果然 (sure enough / as expected)

A forecast is confirmed by observation

• The forecast predicted afternoon rain. Rain starts after lunch.
• weather forecast天气预报tiān qì yù bàosaid说shuōto have / there is有yǒu(literary) to rain雨yǔ，afternoon下午xià wǔsure enough果然guǒ ránrain下雨xià yǔ(completed / change)了le。 — The event confirms the forecast the speaker already knew.

Locate the pattern in real examples

• sure enough果然guǒ rán (sure enough / as expected): weather forecast天气预报tiān qì yù bàosaid说shuōto have / there is有yǒu(literary) to rain雨yǔ,afternoon下午xià wǔsure enough果然guǒ ránfell下xià(completed / change)了le。; he / him他tāsaid说shuōwould会huìto beat赢yíng,sure enough果然guǒ ránto beat赢yíng(completed / change)了le。
• Read the whole clause before choosing a translation. The examples show the pattern in use; the context below determines what the speaker claims.

Follow the speaker

I我wǒsaid说shuōwould会huìrain下雨xià yǔ，sure enough果然guǒ ránfell下xià了le。

• In the opening situation: weather forecast天气预报tiān qì yù bàosaid说shuōto have / there is有yǒu(literary) to rain雨yǔ，afternoon下午xià wǔsure enough果然guǒ ránrain下雨xià yǔ(completed / change)了le。
• The event confirms the forecast the speaker already knew.

Check the limit of the explanation

• unexpectedly居然jū rán would highlight surprise instead.
• An event is not inherently sure enough果然guǒ rán: the same rain may confirm one person's forecast and surprise another person.

Repair the form before interpreting it

• The form afternoon下午xià wǔrain下雨xià yǔ(completed / change)了lesure enough果然guǒ rán needs repair here. Write afternoon下午xià wǔsure enough果然guǒ ránrain下雨xià yǔ(completed / change)了le instead; keep the word or frame in its demonstrated order.
• Form and meaning are separate checks. After the repair, explain the sentence in its situation rather than treating a familiar translation as a universal rule.

Keep the distinction

Read the full reference: HSK 6 grammar — Adverbs.