I recently studied the grammar point of 〜ことに〜, as in the following sentence:
あきれたことに、彼の禁煙は1日だけだった。」
However, I'm not quite confident with its meaning. I'm having no trouble with the meaning of the sentence itself but rather with using it myself.
Is the grammar point equivalent to the English 'to my surprise/horror etc.'? And if not can anyone offer me a more suitable translation so that I can fully grasps the meaning of said construct?