Words that are easily confused: Look, See, Watch


Which verb should I use?  Look, see or watch?


These words have similar, but different meanings. 

Here are the main differences:
SEE = Notice something with your eyes.
LOOK AT = Direct your eyes at something and pay attention to it.
WATCH = Looking at something for a (usually long) period of time, usually something that is changing or moving (or something that you expect to change or move).

Here are some special cases to remember:

We use SEE for sports, films, theatre and dramas.
We WATCH television.

We use SEE to focus on what we noticed.  We use WATCH or LOOK AT when we want to focus on the process of observing.  We could SEE something without planning to.

For more information, check out the link below:

Link to a Cambridge Dictionary article about this topic

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Cambridge PET Speaking Part 2 Tips

Image
Cambridge PET Speaking Exam Part 2 In this part of the speaking exam, you need to work with your partner to make a decision.  You are presented with a situation where you need to discuss a few options and then choose one of them. Here's an example: "A girl is going to spend two weeks living with a family in England to improve her English.  She has put the clothes she needs in her bag.  Talk together about the other things she will need to take, and say which will be the most important." First of all, think about what each picture represents.  Can you think of the right words for each picture?  Can you think of a reason why each would be a good idea (or a bad idea)?  Can you explain it to your partner? Now, think about some useful language when discussing the decision you have to make. STARTING THE CONVERSATION: Shall I start, or will you? Would you like to start, or shall I? DISCUSSING AN OPTION: I think that ...... would be a good idea ...
Read more

Do's and Don'ts of Essay Writing

DO Use formal language Talk about your opinion Think BEFORE you start writing about 2 or 3 main ideas you want to explain. Think about your word count - how many words will each section have? Use paragraphs - an introduction, a conclusion and 1 paragraph for each main idea Use a capital letter to start a sentence and a full stop to end it Link each sentence in a paragraph to the one before using connectors like:     On the other hand     As a result of this     Firstly, Secondly, Finally Conclude with a meaningful statement of your opinion or the solution to a problem. DON'T Use contractions (don't write "don't", write "do not") Use lists with 'etc....' at the end Copy directly from the internet Use Google Translator Write your essay in Italian and translate it into English. Speak directly to the reader (it's better to avoid saying "you"). Say "boys" when you mean young people who are male and femal...
Read more