Page 525 - Practical English Usage 3ed - Michael Swan, Oxford

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other meanings: 'consider' etc
See can mean 'consider', 'think', 'find out', 'discuss' or'decide'.
Can I have a holiday next Monday? .... I'll see.
What time sJudl we go to the gym?....Let me see. How about 5 o'clock? Can you look out ofthe window and see ifit's still snowing?
A preposition is necessary before an object in these cases.
We'll see about that tomorrow. (NOT We'll see that ttJm6Ff'6w.)
You'd better see about that with Jim. (NOT Y8f:t'tl better see that with Jim.)
See if... can often means 'try to'.
See ifyou can get him to stop talking.
For see + object + infinitive I-ing form, see 242.
For the difference between see, look and watch, see 506.
see, look (at) and watch
see
See is the ordinary verb to say that something 'comes to our eyes', whether or not we are paying attention.
Suddenly I saw something strange. (NOT ST:N:ltieflIy" 1661eetl at SfJmething Sffaltge.)
Did you see the article about the strike in today's paper?
look (at)
We use look to talk about concentrating, paying attention, trying to see what is there. You can see something without wanting to, but you can only look at something deliberately. Compare:
I looked a t the photo, but I didn't see anybody I knew.
Do you see that man?....Yes.....Look again.....Good heavens! It's Moriarty! He looked at her with his eyes full oflove.
When look has an object it is followed by at. When there is no object there is no preposition. Compare:
Look at me! (NOT M61e "te:~ Look! (NOT M61e at.? Note that at is often dropped before a wh-c\ause.
Look (at) what you've done!
Look who's here! Look where you're going.
watch
Watch is like look at, but suggests that something is happening or going to happen. We watch things that change, move or develop.
Watch that man - I want to know everything he does.
I usually watch a football match on Saturday afternoon.
complete experiences: see
Watch is typically used to talk about experiences that are going on, in progress. We often prefer see to talk about the whole of a performance, play, cinema film, match etc. Compare:
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He got into a fight yesterday afternoon while he was watching a football match.(NOT ••• whileheWflS seeingaf6Btbalimateh.)
Have you ever seen Chaplin's 'The Great Dictator'? (NOT NarJeyBf:t ellef' watehetl Chaf'lin's 'The Great DietattJ,'?)
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see, look (at) and watch 506
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