find vs look for

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Winwin2011

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Are the following definitions correct?

When something is missing, you look for it. When you have discovered it, you say "I've foundit."

Are the following sentences incorrect?

1. My watch is missing! Can you find it for me?
2. I can't find my watch. Can you find it for me?
3. I am finding my watch. (It is correct to say, 'I am looking for my watch')

If the sentence 1 and 2 is incorrect, how do we say it?

Many thanks for your help.

 

Winwin2011

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Many thanks, Gillnetter.

Are the following sentences incorrect?

1. My watch is missing! Can you look for it?
2. I can't find my watch. Can you look for it?

Thanks again.
 

charliedeut

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Hi,

IMO, they are correct. Only, I would personally use "could" instead of "can", since you are asking for a favor from someone.

charliedeut
 

Winwin2011

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If something is missing, can we use 'look for' or 'find' in the following cases?

1. My watch is missing! Can you find it for me?
2. I can't find my watch. Can you find it for me?

3. My watch is missing! Can you look for it?
4. I can't find my watch. Can you look for it?


Thanks.
 
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bhaisahab

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If something is missing, can we use 'look for' or 'find' in the following cases?

1. My watch is missing! Can you find it for me?
2. I can't find my watch. Can you find it for me?

3. My watch is missing! Can you look for it?
4. I can't find my watch. Can you look for it?


Thanks.

You have already asked those questions and received good answers.
 

Winwin2011

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If the sentences 'When something is missing, you look for it. When you have discovered it, you say "I've found it.' are correct, why can we use 'find' in the following sentences.

1. My watch is missing! Can you find it for me?
2. I can't find my watch. Can you find it for me?

Could any anybody help, please?
 

tzfujimino

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If the sentences 'When something is missing, you look for it. When you have discovered it, you say "I've found it.' are correct, why can we use 'find' in the following sentences.

1. My watch is missing! Can you find it for me?
2. I can't find my watch. Can you find it for me?

Could any anybody help, please?

Hello, Winwin.:-D
I'm not really sure what you're confused about, but let me put it this way:

"to look for" means "to try to find something".
So, "When something is missing, you look for it." is the same as "When something is missing, you try to find it."

Do you understand what I'm trying to say?

(Edit) "I'm finding my watch." doesn't work, but "I'm trying to find my watch." is OK. Is it convincing enough?
 
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Winwin2011

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Hello, Winwin.:-D
I'm not really sure what you're confused about, but let me put it this way:

(Edit) "I'm finding my watch." doesn't work, but "I'm trying to find my watch." is OK. Is it convincing enough?

Many thanks for your help, tzfujimino.

I 100% agree with you that "I'm trying to find my watch." is correct.

There was a time when my child asked me some questions in his school , the dialogue is as follows:-

My son: I'm finding the principal.
Me: You should say ' I'm looking for the principal'.
My son: Why can't we say 'I'm finding ' ?
Me: 'Find' means 'to get back something/somebody that was lost after searching for it/them'. The principal is not lost, she is still in school.
My son: If a child is missing', can I say 'The police are finding him'?

I didn't know how to answer.

The reasons that I am confused are as follows:-

1) We cannot use the present continuous tense for 'find', we must add 'trying to' before 'find.

2) When I googled 'find vs. look for, the moderator of the following forum said ' "Find" and "look for" have different meanings, and in fact, can be considered opposites.'

a)"Find" is not usually used in the progressive, since, as you have noted, when you succeed, you have found the thing that you are looking for. The finding of something is a one-time event, not a continuous event.

b) Don't forget, though, that "find" can be used in the progressive when it means that you are in the process of discovering something, particularly to describe a state. (It seems that sentences a and b have contradiction.)

The websites are as follows:-

http://thegrammarexchange.infopop.cc/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/340600179/m/8691047844

find vs. look for - Topic

3) If "find" can be used in the progressive when it means that you are in the process of discovering something, why is ' I'm finding my watch' wrong? I know that the correct English is 'I'm trying to finding my watch'

If "Find" and "look for" can be considered opposites, why are the following sentences both correct?

1. My watch is missing! Can you find it for me?
2. I can't find my watch. Can you find it for me?

3. My watch is missing! Can you look for it?
4. I can't find my watch. Can you look for it?

Why don't we say ' My watch is missing! Can you try to find it for me?

I'd like to teach my son the different meaning of 'look for' and 'find, that's why I am so stubborn. If we use 'I found it' that's no problem for me.



 
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tzfujimino

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Many thanks for your help, tzfujimino.

I 100% agree with you that "I'm trying to find my watch." is correct.

There was a time when my child asked me some questions in his school , the dialogue is as follows:-

My son: I'm finding the principal.
Me: You should say ' I'm looking for the principal'.
My son: Why can't we say 'I'm finding ' ?
Me: 'Find' means 'to get back something/somebody that was lost after searching for it/them'. The principal is not lost, she is still in school.
My son: If a child is missing', can I say 'The police are finding him'?

I didn't know how to answer.

The reasons that I am confused are as follows:-

1) We cannot the present continuous tense for 'find', we must add 'trying to' before 'find.

2) When I googled 'find vs. look for, the moderator of the following forum said ' "Find" and "look for" have different meanings, and in fact, can be considered opposites.'

a)"Find" is not usually used in the progressive, since, as you have noted, when you succeed, you have found the thing that you are looking for. The finding of something is a one-time event, not a continuous event.

b) Don't forget, though, that "find" can be used in the progressive when it means that you are in the process of discovering something, particularly to describe a state. (It seems that sentences a and b have contradiction.)

The websites are as follows:-

find vs. look for - Topic

find vs. look for - Topic

3) If "find" can be used in the progressive when it means that you are in the process of discovering something, why is ' I'm finding my watch' wrong? I know that the correct English is 'I'm trying to finding my watch'

If "Find" and "look for" can be considered opposites, why are the following sentences both correct?

1. My watch is missing! Can you find it for me?
2. I can't find my watch. Can you find it for me?

3. My watch is missing! Can you look for it?
4. I can't find my watch. Can you look for it?

Why don't we say ' My watch is missing! Can you try to find it for me?

I'd like to teach my son the different meaning of 'look for' and 'find, that's why I am so stubborn. If we use 'I found it' that's no problem for me.




Hello, Winwin.:-D

Well, as for the dialogue, I'm not sure how you interpret the words "lost" and "missing", but "Something (Somebody) that is lost or missing." is equal to "something (somebody) that cannot be found." Do you agree on this point? That is to say, if the principal is lost or missing, s/he cannot be found anywhere. You can use the word "find" in this context. You can use "look for" as well, of course.
The question is, however, whether "find" can be used in the progressive (continuous). And...the answer seems to be...yes. (I've just seen the link.) So, "I'm finding the principal." meaning "I'm in the process / in the midst of finding the principal." is possible. I was not familiar with this usage.

I think you're confused about the word 'opposite' Rachel (the moderator) uses. She does not mean "find" and "look for" are antonyms. I think she means something like this:
look for: the starting point
find: the finishing line

Do you understand what I mean?
:?:Let's wait for native speakers to respond.
 

Winwin2011

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Hello, Winwin.:-D

Well, as for the dialogue, I'm not sure how you interpret the words "lost" and "missing", but "Something (Somebody) that is lost or missing." is equal to "something (somebody) that cannot be found." Do you agree on this point? That is to say, if the principal is lost or missing, s/he cannot be found anywhere. You can use the word "find" in this context. You can use "look for" as well, of course.
The question is, however, whether "find" can be used in the progressive (continuous). And...the answer seems to be...yes. (I've just seen the link.) So, "I'm finding the principal." meaning "I'm in the process / in the midst of finding the principal." is possible. I was not familiar with this usage.

I think you're confused about the word 'opposite' Rachel (the moderator) uses. She does not mean "find" and "look for" are antonyms. I think she means something like this:
look for: the starting point
find: the finishing line

Do you understand what I mean?
:?:Let's wait for native speakers to respond.

Hi, tzfujimino. Many thanks for your kindness!

I agree that "lost and missing' both mean 'unable to be found'.

To my knowledge, the distinction of look for vs find is as follows:-

'look for' and 'find' both mean searching, however:
look for: emphasize the action/process of searching something/somebody
find: emphasize the result of searching not the process of searching

I don't know if I am right, that's one of the reasons that I am confused.

I remembered that Moderator, 5jj had pointed out that we should use '... is trying to find' instead of '...is findng'.
 

Barb_D

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No, "look for" and "find" do NOT both mean searching.

In the post you quoted, the person made it clear, I thought.

"Searching" and "looking for" are ongoing activities. You look or search until that single moment when you find it. The act of finding is instantaneous, so it cannot have a progressive form.

Lets say you throw a stone off a very tall cliff. The stone falls for a long time and then it hits the ground. There are many seconds when you can say it's falling but only on moment when it's hitting. While it falls, you don't say "the stone is hitting the ground." It fell for a long time then hit the ground. It's the same with looking for and finding. You look for a time and then hopefully in an instant you find it.

Unlike the stone that must eventually hit the ground, however, there is no guarantee that something lost will be found. Thats why you can ask someone to look, but only ask that they TRY to help you find. It might never be found.
 

5jj

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You will hear utterances such as "Can you find it for me?" Natural responses could, "I'll try", "Well, I'll look", or "I don't know yet".

The message behind the words may well be, "I want you to look for it and, I hope, find it", this does not mean that 'look for' and 'find' mean the same thing. I think that Barb has made the difference very clear; I just wanted to add the note on that question.
 
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