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Prepositions after adjectives

Shocking to vs shocking for

Shocking to is standard when naming who feels shocked. Shocking for is less common and usually means unusual or extreme for a person or group.

Quick answer

Which preposition goes with shocking?

Use shocking to before a person or audience affected by the news or event. Use shocking for mainly when comparing behaviour to what is normal for someone.

The result was shocking to investors.
That language is shocking for a children's programme.

Choose the pattern by meaning

These forms are not interchangeable. Choose the construction by meaning, not by which preposition appears most often.

1
shocking to + person

Showing who feels shocked

This is the most common pattern.

The report was shocking to the public.
2
shocking for + person or thing

Describing something unusual for someone

For often means considering what is typical for that person or thing.

The decision was shocking for such a careful company.
3
it is shocking that + clause

Commenting on a situation

A that-clause explains the shocking fact.

It is shocking that so many records were lost.

See the difference in context

The same subject can take different constructions because each sentence answers a different question.

Construction
Example
Meaning
shocking to
The images were shocking to viewers.
Shows who experienced the shock.
shocking for
That attitude is shocking for a teacher.
Means unusual or unacceptable for that type of person.
shocking at
The news was shocking at first.
At first is a time expression, not a selected preposition after shocking.

Common mistakes

Some combinations appear in real text but do not mean what learners often assume.

Using for instead of to for the audience

Use to when naming the people affected.

✕ The news was shocking for me. ✓ The news was shocking to me.

Confusing adjective and adverb use

Use shockingly as an adverb.

✕ The prices increased shocking fast. ✓ The prices increased shockingly fast.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. The story was shocking ___ local residents.
2. His rude behaviour was shocking ___ someone so experienced.
3. It is shocking ___ so little was done.

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Frequently asked questions

Is shocking for always wrong?

No. It is natural when meaning unusual or extreme for someone or something.

Can I say shocking to me?

Yes. This is a very common structure.

What is the difference between shocking and shocked?

Shocking describes the thing causing shock, while shocked describes the person feeling it.

sacred-to-in-by-of, for "sad for" or "sad about"? "safe for", "safe from" or "safe in"? sanguine about, in, of, on or for? "satisfactory to" or "satisfactory for"? satisfied with, of, by, in or on? "satisfying for" or "satisfying to"? scarce in, for, at, on or of? scared of, to, about, for or by? "scary for" or "scary to"? "scathing about", "scathing in" or "scathing of"? "sceptical about" or "sceptical of"?

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