Page 213 - Practical English Usage 3ed - Michael Swan, Oxford

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Compare:
I felt like swimming. (= I wanted to swim.)
I felt like / as ifI was swimming. (= It seemed as if I was swimming.)
ordinary verb: reactions and opinions
Feel is often used to talk about reactions and opinions. Progressive forms are not usually used in this case.
I feel sure you're right. (NOT Pm feeling Sttl'e •••)
He says he feels doubtful about the new plan.
That-clauses are common.
I feel (that) she's making a mistake.
A structure with object + to be + complement is possible in a formal style, but it is not very often used.
I felt her to be unfriendly. (More normal: I felt that she was unfriendly.) There is also a structure feel it (+ to be) + adjective/noun.
We felt it necessary to call the police.
I felt it (to be) my duty to call the police.
ordinary verb: 'receive physical sensations'
Feel can be used with a direct object to talk about the physical sensations that come to us through the sense of touch.
I suddenly felt an insect crawling up my leg.
Progressive forms are not used, but we often use can feel to talk about a sensation that is going on at a particular moment.
I can feel something biting me!
ordinary verb: 'touch'
Feel can also be used with a direct object to mean 'touch something to learn about it or experience it'. Progressive forms are possible.
Feel the photocopier. It's very hot.
What are you doing? - I'm feeling the shirts to see if they're dry.
female and feminine; male and masculine
Female and male refer to the sex of people, animals and plants.
A female fox is called a vixen.. A male duck is called a drake.
Feminine and masculine are used for qualities and behaviour that are felt to be typical of men or women.
She has a very masculine laugh.
It was a very feminine bathroom.
Feminine and masculine are used for grammatical forms in some languages.
The word for 'moon' is feminine in French and masculine in German.
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