea, but the grammar is different.
Can we use “not surprisingly” at the beginning of a sentence?
Yes. This is one of its most common positions.
For example:
Not Surprisingly or Not Surprising
When it comes at the beginning as an introductory comment, a comma is normally placed after surprisingly.
Is “not surprisingly” formal or informal?
Not surprisingly is acceptable in both everyday and formal English. You can use it in conversation, essays, reports, and general writing.
For example:
Not Surprisingly or Not Surprising
It is natural and widely understood.
Is “not surprising” grammatically correct?
Yes. Not surprising is completely correct when it functions as an adjective phrase.
For example:
Not Surprisingly or Not Surprising
You can also use the adjective directly before a noun in a suitable structure:
Not Surprisingly or Not Surprising
Can I say “not surprising” instead of “not surprisingly”?
Not always. If you are commenting on a whole sentence, not surprisingly is normally the correct choice.
Not Surprisingly or Not Surprising
If you are describing something, use not surprising:
Not Surprisingly or Not Surprising
What is the difference between “not surprising” and “not surprised”?
Not surprising describes something that does not cause surprise.
Not Surprisingly or Not Surprising
Not surprised describes a person’s feeling.
Not Surprisingly or Not Surprising
A thing can be surprising; a person can be surprised.
Conclusion
The difference between “not surprisingly” and “not surprising” is small but important. Both expressions communicate the idea that something was expected, but they work differently in a sentence.
Use not surprisingly when you are making a comment about an event, action, result, or whole situation:
Not Surprisingly or Not Surprising
Use not surprising when you are describing a person, thing, event, result, or situation:
Not Surprisingly or Not Surprising
The easiest memory trick is simple: not surprising = description, while not surprisingly = comment.
Once you start noticing this difference in books, conversations, movies, and everyday English, it becomes much easier to use naturally.
Do not worry if you make mistakes at first. Try creating a few sentences of your own and ask yourself whether you are describing something or commenting on what happened.
That small habit will help you choose the correct form with confidence.
Oliver Bennett is an English language educator and content writer passionate about simplifying grammar. He creates clear, practical lessons, writing tips, and learning resources that help readers improve their English with confidence.
