The use of "suddenly"

[Rachel Adams]

Is this sentence correct?

"Suddenly, there is snow in my city."

 

[Yankee]

Yes.

 

[Tarheel]

Is this sentence correct?

"Suddenly, there is snow in my city."

Was it a surprise? Was it unexpected? Did nobody see it coming?

I think it's safe to say that a snowstorm is never unexpected. People know about it hours if not days ahead of time.

 

[Yankee]

Was it a surprise? Was it unexpected? Did nobody see it coming?

I think it's safe to say that a snowstorm is never unexpected. People know about it hours if not days ahead of time.

Interesting and coincidendal. Although my area received a predicted light "dusting" of snow yesterday there is one person pictured in this morning's local newspaper with her pet dog who is quoted as saying, "I was surprised it was snowing this morning".

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

Is this sentence correct?

"Suddenly, there is snow in my city."

Do you have snow where you live? Snow isn't sudden.

 

[Rover_KE]

... one person pictured in this morning's local newspaper with her pet dog who is quoted as saying, "I was surprised it was snowing this morning".

That's a really clever dog.:mrgreen:

(Just kidding—it's fine.)

 

[emsr2d2]

I have no problem with "Suddenly" but the present tense is very unnatural for me.

It suddenly started snowing today.
It has suddenly started snowing.

 

[Rachel Adams]

Do you have snow where you live? Snow isn't sudden.

We have sometimes. But it is mixed with rain most of the time then suddenly it starts snowing so in our case it can be unexpected.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

I have no problem with "Suddenly" but the present tense is very unnatural for me.

It suddenly started snowing today.
It has suddenly started snowing.

"Suddenly it started" is not the same as "Suddenly there is."

Your sentence rings true. It's the "Suddenly, there is" (or was) that doesn't work for me.

 

[Phaedrus]

Do you have snow where you live? Snow isn't sudden.

It could be sudden in the proverbial grand scheme of things. I interpret "Suddenly, there is snow in my city" as "All of a sudden, my city is getting snow."

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

It could be sudden in the proverbial grand scheme of things. I interpret "Suddenly, there is snow in my city" as "All of a sudden, my city is getting snow."

Yup. "All of a sudden, my city is getting snow" sounds very possible. It's "Suddenly, there is snow" that doesn't ring true. Getting snow and having snow are two different things.

Anyhow, on we go!