the teacher saw a student cheat.

[Son Ho]

I wonder which sentence is correct in this situation? Please help me. Thanks in advance.

1. The teacher watched a student cheat.
2. The teacher watched a student cheating.

 

[GoesStation]

You haven't told us the situation. Both sentences are correct; the context would determine which to use.

 

[Son Ho]

You haven't told us the situation. Both sentences are correct; the context would determine which to use.

It doesn't go with any sentences else. Which one is more correct? I think we usually choose the first one in general. And in special situations, we should use the second one. Is it right?

 

[Son Ho]

You haven't told us the situation. Both sentences are correct; the context would determine which to use.

Another sentence, which one is correct:
2. Whenever I have free time, I like to watch the basketball team practicing/ practice.

 

[Rover_KE]

Your title uses 'saw' and your sentences use 'watch(ed)'. There's a big difference.

Click here and scroll down to find earlier threads to learn about this difference.

 

[GoesStation]

I wonder which sentence is correct in this situation? Please help me. Thanks in advance.

1. The teacher watched a student cheat.
2. The teacher watched a student cheating.

It doesn't go with any sentences else. Which one is more correct? I think we usually choose the first one in general. And in special situations, we should use the second one. Is it right?

No. The sentences are equally correct. We would use the one that best fit the situation.

 

[Son Ho]

Your title uses 'saw' and your sentences use 'watch(ed)'. There's a big difference.

Click here and scroll down to find earlier threads to learn about this difference.

I'm sorry. I intended to write down watched instead of saw.
The difference between watch and see is helpful. But the fact is that I just would like to tell the present participle and the bare infinitive apart if we use verbs which belongs to perception verbs such as see, watch, notice, feel.

 

[Son Ho]

No. The sentences are equally correct. We would use the one that best fit the situation.

I read some grammar books that say : Subject + see, watch, notice, feel + an object + the present participle when someone see the whole action meanwhile we go for the bare infinitive when someone sees the action in progress. That's why I am so confused with the sentence: "The teacher watched a student cheat/ cheating". If we choose cheat, it means the teacher watched the whole cheating. If we choose cheating, it means the teacher watched a student in the middle of his cheating. Why don't the teacher prevent his student from cheating when he watched the whole action?I think it's an incomplete action, then we choose cheating in this situation. Right?Could you please give me two sentences that we must use them in turn? Thanks for your help.

 

[Son Ho]

If you see/watch somebody do something, you normally see the whole action. If you see/watch somebody doing something, you don't necessarily see the whole action. With short actions, there is no significant difference.

Yeah, I got it. But I can't tell them apart in this situation:

2. Whenever I have free time, I like to watch the basketball team practicing/ practice.

Could you please help me to pick out which one is correct?

 

[Son Ho]

If you watch the whole practice session, you are more likely to use 'practice'. If you watch only part of it, you are more likely to use 'practicing'.

If you were me, which situation would you think of in this situation? If it's your hobby, would you choose practice?

 

[englishhobby]

If you were me, which situation would you think of in this situation? If it's your hobby, would you choose practice?

I am a Non-NEST (a Non-Native English Speaking Teacher)

The attention is not on you or your hobbies (sorry for that ;-)), but on the process of practicing only. If you like (or if your hobby is) to watch the WHOLE period of practice from the moment it starts to the end when they all leave the gym, then you should use PRACTICE. If you like (or if your hobby is) to watch just A PART of their practice, you should use PRACTICING (e. g. you like to drop in, watch them a little and then go home).