Verbs of senses (see do/ see doing) Practice Tests with B1 Grammar Rules & Examples

Verbs of Senses: See Do / See Doing

In English, we often use verbs of senses to describe what we observe with our eyes, ears, and other senses. These verbs include see, hear, watch, feel, notice, and smell. At B1 level, it is very important to understand that after these verbs, you can use two different patterns — and each pattern has a different meaning.

Look at these two sentences:

I saw him cross the road.
I saw him crossing the road.

Both sentences are correct, but they mean slightly different things. This lesson will explain exactly when to use each pattern and why.

What Are Verbs of Senses?

Verbs of senses (also called perception verbs) describe what we experience through our senses. The most common ones are:

• see – using your eyes
• watch – looking at something carefully over a period of time
• hear – using your ears
• listen to – paying attention to a sound
• feel – using touch or physical sensation
• notice – becoming aware of something
• smell – using your nose

After all of these verbs, you can use two structures. Let's look at each one.

Pattern 1: Verb of Sense + Object + Base Verb (Infinitive without "to")

The Structure

Subject + verb of sense + object + base verb (infinitive without "to")

Examples:
I saw him cross the road.
She heard the dog bark.
We watched the children play in the garden.
I felt the floor shake.

What Does This Pattern Mean?

We use Pattern 1 (base verb) when we saw, heard, or felt the complete action — from the beginning to the end. We experienced the whole thing.

Think of it like this:

I watched the bird fly away.
→ I saw the bird start flying and finish flying. I saw the whole action.

She heard him knock on the door.
→ She heard the knock from start to finish. The complete action.

Pattern 2: Verb of Sense + Object + Verb + -ing (Present Participle)

The Structure

Subject + verb of sense + object + verb + -ing

Examples:
I saw him crossing the road.
She heard the dog barking.
We watched the children playing in the garden.
I felt the floor shaking.

What Does This Pattern Mean?

We use Pattern 2 (verb + -ing) when we experienced an action that was already happening — we joined it in the middle. We did not necessarily see the beginning or the end of the action.

Think of it like this:

I saw him crossing the road.
→ When I looked, he was already in the middle of crossing. I did not see the whole action — just part of it.

She heard the dog barking.
→ The dog was already barking when she noticed. She heard it in progress.

Comparing the Two Patterns: A Simple Story

Imagine you are sitting by a window. You see your neighbour in the garden.

Situation A: You look out and you watch your neighbour plant a tree. You see him start, work, and finish. You watched the complete action.
→ I watched my neighbour plant a tree.

Situation B: You look out and your neighbour is already in the middle of planting. You did not see him start. You just saw part of the action.
→ I watched my neighbour planting a tree.

In everyday conversation, both sentences are often acceptable, but the -ing form emphasises that the action was ongoing or in progress, while the base verb emphasises the complete action.

Pattern Comparison Table

Pattern	Structure	Meaning	Example
Pattern 1	verb of sense + object + base verb	Complete action (start to finish)	I saw her fall.
Pattern 2	verb of sense + object + verb + -ing	Action in progress (part of the action)	I saw her falling.

More Examples with All Common Sense Verbs

See

I saw the thief take the bag. (complete action — I saw it happen from beginning to end)
I saw the thief taking the bag. (action in progress — I caught him in the middle of doing it)

Hear

I heard him sing a song. (I heard the whole song)
I heard him singing in the shower. (he was already singing when I noticed)

Watch

We watched the sun set. (we saw the complete sunset)
We watched the children playing in the park. (the children were already playing — ongoing)

Feel

I felt the ground shake. (a single complete shake)
I felt the ground shaking for several minutes. (the shaking was in progress)

Notice

She noticed him leave the building. (she saw the complete action of leaving)
She noticed him standing by the door. (he was already there when she noticed)

Smell

I smelt something burn. (a short, complete event)
I could smell something burning. (the burning was ongoing)

A Useful Table: Examples with All Sense Verbs

Verb of Sense	Pattern 1 (Base Verb)	Pattern 2 (Verb + -ing)
see	I saw him run away.	I saw him running away.
hear	I heard the bell ring.	I heard the bell ringing.
watch	She watched him paint the wall.	She watched him painting the wall.
feel	He felt the cat jump onto his lap.	He felt the cat jumping around.
notice	I noticed her smile.	I noticed her smiling at me.
smell	I smelt something burn.	I smelt something burning.

Important Differences and Special Cases

Do NOT use "to" with the base verb

After a verb of sense, the base verb does not include "to". This is different from other structures in English.

❌ I saw him to cross the road.
✅ I saw him cross the road.

❌ She heard him to sing.
✅ She heard him sing.

Passive forms change the structure

When you make these sentences passive, the base verb changes to an infinitive with "to".

Active: I saw him cross the road.
Passive: He was seen to cross the road.

This is a more advanced point. For now, just remember: in active sentences, no "to" after the sense verb.

"Watch" and "listen to" are slightly different

Watch is used when you look at something for a period of time — usually something moving or changing. It is very common with the -ing form.

We watched the match. ✅ (no object + verb structure — just a noun phrase)
We watched the players scoring goals. ✅

Listen to must always include "to". Do not forget it.

❌ I listened him play guitar.
✅ I listened to him play guitar.

Both patterns are often possible

In many sentences, you can use either pattern and both are grammatically correct. The difference is in meaning or emphasis.

I heard the children laugh. (the whole laugh — perhaps a short moment)
I heard the children laughing. (they were laughing for a while — ongoing)

In everyday spoken English, people often use the -ing form more frequently, especially with see, watch, and hear.

Common Mistakes

❌ I saw him to cross the road.
✅ I saw him cross the road. (no "to" after a verb of sense in active sentences)

❌ She heard the baby to cry.
✅ She heard the baby cry. (base verb, no "to")

❌ I watched them played football.
✅ I watched them play football. (base verb, not past tense)

❌ We listened him speak.
✅ We listened to him speak. ("listen" always needs "to")

❌ I saw her crossing when she finished.
✅ I saw her cross when she finished. (use base verb for a complete action)

❌ He noticed them to argue.
✅ He noticed them arguing. (or: He noticed them argue.)

Verbs of Senses: Quick Summary

Here are the key points to remember about verbs of senses (see do / see doing):

• After verbs of senses (see, hear, watch, feel, notice, smell), you can use two patterns.
• Pattern 1: verb of sense + object + base verb → describes a complete action.
• Pattern 2: verb of sense + object + verb + -ing → describes an action that was in progress.
• Do NOT use "to" before the base verb in active sentences with verbs of senses.
• Listen to always needs "to" — do not forget it.
• In many sentences, both patterns are possible. The -ing form emphasises that the action was ongoing, while the base verb emphasises the complete event.

Now practise verbs of senses (see do / see doing) in the exercises below.