Wednesday, January 21, 2015

See, Look or Watch?

















 

See, look and watch are verbs that we use to talk about our sense of sight - using our eyes. But they have important differences in meaning.


See
We use see to mean simply that an image comes into our eyes. It may not be deliberate. As soon as we open our eyes, we see things.

For example:

· I can see a cloud in the sky.

· I suddenly saw a bird fly in front of me.

· Didn't you see Ram? He was waving at you.


Look (at)
When we look, we try to see. We make a special effort. We concentrate our eyes on something.

In this context look is usually followed by the preposition at. When you look at someone or something you are interested in the appearance. Generally we look at things that are static (non moving). 

For example:

· Look at these photos, they're really good.

· I went to the art gallery to look at the exhibition of paintings.

· But, a person looks good. A dinner looks good.

· Look! It's snowing!

· Look at this photo! Isn't it beautiful?

· I'm looking but I don't see it.


English in use tip:

When we use look with an object, we say look + at + object, for example:

· John looked at Mary.



Watch
With the verb watch, we are much more active. Watch is like look, but requires more effort from us. We watch things that are going to move, or change in some way. And we watch the movements and changes.

Watch is a verb.

When you watch someone or something you are interested in what happens.

Generally we watch things that move or change state. For example:

· I watch TV every night.

· The security guard watched the shoplifter steal the clock.

· If I say to you "Look at him!" I mean for you to check out his appearance.
But, if I say to you "Watch him!" I mean it as a warning.

· The police decided to watch the suspected murderer rather than arrest him immediately. They hoped he would lead them to the body.

· I like watching motor racing on TV.

· If you watch that egg for long enough you'll see it hatch.


English in use tip:
Watch or See for movies, concerts, TV etc?
In general, we use see for public performances and watch for television at home.

· We're going to see George Clooney's latest movie at the cinema tonight.

· We saw the All Blacks beat Wales in Cardiff last year.

· Did you ever see Michael Jackson live on stage?

· Have you seen that Gaddafi video on YouTube?

· Last night we stayed home and watched some films on TV.

· When I'm bored I play a few DVDs and watch them on my computer.


Practice

1. In London _______ out for pickpockets!

2. The ladies _______ wonderful in their evening dresses!

3.Did you ________ the evening news on SF2 last night?

4. The weather ______ bad for this weekend.

5. Hey! What’s wrong? You _______ sad today.

6. I only ________sports live.

7. ________ out! The rocks are falling.

8.Ronnie likes to________the Hockey Club Davos.

9. Please don’t ________at me that way!

10. I can ________ a fly in your eye.

11. I can’t ________ any stars. It’s too cloudy.

12. My kids like ________ movies at home.

13.We couldn’t ________ the TV news. It was too gruesome.

14. I ________ the sunset while I drank my coffee.

15. Do you want to ________ the photos from my holiday?

16. Stop ________ the clock.

17. Did you ________ the rainbow this morning?

18.They ________ the house all night but nobody entered or left.

19. ________ this part,  just coming up! It’s hilarious.

20. He ________ absolutely miserable wearing that outfit.


















Practice Answers

1. In London WATCH out for pickpockets!

2. The ladies LOOKED wonderful in their evening dresses!

3.Did you SEE the evening news on SF2 last night?

4. The weather LOOKS bad for this weekend.

5. Hey! What’s wrong? You LOOK sad today.

6. I only WATCH sports live.

7. WATCH out! The rocks are falling.

8.Ronnie likes to WATCH the Hockey Club Davos.

9. Please don’t LOOK at me that way!

10. I can SEE a fly in your eye.

11. I can’t SEE any stars. It’s too cloudy.

12. My kids like WATCHING movies at home.

13.We couldn’t WATCH the TV news. It was too gruesome.

14. I WATCHED the sunset while I drank my coffee.

15. Do you want to SEE the photos from my holiday?

16. Stop WATCHING the clock.

17. Did you SEE the rainbow this morning?

18.They WATCHED the house all night but nobody entered or left.

19. WATCH this part, just coming up! It’s hilarious.



20. He LOOKS absolutely miserable wearing that outfit.

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