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.
(not to get / to drive / to do).
Somebody did something + I saw this
=> I saw somebody do something
But after a
passive ('he
was seen' etc.), we use
to:
- He was seen to get in the car.
Study this example situation:
Yesterday you saw Kate. She was waiting for a bus.
You can say: I saw Kate
waiting for a bus.
In this structure we use -ing (waiting/doing etc.):
Somebody was doing something + I saw this
=> I saw somebody doing something
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 it? → 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.
We use these structures with
see and
hear, and a number of other verbs:
- I didn't hear you come in. (you came in - I didn't hear this)
- Lisa suddenly felt somebody touch her on the shoulder.
- Did you notice anyone go out?
- I could hear it raining. (it was raining - I could hear it)
- A man was seen running away a short time after the break-in.
- Listen to the birds singing!
- Can you smell something burning?
- We looked everywhere for Paul, and finally we found him sitting under a tree in the garden and eating an apple.
