See Somebody Do and See Somebody Doing
Choosing between the base form and -ing form after perception verbs like see, hear, watch, and feel
Perception Verbs + Object + Verb Form
After certain verbs that describe what you perceive with your senses, you can use two different verb forms. These verbs are:
| Verb | Example with do | Example with doing |
|---|---|---|
| see | I saw him leave the office. | I saw him leaving the office. |
| hear | We heard her make the announcement. | We heard her making the announcement. |
| watch | He watched them sign the contract. | He watched them signing the contract. |
| feel | She felt something hit her desk. | She felt something hitting her desk. |
| listen to | I listened to the manager explain the plan. | I listened to the manager explaining the plan. |
| smell | — | Can you smell something burning? |
| find | — | I found him sitting in the break room. |
The structure is always: perception verb + object + base form or -ing form.
Base Form: The Complete Action
Use see/hear/watch + object + base form when you saw or heard the whole action from beginning to end.
- I saw the new hire sign all the paperwork and hand it to HR. (I watched the full process.)
- We heard the CEO announce the restructuring. (We heard the entire announcement.)
- She watched the technician install the software and restart the computer. (She watched the whole thing.)
The base form tells us the action is complete. You witnessed the start and the finish.
-ing Form: The Action in Progress
Use see/hear/watch + object + -ing form when you caught someone in the middle of doing something. You did not necessarily see the start or the finish.
- When I passed the conference room, I saw the team discussing the quarterly results. (They were already talking. I saw part of it.)
- I could hear the printer making a strange noise. (It was already making the noise when I noticed.)
- We found the intern working on the wrong spreadsheet. (He was already doing it when we found him.)
You can also use smell and find with the -ing form:
- Can you smell something burning in the kitchen?
- I came back to my desk and found someone using my computer.
The Key Difference
| Base form (do) | -ing form (doing) | |
|---|---|---|
| What you saw | The whole action, start to finish | The action already in progress |
| Example | I saw her lock the door and walk away. | I saw her waiting at the elevator. |
| Think of it as | A complete event | A snapshot in the middle |
Compare these two sentences:
- I watched the client present the proposal. (I watched from beginning to end.)
- When I walked in, I watched the client presenting the proposal. (The presentation was already under way.)
When the Difference Does Not Matter
Sometimes both forms work with no real change in meaning. This happens when the distinction between “complete action” and “in progress” is not important.
- I’ve never seen her give a bad presentation. or I’ve never seen her giving a bad presentation.
- Have you ever heard him speak French? or Have you ever heard him speaking French?
Both are correct in these cases.
Quick Self-Check
I didn't hear you _____ in. I was on a call.
Select your answer:
When I walked past the meeting room, I saw the managers _____ about the budget.
Select your answer:
We watched the security guard _____ the building and lock every door.
Select your answer:
Can you smell something _____? I think the toaster is broken.
Select your answer:
Lisa suddenly felt somebody _____ her on the shoulder during the meeting.
Select your answer: