See somebody do and see somebody doing

This lesson explains the difference between two common patterns with perception verbs: 'see somebody do' and 'see somebody doing'. Both patterns are used to describe what someone observes, but they highlight different aspects of the action.

• 'see + object + base verb' (see somebody do) — used when you perceive a complete action or the whole event.
• 'see + object + -ing' (see somebody doing) — used when you perceive an action in progress or its ongoing nature.
• Perception verbs like see, watch, and hear follow similar patterns. Word order matters: the object comes between the verb and the verb form.

How to decide which structure to use:

• Use 'see + object + base verb' when you or someone else saw the whole action or its result (completed event).
• Use 'see + object + -ing' when you saw the action while it was happening (in progress).
• The object (someone) comes between 'see' and the verb form: see + someone + verb.

Perception verbs follow the same logic; the meaning changes with the verb form, not the verb 'see' itself.

Watch out for these universal errors learners often make:

• Using 'to' + infinitive after perception verbs (e.g., 'saw him to leave') — incorrect.
• Confusing the two forms and assuming they mean the same thing — they change the focus (complete vs ongoing).
• Placing the object in the wrong position (e.g., 'see sign him the contract') — the object must come directly after 'see'.
• Mixing tenses incorrectly: the perception pattern doesn't require an extra auxiliary (avoid 'saw him has left').

Focus on word order (see + object + verb) and on the verb form (base vs -ing) to convey the correct meaning.