Look, feel, smell, sound, taste

• You look tired.

• The dog smells awful.

• The fish tastes delicious.

Look, feel, smell, sound, taste

• She looks like a model.

• This fabric feels like silk.

• The cake tastes like coffee.

I feel like playing cards tonight.

smell of, taste of vs. smell like, taste like

• The greengrocer’s smells of strawberries.• This shampoo smells like strawberries.

• This soup tastes of chicken.• Frog tastes like chicken to me.

Look, feel, smell, sound, taste

• He looks as if [he’s had a hard day].

• It smells as if [something’s burning].

• It sounds as though [someone is spanking the dog].

It sounds like [it’s raining]. (informal)

Seem

Seem + adjective:•You seem eager to learn new grammar!

Seem + like + noun:•It seemed like a good idea.

Seem + as though/as if + clause:•It seems as if [every time I clean the car it rains]!

Seem

Seem + infinitive:•He seems to be a nice man.•He seems to have had a hard day at work.•He seems to be having a busy week at the office.

Take notice: there are other forms of infinitive besides the simple infinitive:to write: simple infinitiveto have written: perfect infinitiveto be writing: continuous infinitiveto have been writing: perfect continuous infinitiveto have been written: perfect passive infinitiveand so on…

See, hear, watch, notice

• I heard the girl play a piece by Chopin.• I heard the girl playing a piece by Chopin.

• I saw the man hit his dog.• I saw the man hitting his dog every day.

Verbs of the senses can’t be continuous!

• I am seeing Fulvio coming down the corridor. • I am hearing people talking outside the room.

• I can see Fulvio coming down the corridor. • I can hear people talking outside the room.

…except, of course, if they’re not verbs of the senses.

• I’ve been hearing good things about you. (hear = learn, come to know)

• I am seeing Maria tonight. (see = meet)