Improve Your English – Lesson 1: The Difference between See/Look at/Watch – Lesson 1
See/Look at/Watch
These terms are often used incorrectly by students of English.
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- Use see when you mean to perceive something with the eyes.
- Use look at when you mean to use your eyes to see something. Often the thing or things you are viewing does not move or is stationary (such as a painting or photographs)
- Use watch when the thing you are viewing is moving or changes (such as television or a movie).
Don’t say: Whenever I smoke, my wife sees me with disgust.
Do say: Whenever I smoke, my wife looks at me with disgust.
Don’t say: Did you look at what just happened?
Do say: Did you see what just happened?
Don’t say: I looked at TV until 11:00 PM last night.
Do say: I watched TV until 11:00 PM last night.
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