Look See Watch

Look See Watch

Understand the Differences

By Kenneth Beare, About.com Guide

Look, See and Watch are three related verbs that are easily confused. English learners can use this page to understand the differences between these three verbs. Examples sentences for look, see and watch will help you understand how use these verbs. Finally, there's a quiz to help you test your understanding of these key verbs.

Look (At)

Use the verb look (at) to say that you or someone else looks with concentration. In other words, you look to see something specific. Look refers to seeing something specific one time, rather than over time as with the verb watch (see below).

I looked at the trees in the distance.
Tom looked at the picture and smiled.
Sarah looked at her sister and smiled.

Look is usually used with the preposition at. However, when using look as an imperative at is not used when there is no object.

Look over there!
Look! It's Tom.

Use look as an imperative with at when followed by an object.

Look at those people.
Look at me when I speak to you!

See

See is used to make simple statements. In other words, use see to note that you saw someone or something.

I saw Tom at school yesterday.
Did you see the beautiful sunset yesterday?
Mary saw an interesting man while she was in Chicago.

On the other hand look at and watch are used to state that you see something with particular attention. You look at something specific, and you watch something over time.

Compare:

I saw Jim at the party. (simple statement)
I looked at Jim's shirt. It was strange! (focus on a specific item)
I watched Jim speaking to Tom for five minutes. He seemed nervous. (watching the movements and actions of someone or something over time)

Do not use see in the progressive form as see is used to express a fact, not an action.

I saw Tom at the party. (fact, not an action)
We saw an interesting car on the road. (statement of an interesting story, not recounting a specific action at a specific time)

The verb see is also used to express that an experience is completed. For example, you can watch a film and see a film. If you see a film, you refer to the complete act. If you watch a film you speak about the action of watching the film at a specific moment.

Compare:

I saw a good film yesterday. (referring to the complete film)
I was watching TV when you called. (referring to the action that was interrupted)

See = Visit

The verb see can also be used to mean to visit, or have an appointment with someone.

Janice saw a doctor yesterday.
Peter will see the marketing manager tomorrow.
Have you seen a specialist?

Watch

Watch is used to express that you watch something in progress, something that changes over time.

I watched the children playing in the park.
She has been watching those birds over there for the past thirty minutes.
What are you watching on TV?

Watch is similar to look at, but it refers to an action that takes place over time. Look at is used to refer to a single instance when someone looks for something specific.

Compare:

I looked at the message on the billboard. (referring to looking at something once to understand)
I watched the debate on TV. (referring to a show that takes place over time on TV)

Exercise

Choose between look (at), see or watch to complete the following sentences. Remember to conjugate the verb in the correct tense.

1.               _______ that dog over there. It's so cute!

2.               Have you ________ the new film by Spielberg?

3.               I was _______ the children play in the park when I met Alice.

4.               I'm going to ________ the doctor tomorrow afternoon.

5.               Did you ________ the amount on the check carefully?

6.               Peter ________ Andrew yesterday.

7.               Alice is ___________ a show at the moment.

8.               The students __________ the information on the whiteboard.

9.               I haven't ________ Susan in a long time.

Confusing Verb Pairs II

By Kenneth Beare, About.com Guide

Differences between Say and Tell

 

Use 'say' to to speak in general about something that has been said by someone. 'Say' is often used to report what someone else has said.

John said he had a good time in Las Vegas.
The teacher often says we need to study more.

Important Note: 'Say' refers to any type of speech and is therefore more general in nature.

Verb Forms: Say - Said - Said - Saying

Use 'tell' to mean that someone has instructed or informed someone else of something. 'Tell' is often used to report what someone else has told a specific person.

Angela told them to hurry up.
Our friends told us about their experiences in Germany.

Important Note: 'Tell' is always followed by an indirect object. The infinitive form is often used following the construction to indicate instructions (see example above).

Verb Forms: Tell - Told - Told - Telling

Differences between Speak and Talk

 

There is little difference between 'speak' and 'talk' and they are often used interchangeably.

'Speak' is often used when someone is speaking to a group of people in general. 'Speak' is also used with languages.

Peter speaks both German and Italian.
She spoke about her problems at work.

Important Note: 'Speak' tends to be used in more formal situations.

Verb Forms: Speak - Spoke - Spoken - Speaking

'Talk' is used to express informal conversation between a limited number of people.

My wife and I talked about our child's future.
She continued talking to Jack after I left the room.

Important Note:'Talk' is often used with the preposition 'about' when introducing the subject of conversation, and 'to' when introducing the conversational partner.

Verb Forms: Talk - Talked - Talked - Talking

Differences between Raise and Rise

 

Use 'raise' to indicate that something is lifted into another position by another person or thing.

I raised the books above my head.
She raised her hand in class.

Important Note:'Raise' is also used to express bringing up children, as well as increasing salary. Remember that 'raise' takes a direct object (the object being raised by someone or something).

They raised my weekly salary by $200.
They raised their children to respect the elderly.

Verb Forms: Raise - Raised - Raised - Raising

Use 'rise' to express movement of the subject from a lower to a higher position.

I rose from my chair and left the room.
She hasn't risen from that seat for more than three hours.

Important Note: 'Rise' can also indicate the act of getting up in the morning.

I like to rise early and get work done.

Verb Forms: Rise - Rose - Risen - Rising

Differences between Remind and Remember

 

Use 'remind' to indicate that someone has reminded someone else to do something. Use the phrasal verb 'remind of' to indicate that someone or something else reminds you of someone or something else.

Jane reminded me to get him something for his birthday.
She reminded me of my sister.

Important Note: 'Remind' always takes an object.

Verb Forms: Remind - Reminded - Reminded - Reminding

'Remember' is used when a person remembers to do something on his or her own. 'Remember' is also used to express recollections of a past event.

I remembered to post the letters.
I remember studying all night long for exams.

Important Note:'Remember + Infinitive (to do)' refers to someone who remembers to do something. 'Remember + Gerund (ing form)' refers to a memory of a past event.

Verb Forms: Remember - Remembered - Remembered - Remembering

Differences between Leave and Let

 

Use 'leave' to express movement away from a place.

I left the house at five o'clock.
She always leaves for work at seven in the morning.

Important Note: 'Leave' can also express the idea that someone has forgotten or placed something in another place.

She left her keys on the table.
I usually leave the papers in the top drawer.

Verb Forms: Leave - Left - Left - Leaving

Use 'let' to express the idea that someone allows another person do something.

I let them leave work early.
She lets her children watch TV on Saturdays.

Important Note: Remember that 'let' is always followed by an object and a verb in the base form without 'to'.

Verb Forms: Let - Let - Let - Letting

Differences between Set and Sit

Use 'set' to express the placement of an object on a surface.

I set the plates down on the table.
She set the books on chest of drawers.

Important Note: 'Set' is often used to refer to placing plates, glasses and other utensils on the table.

Verb Forms: Set - Set - Set - Setting

Use 'sit' when referring to the subject which moves from a standing to a sitting position.

Can I sit down?
Please sit on this chair.

Important Note:'Sit' is often used with the preposition 'down'.

Verb Forms: Sit - Sat - Sat - Sitting