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"See her swim" vs "see her swimming"

hirashin

Sempai
Donor
8 Apr 2004
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Hello, native English speakers.

I have another question.

What's the difference between A and B in each set.
Would all the sentences be used ?

1A) I saw her swim like a fish.
1B) I saw her swimming like a fish.

2A) I saw him read the newspaper.
2B) I saw him reading the newspaper.

3A) Mary heard someone knock on/at the door.
3B) Mary heard someone knocking on/at the door.

Thanks in advance.

Hirashin
 
1A) I saw her swim like a fish.
1B) I saw her swimming like a fish.
You can use either most of the time.
Only 1A can be used if you go a swim meet and watch her entire race.
1B is better if you walked by the pool and only saw her swimming for a minute.
(And in 'I walked by the pool and saw her swimming' you can only use 'swimming').
2A) I saw him read the newspaper.
2B) I saw him reading the newspaper.
You only use 2B.
2A is not wrong, but unnatural. It sounds like you watched him read the newspaper, from start to finish.
If you wanted to say that, you would use the verb 'watched'.

3A) Mary heard someone knock on/at the door.
3B) Mary heard someone knocking on/at the door.

You can use either.
3A is more normal.
3B sounds as if the knocking went on for some time.
 
Thank you for your help, Chris. I appreciate it.

OK. I think I understand the difference.

Hirashin
 
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