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Anonymous Posted 15 years ago
Grammar

Grammar

Dear Sir,

Would you please tell me What's the difference between 'I saw him climb the tree' and 'I saw him climbing the tree'? Thank you.
  

Top answer

There's not much difference, but I'd interpret "I saw him climb the tree" as meaning "I watched him continuously, or nearly so, throughout the entire tree-climbing process". I'd take "I saw him climbing the tree" to mean "I saw him while he was in the process of climbing the tree, but I did not necessarily see the whole process".

— CSnyder

  • There's not much difference, but I'd interpret "I saw him climb the tree" as meaning "I watched him continuously, or nearly so, throughout the entire tree-climbing process".
  • I'd take "I saw him climbing the tree" to mean "I saw him while he was in the process of climbing the tree, but I did not necessarily see the whole process".
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1 Answers
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There's not much difference, but I'd interpret "I saw him climb the tree" as meaning "I watched him continuously, or nearly so, throughout the entire tree-climbing process". I'd take "I saw him climbing the tree" to mean "I saw him while he was in the process of climbing the tree, but I did not necessarily see the whole process".
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