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Anonymous Posted 17 years ago
Grammar

Difference between hear/see/watch+verb and hear/see/watch+verb-ing?

I have trouble distinguishing between those 2 forms.For example

Yesterday, I saw him play soccer in the park.
Yesterday, I saw him playing soccer in the park.
The sams goes with other verbs like hear, watch or notice. I know they are slightly different in meaning but cannot see where. Please explain to me the difference between the 2 sentences above, and how the 2 structures hear/see/watch+verb and hear/see/watch+verb-ing work in general. Thanks a lkot.
  

Top answer

If you use "playing" instead of "play" in that example it has a very similar meaning. When you add "ing" to a verb it means the action is on going. So in the past, when you use a verb in the progressive form (ing) you are saying that this activity was going on when you observed it.

— Dlawton

  • If you use "playing" instead of "play" in that example it has a very similar meaning.
  • When you add "ing" to a verb it means the action is on going.
  • So in the past, when you use a verb in the progressive form (ing) you are saying that this activity was going on when you observed it.
  • ) the action is not ongoing.
  • You saw the action and then it was over.
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1 Answers
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If you use "playing" instead of "play" in that example it has a very similar meaning. When you add "ing" to a verb it means the action is on going. So in the past, when you use a verb in the progressive form (ing) you are saying that this activity was going on when you observed it. When you just put the verb in the past tense ( I saw him play soccer...) the action is not ongoing. You saw the
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