See Someone Do vs. See Someone Doing
After see + object, both the bare infinitive and the -ing form are standard. The bare infinitive usually presents the perceived event as a whole or completed, while -ing usually presents it as in progress, incomplete, or repeated.
Both “see someone do” and “see someone doing” are standard; use the bare infinitive for the event viewed as a whole and -ing for an action viewed in progress or repeated.
Key details
Choose the right form
| Meaning / situation | Form / construction | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| perceive an event as a whole | see + person/thing + bare infinitive | Use the bare infinitive when the whole event is salient. |
| perceive an activity while it is in progress | see + person/thing + -ing | Use the -ing form when the ongoing activity is foregrounded. |
| perceive repeated activity in the documented pattern | see + person/thing + -ing | The -ing form can also present repeated activity rather than one whole bounded event. |
| insert “to” before the infinitive in the active perception pattern | do not use “to” here | Use the bare infinitive after the object in this construction. |
Quick tests
Meaning / construction test
Are you presenting the perceived event as a whole rather than foregrounding it in progress or as repeated activity?
If yes: Use “see someone do.”
If no: Use “see someone doing” when the activity-in-progress or repeated-action viewpoint is the point.
Caveat: The contrast is one of viewpoint and context, not a mechanical claim that the bare infinitive always means “completed” or that -ing always means “unfinished.”
Examples
I saw her cross the street.
The bare infinitive presents the crossing as a whole event.
I saw her crossing the street.
The -ing form foregrounds the activity as it was in progress.
We often see them jogging in the park.
The -ing form can present repeated observed activity.
Further guidance
Boundary
In the active perception pattern, do not insert “to” before the infinitive. Modal combinations such as can/could hear or see have additional usage constraints, so context matters.
Construction
Cambridge includes see among perception verbs that can take object + bare infinitive or object + -ing.
Decision
Use the bare infinitive when the whole event is salient; use -ing when you are foregrounding the activity as it unfolds or repeats.
Sources and evidence
Sources are shown with the role they play in this guide. Historical or style-sensitive claims are kept within the evidence boundary described above.
- Verb patterns: verb + infinitive or verb + -ing? (opens in a new tab)Cambridge Dictionary · Verb-complement patterns, including verbs taking -ing, to-infinitive, or both with meaning differences