I heard you singing in the shower. vs I heard you sing in the shower.

[Ana Laura]

Hi,

I would like to know the difference between these sentences:

A) I heard you singing in the shower.

B) I heard you sing in the shower.

The same happens with other verbs such as: see, notice, etc.

I saw a dog running through the park yesterday/I saw a dog run...

Thanks in advance!

[Mister Micawber]

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Sometimes either will work. Both are usually possible. Using the participle suggests that the main verb (e.g. 'hear') experienced the ongoing event, while using the infinitive suggests that the fact only was recorded.
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Native English teacher at Mister Micawber's

[Ana Laura]

Thank you for your quick response!

So if I say 'I saw a dog running through a park' Am I just focusing on the continuity of the action rather the action itself? I am a bit confused... :oops:

Thanks again!

[Mister Micawber]

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That's the idea, yes-- he was running and running. 'I saw a dog run though the park' = he just did it; it's a fact.
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Native English teacher at Mister Micawber's

[Ana Laura]

Thank you very much.

This forum is really interesting.

[Anna.ha]

I was taught that see/hear + ing form means you see/hear somebody is doing something in the middle of the doing (action) while with infintive form, it means you see/hear the action from the begining to the end of it.

I am right Alan and Mr. M ?

[Hiam]

Both sentences have different meanings

A) I heard you singing in the shower.

Here, You heard someone singing while they are in the shower, in the middle of the action

B) I heard you sing in the shower

whereas here, you were told that someone sing whenever they shower, here you don't hear the singing, you hear about it from others.

I hope that was helpul

[Alan]

Hi Anna,

The difference between the infinitive and the 'ing' form is as yoy say.

Alan
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English as a Second Language
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