surely

/ˈʃʊəli/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈʃʊrli/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈshu̇r-lē ˈshər- especially Southern ˈshȯr-/ (ame, mw)

surely — 副詞

1. used when you are very confident that a statement is true or that something will

1.副詞B1
釋義

想必；肯定

表達高度確信，期待對方認同

used when you are very confident that a statement is true or that something will happen, and you expect other people to share that confidence

例句

Surely Devika must have heard the news — everyone at work is talking about it.

Devika 一定聽到消息了吧——辦公室裡每個人都在討論這件事。

surely + must (strong deduction)

If you practise every day, your piano playing will surely improve.

如果你每天練習，你的鋼琴技巧肯定會進步。

同義詞
  • certainly

    Stronger and more emphatic than 'surely'; does not seek agreement — it asserts

  • undoubtedly

    More formal and absolute; leaves no room for doubt or disagreement

  • without doubt

    More emphatic and less common in everyday speech; used for strong written assertions

文法句型

surely + modal verb

surely + will/can/must/should

用法筆記

Frequently pairs with modal verbs (must, should, can, will) to express a logical conclusion. The speaker uses 'surely' to invite the listener's agreement rather than to assert a fact outright.

常見錯誤

❌He surely will come to the party.
✅He will surely come to the party.
💡In standard English, 'surely' typically follows the first auxiliary verb rather than appearing before it in affirmative statements.

2. used when you hear or see something surprising and find it hard to accept, often

2.副詞B1
釋義

不會吧；難道

表達驚訝與難以置信

used when you hear or see something surprising and find it hard to accept, often by questioning or contradicting what was said

例句

Surely you don't believe everything you read on social media?

你不會真的相信社群媒體上看到的所有東西吧？

surely + don't (questioning disbelief)

Chidi has never seen the ocean? Surely he has visited the coast at least once.

Chidi 沒看過海？他至少去過海邊一次吧？

同義詞
  • honestly

    More informal; expresses genuine bafflement without a rhetorical push toward agreement

  • really

    Shorter and less formal; can simply express curiosity rather than disbelief

文法句型

surely + not/can't/don't/didn't/haven't

用法筆記

Common in rhetorical questions and exclamations where the speaker challenges a claim. Often paired with a negative auxiliary (don't, can't, didn't, hasn't) or a question that implies the opposite of what was stated.

常見錯誤

❌Surely he didn't went to the meeting alone.
✅Surely he didn't go to the meeting alone.
💡The auxiliary 'didn't' already carries the past tense; the main verb must stay in its base form.