Verbs of perception

Question

What is the difference in meaning between

I hear you go?

I hear you going?

In Understanding and Using English Grammar it is just mentioned that there is a difference when we use simple verb and -ing after verbs of perception.

I do not really understand the difference.

Could you please explain it to me.

Avangi · Accepted Answer

I'm not sure what your book has in mind.
What my ear tells me, is that the infinitive resembles simple tense (past or present), and the present participle resembles the continuous tense (past or present).

I heard him go. This was a brief event.
I heard him going. This was a continuous action which took a bit of time.
I watched him die.
I watched him dying.

Note that the present participle is used in the continuous tense:

He falls.
He is falling
He fell.
He was falling.

CalifJim · Answer

ewelinkait is just mentioned that there is a difference when we use simple verb and -ing after verbs of perception.

With the simple verb you are just viewing a photo; with the -ing form you a viewing a film.

If you say that you saw someone distribute advertisements on the street corner, you're asking us to imagine a single photo of that action -- one single instance of the action with one passer-by.

If you say that you saw someone distributing advertisements on the street corner, you're asking us to imagine a series of images, as in a movie -- a continuous film of the actions with several passers-by.

So, if you heard someone go, maybe you only heard a door slam. On the other hand, if you heard someone going, maybe you heard all the sounds of someone preparing to go, putting on a coat, turning the doorknob, opening the door, stepping out, closing the door, and so on.

CJ

Verbs of perception

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