See somebody do / doing | Unit 67 | PrepMyEnglish

Unit 67 · Grammar Lesson

Unité 67 · Leçon de Grammaire

See somebody do and see somebody doingComplete action · Action in progress · hear / watch / feel / smell / find See somebody do et see somebody doingAction complète · Action en cours · hear / watch / feel / smell / find

Master the difference between I saw him do it (complete action) and I saw him doing it (caught in the middle of an action).

Maîtrisez la différence entre I saw him do it (action complète) et I saw him doing it (surpris en plein milieu d’une action).

B1–B2 3 Rules · 3 Exercises · 200-Q Quiz · PDF 3 Règles · 3 Exercices · Quiz 200 Q · PDF 🇬🇧 EN / 🇫🇷 FR

The perception verbs see, hear, watch, listen to, feel (and also smell, find) can be followed by a bare infinitive (do) or -ing (doing). The choice depends on whether you witnessed the complete action or caught it in progress.

Les verbes de perception see, hear, watch, listen to, feel (ainsi que smell, find) peuvent être suivis d’un infinitif sans to ou d’une forme en -ing. Le choix dépend si on a été témoin de l’action complète ou si on l’a saisie en cours.

see/hear somebody DO — the complete action

see/hear somebody DO — l’action complète

Tom got into his car and drove off. You saw the whole action from start to finish.

Tom est monté dans sa voiture et est parti. Vous avez vu toute l’action du début à la fin.

I saw Tom get into his car and drive off.
→ He did it completely, and I saw it happen.

Verbs + bare infinitiveVerbes + infinitif sans tosee · hear · listen to · watch · feel

StructureStructureverb + object + bare infinitive

I didn’t hear you come in. (you came in — complete event)
Lisa felt somebody touch her on the shoulder. (brief complete action)

see/hear somebody DOING — action in progress

see/hear somebody DOING — action en cours

Kate was already waiting for a bus when you saw her — you caught her in the middle of the action.

Kate attendait déjà un bus quand vous l’avez vue — vous l’avez surprise en plein milieu de l’action.

I saw Kate waiting for a bus.
→ She was in the middle of waiting, and I saw her.

Verbs + -ingVerbes + -ingsee · hear · listen to · watch · feel · smell · find

StructureStructureverb + object + -ing

I could hear it raining. (ongoing sound)
Can you smell something burning?
We found him sitting under a tree eating an apple.

The difference in meaning — side by side

La différence de sens — côte à côte

DO — complete (start → finish)

DO — complet (début → fin)

I saw him jump over the wall and run away.

I heard them go out.

We listened to him tell his story from start to finish.

I heard the bomb explode. (one sudden event)

DOING — in progress (mid-action)

DOING — en cours (mi-action)

I saw Tom walking along the street.

I heard them talking.

I found a cat lying on the kitchen table.

I could feel something crawling up my leg.

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Sometimes both are possible:Parfois les deux sont possibles : I’ve never seen her dance or I’ve never seen her dancing. I’ve never seen her dance ou I’ve never seen her dancing.

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Never use to + infinitive:N’utilisez jamais to + infinitif : ✗ I saw him to get into the car. Always use bare infinitive or -ing. ✗ I saw him to get into the car. Toujours infinitif sans to ou -ing.

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Quick rule:Règle rapide : do = whole thing · doing = caught in progress · to do = ✗ NEVER do = action entière · doing = surpris en cours · to do = ✗ JAMAIS

EX 1

Complete with the correct form: bare infinitive or -ing.

Complétez : infinitif sans to ou -ing.

A = complete action · B = in progress

A = action complète · B = en cours

1a.

I saw him the keys to Lisa. (complete — give)

1b.

I saw him the keys to someone. (in progress — give)

2a.

We heard a car and drive off. (complete — stop)

2b.

I could hear a car engine outside. (ongoing — run)

3a.

Ben watched me the envelope. (complete — open)

3b.

I heard Sarah she’s from Toronto. (complete statement — say)

4a.

We saw a man over in the street. (sudden event — fall)

4b.

I could hear it outside. (ongoing — rain)

Answers: 1a. give · 1b. giving · 2a. stop · 2b. running · 3a. open · 3b. say · 4a. fall · 4b. raining

EX 2

Complete with the correct form of the verb in brackets.

Complétez avec la bonne forme du verbe entre parenthèses.

The bus stopped, but I didn’t see anybody off. (get — complete)

I saw two people outside your house. (stand — in progress)

I heard somebody ‘Hi’. (say — complete utterance)

Can you hear a baby ? (cry — ongoing)

I saw you it in your pocket. (put — complete)

We listened to the old man his story from start to finish. (tell)

Everybody heard the bomb . (explode — sudden)

I can feel something up my leg. (crawl — ongoing)

I heard somebody a door in the night. (slam — complete)

10.

I found a cat on the kitchen table. (lie — state)

Answers: 1. get · 2. standing · 3. say · 4. crying · 5. put · 6. tell · 7. explode · 8. crawling · 9. slam · 10. lying

EX 3

Write DO (complete) or DOING (in progress).

Écrivez DO (complet) ou DOING (en cours).

“I saw her cross the street.” →

“I saw her crossing the street.” →

“I heard the door open and close.” →

“I could smell something cooking.” →

“We listened to them perform the whole concert.” →

“I saw Dan riding his bike.” →

Answers: 1. DO · 2. DOING · 3. DO · 4. DOING · 5. DO · 6. DOING

Frequently Asked Questions

Questions fréquentes

What is the difference between ‘I saw him fall’ and ‘I saw him falling’?Quelle est la différence ?

Saw him fall = complete action (witnessed the whole thing). Saw him falling = caught in the middle of falling.

Saw him fall = action complète. Saw him falling = surpris en train de tomber.

Can I say ‘I saw her to dance’?Peut-on dire ‘I saw her to dance’ ?

No — never use to + infinitive after perception verbs. ✓ I saw her dance. ✓ I saw her dancing. ✗ I saw her to dance.

Non — jamais to + infinitif après les verbes de perception. ✓ dance ou dancing. ✗ to dance.

Which verbs can be used with both forms?Quels verbes peuvent prendre les deux formes ?

see, hear, watch, listen to, feel all take both bare infinitive and -ing. smell and find typically take only -ing.

see, hear, watch, listen to, feel prennent les deux formes. smell et find prennent généralement uniquement le -ing.

Why ‘listened to the old man tell his story’ and not ‘telling’?Pourquoi ‘tell’ et non ‘telling’ ?

They heard the complete story from beginning to end. Bare infinitive = complete action witnessed. Both forms are grammatically possible, but tell emphasises the whole story was heard.

Ils ont écouté toute l’histoire du début à la fin. Les deux formes sont possibles, mais tell souligne que toute l’histoire a été entendue.

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See somebody do / doing — Quiz

Quiz — See somebody do / doing

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See somebody do and see somebody doingComplete action · Action in progress · hear / watch / feel / smell / find See somebody do et see somebody doingAction complète · Action en cours · hear / watch / feel / smell / find

see/hear somebody DO — the complete action

see/hear somebody DO — l’action complète

see/hear somebody DOING — action in progress

see/hear somebody DOING — action en cours

The difference in meaning — side by side

La différence de sens — côte à côte

DO — complete (start → finish)

DO — complet (début → fin)

DOING — in progress (mid-action)

DOING — en cours (mi-action)

Unit 67 — Exercises

Unité 67 — Exercices

Complete with the correct form: bare infinitive or -ing.

Complétez : infinitif sans to ou -ing.

Complete with the correct form of the verb in brackets.

Complétez avec la bonne forme du verbe entre parenthèses.

Write DO (complete) or DOING (in progress).

Écrivez DO (complet) ou DOING (en cours).

Frequently Asked Questions

Questions fréquentes

Unit 67 — Quiz

Unité 67 — Quiz

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See somebody do / doing — Quiz

Quiz — See somebody do / doing

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