[General] He was heard laugh or He was heard to laugh ?

Status
Not open for further replies.

SongYuxiang

Junior Member
Joined
Mar 5, 2009
Member Type
Interested in Language
Native Language
Chinese
Home Country
China
Current Location
China
Dear Teachers,

Please tell me which of the following sentences is correct and which is wrong:

1) John was heard laugh.

2) John was heard to laugh.


Thank you.
 

Leandro-Z

Member
Joined
Jun 9, 2010
Member Type
Student or Learner
Native Language
Spanish
Home Country
Argentina
Current Location
Argentina
Instead, I would say (with another example):
I heard him laughing.

The other way (to+infinitive) means that you heard him beacause it makes him laugh.
Therefore, both possibilities are correct, but with a change in meaning.
 
Last edited:

SongYuxiang

Junior Member
Joined
Mar 5, 2009
Member Type
Interested in Language
Native Language
Chinese
Home Country
China
Current Location
China
Instead, I would say (with another example):
I heard him laughing.

The other way (to+infinitive) means that you heard him beacause it makes him laugh.
Therefore, both possibilities are correct, but with a change in meaning.

Thank you,Leandro:)
 

SongYuxiang

Junior Member
Joined
Mar 5, 2009
Member Type
Interested in Language
Native Language
Chinese
Home Country
China
Current Location
China
The "to" is required here. "John was heard laugh", is incorrect. You could also write -
John was heard to sing
John was heard to chuckle
John was heard to cry
John was heard to scream

Thank you, Gillnetter, for your help. :)
 

BobK

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jul 29, 2006
Location
Spencers Wood, near Reading, UK
Member Type
Retired English Teacher
Native Language
English
Home Country
UK
Current Location
UK
I would say : John was heard laughing.

That's a possibility, but to my ear there's a difference.

He was heard to laugh - The hearers might have been wrong, or the report may be in doubt

He was heard laughing - He was definitely laughing

But there can be an overlap in the meanings.

b
 

Leandro-Z

Member
Joined
Jun 9, 2010
Member Type
Student or Learner
Native Language
Spanish
Home Country
Argentina
Current Location
Argentina
Wait a minute, I have recently found the answer...

When you hear someone laughing, you hear that person for a certain period.

When you hear someone laugh, you hear that person only once.

Example 1: I heard him lauhging (Ja,ja,ja,ja,ja,ja,ja,ja,ja,ja,ja,ja,ja,ja...)

Example 2: I heard him laugh (Ja, and that`s all)

It`s like "see"...

I saw him jumping into the river (He jumped into the river several times and consecutively)

I saw him jump (Just one time and nothing else)
 

Kelly55

New member
Joined
Aug 14, 2010
Member Type
English Teacher
Dear Teachers,

Please tell me which of the following sentences is correct and which is wrong:

1) John was heard laugh.

2) John was heard to laugh.


Thank you.

Hi,
The correct sentence would be "John was heard laughing" This is a passive sentence where we have the verb "To be" + the particible of the main verb. Here the verb "hear" is followed by the gerund not the infinitive. You could also say "They heard John laughing." (This would be the active sentence)
Bye.:lol:
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top