Hi! It’s Professor Panda with another English lesson for you! Today I am writing in answer to two recent questions concerning the proper use of two common words: see and watch. Which to use and when to use? It really is confusing because often, especially in the West, both words seem to be used for the same thing in casual conversation; however, that is not really correct speech and definitely not correct for writing.
“Dear Professor Panda,
My son has a question for you. Recently a friend of his said, “I saw that movie. It was wonderful! You should watch that movie.”
“Dear Panda,
What word should I use in connection with a film or DVD? Watch or see?
In my English class we were taught that we use “watch” when we consciously pay attention to something like a film or TV or when we are closely examining something. They said that the word “see is used mostly to describe the use of your sense of vision. But, I have heard the word “see” being used just like “I watched a film.” I don’t know which is absolutely correct, but “watch a film” and “watch TV” seem to be the better ones.
What is right?”
Well then, the words “look”, “see” and “watch” are all very similar. Each word says a little something different about the ways in which you use your eyes. There are, however, important differences.
First of all, it depends on how you intend to look or watch, and how intense the looking is. Oh! Don’t panic! I will explain. When we say “see”, we are normally talking about things that we cannot avoid; so for example, in the sentence “I opened the curtains and saw some birds outside” I did not intend to see them, it just happened.
When we use the verb “look”, we are talking about intending to see something. So, “This morning, I looked in the cupboard for some breakfast.” I intended to look in the cupboard.
When we watch something we intend to look at it, but we are also looking at it rather intensely, mostly because it is moving. So, for example, “I watched the bus go through the traffic lights.” Or, “I watched the movie.” We want to se it, we are looking at it intensely, and it is normally moving.
When we use verbs that relate to our senses (hearing, sight, touch, smell, taste), and “look”, “see” and “watch are verbs of the visual sense, there is usually a difference between intending to do it and not intending to do it. “I heard the radio” means I didn’t intend to hear the ready, it just happened. “I listened to the radio” says that I turned it on to a program I was interested in.
“I felt the wind on my face” means I did not intend to feel it, but it just happened that way. “I touched the bug” means I intended to feel the bug.
It is important that when you find these verbs of senses, to group them together and try to find the differences between them.
Remember: When you look at words that seem to be similar, it is important to find out exactly the differences between them, because basically, you cannot really use them in place of one another.
Also remember that with “see”, you didn’t really intend to do it, it just happened. With “look”, you intended to do it, and with “watch” you intended to do it and you were looking intensely, usually because it was moving.
The word “look” when used without any prepositions (such as “look at” or “look for”) suggests that the attention is diverted from something to something else.
Here are some other things to help you decide which word is correct to use:
“See” is an inactive word. When your eyes are open, you do it without thinking: I see a car near the store.
“Look” is an active word. You must want to do it, but it is basically for only a short time: Look at this pen.
“Watch” is also an active word. You must want to do it, but it is for a longer period of time: Let’s watch television.
OK! Here is a small quiz to help you even more.
1. He is very shy and doesn’t __________ you in the eye.
a. look
b. see
c. watch
2. Did you __________ the advertisement in the newspaper?
a. see
b. watch
3. I can’t __________ much in this light.
a. see
b. watch
c. look
4. The police are __________ the house in case the criminals come back.
a. looking at
b. watching
5. I spent the evening __________ TV.
a. seeing
b. looking at
c. watching
6. __________ out! There is some water on the floor.
a. Look
b. See
7. Did you __________the football game last night?
a. look at
b. watch
8. I __________ in the shop window, but I didn’t see anything I liked.
a. looked
b. saw
c. watched
9. I can’t __________ any milk in the refrigerator.
a. see
b. look
c. watch
10. I have never liked it. I don’t know what you __________ in it.
a. look
b. watch
c. see
Answers (Don’t peak until you have done the quiz!)
1. look
2. see
3. see
4. watching
5. watching
6. Look
7. watch
8. looked
9. see
10. see
Well, I hope that clears up a question that I am sure a lot of us have had! See you next time!
P. Panda
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