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Sesquipedalian101 Posted 14 years ago
Grammar
"Watch a movie at home" but "See a movie in the cinema"
Last night, I bought "Cambridge English Grammar Today" (by Ronald Carter, Michael McVarthy, Geraldine Mark and Anne O'Keeffe).
I found the following at pages 277-278 of the said book:
"We use 'see', not 'watch', when we talk about being at sports matches or public performances, such as films, theatre and dramas. However, we 'watch' the television:
1. We saw a wonderful new film last night. You'll have to go and see it while it's in the cinema.
NOT: "We watched...You'll have to go and watch..."
2. "I watched 'Phantom of the Opera' last night on DVD". ------
3. "I saw 'Phantom of the Opera'last night."-----
You would have to forgive me-is this some recent usage? (Well, this is not I learnt at school-all along, I have been under the impression that in all cases of "movies", "plays" and "films", etc., and those that require one to focus, one "watches" and not "sees".)
Could someone help me?
I found the following at pages 277-278 of the said book:
"We use 'see', not 'watch', when we talk about being at sports matches or public performances, such as films, theatre and dramas. However, we 'watch' the television:
1. We saw a wonderful new film last night. You'll have to go and see it while it's in the cinema.
NOT: "We watched...You'll have to go and watch..."
2. "I watched 'Phantom of the Opera' last night on DVD". ------
3. "I saw 'Phantom of the Opera'last night."-----
You would have to forgive me-
Could someone help me?
Top answer
The book is correct. We use "see" when we have to travel to some location (theater, cinema) for the entertainment. It is a different definition of "see" than just using your eyes.
- The book is correct.
- We use "see" when we have to travel to some location (theater, cinema) for the entertainment.
- It is a different definition of "see" than just using your eyes.
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3 Answers
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The book is correct.
We use "see" when we have to travel to some location (theater, cinema) for the entertainment.
It is a different definition of "see" than just using your eyes.
We use "see" when we have to travel to some location (theater, cinema) for the entertainment.
It is a different definition of "see" than just using your eyes.
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Thank you very much for the explanation.
I have got two other (related) questions:
1. Longman Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs has given an example under the entry for "Look at": "The children spend too much time looking at television."
To my non-native ears, it sounds odd: look at(?)
2. The same dictionary has another sentence under the entry f
I have got two other (related) questions:
1. Longman Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs has given an example under the entry for "Look at": "The children spend too much time looking at television."
To my non-native ears, it sounds odd: look at(?)
2. The same dictionary has another sentence under the entry f
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Selvakumar1. Longman Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs has given an example under the entry for "Look at": "The children spend too much time looking at television.""Look at" means to watch without learning or engaging the mind..
He looked at the painting, but he didn't see it. (He did not observe it carefully enough to think about the artist's purpose.)
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