8.18 Sense-Perception Verbs

The sense-perception verbs are: hear, listen, feel, smell, see, watch, observe. After these verbs, we can use either the -ing form or the base form with a slight difference in meaning.

EXAMPLES

I heard you talk about the Giving Pledge a few days ago. Dan Pallotta saw many people around him die of AIDS. When the base form is used after a sense-perception verb (saw, heard, etc.), it indicates completion.

EXPLANATION

I heard you talking about a charity project. I saw some teenagers volunteering in the park last week. Use the -ing form to show that something is sensed while it is in progress.

EXERCISE 32 Fill in the blanks with the base form or -ing form of the verb given. In some cases, both forms are possible.

By their example, my parents always taught me to help others. One time when I was a child, on

the way to a birthday party with my father, we saw a small boy walking

1. walk alone on the

street. As we approached him, we heard him

2. cry . My father went up to him and

asked him what was wrong. The boy said that he was lost. I saw my father

3. take his

hand and heard him

4. tell the boy that he would help him find his parents. My father

called the police. Even though we were in a hurry to go to the party, my father insisted on staying with

the boy until the police arrived. I really wanted to go to the party and started to cry. I felt my father

5. take my hand and talk to me softly. He said, “We can’t enjoy the party while this

little boy is alone and afraid.” Before the police arrived, I saw a woman

6. run in our

direction. It was the boy’s mother. She was so grateful to my father for helping her son that she offered

to give him money. I heard my father

happy to be of help to your son.”

7. tell her, “I can’t take money from you. I’m

I hear so many children today

8. say , “I want” or “Buy me” or “Give me.” I think

it’s important to teach children to think of others before they think of themselves. If they see their

parents

9. help others, they might grow up to be charitable people.