Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[SAMUEL_LYNN]

It taks me at least 1 or 2 hours to search the Internet for the illustrations everytime I want to get a convincing answer.You can't imagine that,many times,I got so mad that I want to axe down most of all the English teachers in China because they insist that do is right while doing is wrong here.Put in often see him playing and search yahoo you will get many sentences like On walks with my daughter, I would often see him playing with the other children in our little town.Macadamia loves toys, and we often see him playing tug-of-war with his brother, Pecan. You can often see him playing with and spinning around the little boys and girls. You will often see him playing with toys all by himself.We would often see him playing tennis with his wife,  Sabina, for some relaxation late in the afternoon after a hard day's work.You'd often see him playing ball with them in the backyard.You often see him playing in the clouds above.and so on.Those who insist that only I often see you play basketball during the summer holiday is acceptable give us a ridiculous reason that often modifies play instead of see.

[teacherBob]

As a native speaker from the UK I would say that both are correct.

I see him play or see him playing.

I think that there is a very slight difference in meaning which is from how the action is viewed from the point of the speaker.

If the speaker sees the action as a completed action then it will be play, if it is the action in progress then it will be the gerund (-ing form)

Hope this helps

[SAMUEL_LYNN]

[SAMUEL_LYNN]

[SAMUEL_LYNN]