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Although the project initially seemed straightforward, it soon became clear that it would require much more time and effort than we had anticipated.

C2

Sentence

Narrator

Although the project initially seemed straightforward, it soon became clear that it would require much more time and effort than we had anticipated.

Study notes

How to use in different contexts

Giving Advice

Don't underestimate projects; they often require more time and effort than initially expected.

Describing Habits

We frequently misjudge project timelines, leading to unexpected extra work.

Asking About Others

Did you account for potential unforeseen complexities in your project planning?

Sharing Hypotheticals

If we had better anticipated the challenges, the project wouldn't have taken so long.

Rephrased versions

Formal

Despite the project's initial simplicity, subsequent analysis revealed a significant underestimation of the time and effort required.

Casual

The project looked easy at first, but it turned out to be a lot more work than we thought.

Simpler English

The project was harder than we expected.

Phrases to learn

seemed straightforward

Appeared simple or easy at the beginning.

require much more time and effort

Need a significantly greater amount of time and work.