A.
Study this example situation:
Tom got
into his car and drove away. You saw this. You can say:
* I saw
Tom get into his car and drive away.
In this
structure we use get/drive/do etc. (infinitive without 'to'):
Somebody
did something + I saw this = I saw somebody do something.
Note
that we use the infinitive without to:
* We saw
them go out. (not 'to go')
But
after a passive ('they were seen') etc., we use to:
* They
were seen to go out.
B.
Study this example situation:
Yesterday you saw Ann. She was waiting for a bus. You can say:
* I saw
Ann waiting for a bus.
In this
structure we use ~ing (waiting):
Somebody
was doing something + I saw this = I saw somebody doing something.
C.
Study the difference in meaning between the two structures:
'I saw
him do something' = he did something (past simple) and I saw this. I saw the
complete action from beginning to end:
* He
fell off the wall. I saw this. -> I saw him fall off the wall.
* The
accident happened. Did you see this? -> Did you see the accident happen?
'I saw
him doing something' = he was doing something (past continuous) and I saw this.
I saw him when he was in the middle of doing it. This does not mean that I saw
the complete action:
* He was
walking along the street. + I saw this when I drove past in my car. = I saw him
walking along the street.
Sometimes the difference is not important and you can use either form:
* I've
never seen her dance. or I've never seen her dancing.
D. We
use these structures with see and hear, and a number of other verbs:
* I
didn't hear you come in.
* Liz
suddenly felt something touch her on the shoulder.
* Did
you notice anyone go out?
* I
could hear it raining.
* The
missing boys were last seen playing near the river.
* Listen
to the birds singing!
* Can
you smell something burning?
* I
found Sue in my room reading my letters.
EXERCISES
66.1
Complete the answers to the questions.
1. Did
anybody go out?
I don't
know. I didn't see _anybody go out._
2. Has
Jill arrived yet?
Yes, I
think I heard her ---
3. How
do you know I took the money?
I know
because I saw you ---
4. Did
the doorbell ring?
I'm not
sure. I didn't hear ---
5. Can
Tom play the piano?
I've
never heard ---
6. Did I
lock the door when I went out?
Yes, you
did. I saw ---
7. How
did the woman fall in the river?
I don't know. I didn't see ---
66.2 In
each of these situations you and a friend saw, heard or smelt something. Look
at the pictures and complete the sentences.
1. Look!
There's Ann.
2. Look!
There's Dave and Helen.
3. Look!
There's Clare.
4. Listen
That's Bill.
5. Can
you smell burning? Yes! It's the dinner.
6. Look!
There's Linda.
1. _We
saw Ann waiting for a bus._
2. We
saw Dave and Helen ---
3. We
saw --- in a restaurant.
4. We
heard ---
5. We
could ---
6. ---
66.3
Complete these sentences. Use one of these verbs (in the correct form):
climb come crawl
cry cycle explode
happen open run say
slam sleep tell
.1
Listen to the birds _singing._
2. I
didn't hear you _come_ in.
3. Did
anybody see the accident ---?
4. We
listened to the old man --- his story from beginning to end.
5.
Listen! Can you hear a baby ---?
6. I
looked out of the window and saw Tim on his bike ---. along the road.
7. 'Why
did you turn round suddenly?' 'I thought I heard somebody --- my name.'
8. We
watched the two men --- across the garden --- a window and --- through it into
the house.
9.
Everybody heard the bomb ---. It was a tremendous noise.
10. Oh!
I can feel something --- up my leg! It must be an insect.
11. I
heard somebody --- the door in the middle of the night. It woke me up.
12. When
we got home, we found a cat --- on the kitchen table.
Answer
66.1
2 arrive
3 take
it/do it
4 it
ring
5 him
play/him playing
6 you
lock it/you do it
7 her fall
66.2
2 We saw
Dave and Helen playing tennis.
3 We saw
Clare having a meal in a restaurant./We saw Clare eating in a restaurant.
4 We
heard Bill playing the guitar.
5 We
could smell the dinner burning.
6 We saw
Linda jogging.
66.3
3 happen
4 tell
5 crying
6
cycling
7 say
8 run
... open
9
explode
10
crawling
11 slam
12
sleeping climb
