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The grammar and meanings of SEE are extremely varied
THE COMPLEXITY OF see
Small common verbs tend in any language to have an extensive variety of meanings and uses that makes them difficult to master quickly. Here, the variety of the verb SEE is given detailed consideration, with especial attention paid to usage that is idiomatic and/or very capable of occurring in formal writing. Although this is unlikely to provide instant mastery of the verb (see 202. Some Strategies for Learning English, “Practice Strategies”), it may reduce the time taken.
Of course, dictionaries too provide extensive information about small common verbs. My thinking in doing the same here is that dictionaries’ need to save space can make their explanations and illustrations frustratingly brief and therefore harder to appreciate and remember. In these pages, there is the benefit of not just extra space, but also the potential to link to further explanation elsewhere. Sometimes, there may even be an insight that dictionaries have overlooked.
Other small verbs that are similarly analysed in this blog are HAVE, MAKE, GO, DO, GIVE, TAKE and COME.
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USAGE WITH JUST A SUBJECT
It is not common for SEE to be used in the active voice without an object. Where this is possible, the meaning is usually either the fundamental “perceive with the eyes” or its metaphorical derivative “understand” (see 7. Metaphorical Meanings).
SEE with the first meaning still mainly requires a mention of what the eyes see – the object of the perception. As with most object-indicating verbs in English, this requirement exists even when the nature of the object is obvious from the preceding words or the speech situation. In such cases, the object will normally be a pronoun like them or something:
(a) Searching for micro-organisms, Pasteur eventually saw them.
An absent object after SEE with the basic eye-perception meaning is most likely when the additional meaning of ability is present. In such cases, can is often present too:
(b) I (can) see but I don’t hear.
Even here, however, an object can often be added after SEE, for example things. This suggests that SEE used as in (b) is a kind of verb that I have elsewhere called “object-dropping” (see 8. Object-Dropping Errors). Note that not all noun expressions after it are objects: some, such as a short distance or some way, have an adverb function instead.
SEE meaning “understand” seems slightly more able to be used without an object. As such, it usually seems to involve the further meaning of “accept” or “recognise”. For a special use after as, see 293. Tricky Grammar Contrasts 4, #4. SEE meaning “understand” without an object is again probably object-dropping rather than truly object-less (“intransitive”).
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USAGE WITH AN OBJECT
The perception and understanding meanings remain common when SEE has an object. There are various object types, each tending to suggest a particular additional meaning. Common extended meanings are:
1. Appreciate
Here, “understand” combines with “recognise the importance of”. A writer might say they see the problem. A typical conversational use is:
(c) I see what you are saying.
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2. Refer to/Consult
The extra suggestion here is of transferring attention, usually temporarily, from a primary object of interest to a secondary one, often in order to increase understanding of the former, or credence in it. SEE with this meaning is often in the imperative form (see 128. Imperative Verbs in Formal Writing, #4).
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3. Imagine/Visualise
Here, the object of SEE is clearly understood not to currently exist. It might be a fantasy, a fear, a desire, or a prediction (like objects of FORESEE). Sometimes, before or after the object, one hears the phrase in my (or similar, e.g. their) mind’s eye.
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4. Interpret
To interpret is to extract meaning from something perceived, such as a sight, sound, utterance, idea or situation. SEE with this meaning is often accompanied by an adverbial manner expression. Someone might say How do you see it? or X sees it differently. An adverbial as… before …X sees it is a common way of signalling that X’s interpretation follows next (see 293. Tricky Grammar Contrasts 4, #4).
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5. Subjectively Perceive
If somebody says they see problems in a plan, they leave open the possibility that no problems really exist at all – that the observation is just an opinion. A verb suggesting perception of something that more definitely exists is RECOGNISE.
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6. Recognise
SEE may acquire this meaning if its object has the (or other particularizing word) instead of a(n) or a “zero” article. Someone looking at a crowd photo, for example, might say they see their brother. There may sometimes be difficulty separating “recognition” from the “appreciate” meaning above (#1).
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7. Experience
With this meaning, the object of SEE is typically an event, often expressed as an “action” noun (see 131. Uses of “Action” Nouns), e.g.:
(d) The country has seen exceptional growth.
Here, SEE resembles EXPERIENCE in expressing the passive-like meaning of being affected by the action of the object (see 21. Active Verbs with Non-Active Meanings, penultimate section). Literal perception could be involved, but it could also be absent, leaving a more metaphorical use.
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8. Witness
The object of SEE with this meaning is likely to be an occurrence worth reporting to other people, such as a crime or solar eclipse. There is a similarity to the “experience” meaning above, but more neutrality about whether or not the occurrence actually affected the reporter. More emphasis, in other words, is placed on the perception element.
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9. Meet
Both accidental and arranged encounters – mostly of the one-to-one kind – can be represented by SEE. The latter also tend to involve the idea of “consult”. Typical statements might be that someone saw a friend or has seen a doctor.
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10. Other
In everyday usage, SEE with a visual entertainment object like a film means “watch in full”, and in continuous tenses with a human object means “meet regularly to pursue romance”.
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OTHER USAGE
11. + Object + “as” or “to be”
SEE here means “believe” or “consider” but, unlike with the “subjectively perceive” meaning (#5 above), the belief is carried by the as or to be part rather than the object:
(e) Some language teachers see targeted production practice as (or to be) a waste of time.
Grammatically speaking, an as phrase in such sentences is an “object complement”. As seems freely replaceable by to be, just as it is when introducing an object complement of many (but not all) other belief verbs (see 92. Verbs with an Object + “as”).
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12. + “that”
An object of SEE is sometimes a statement starting with a conjunction use of that. SEE varies in meaning according to what follows that. With a simple sight or factual observation after that, SEE means “observe”:
(f) The company saw that sales were falling.
This kind of meaning probably exists within the conjunction seeing that, an introducer of an accepted point (see 230. Multi-Word Conjunctions, #1).
By contrast, with information of a less physically visible kind after that, SEE is a “thought” verb meaning “recognise”:
(g) The company sees that more funding is required.
In the right context, both (f) and (g) could be understood as reported speech.
A very different meaning of SEE that… is “ensure”:
(h) Anticipating a long campaign, Caesar saw that his troops had plenty of supplies.
Here, the object of SEE represents a subsequent result of the seeing rather than anything simultaneous. The use is especially likely within instructions (see 128. Imperative verbs in Formal Writing, #3).
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13. + Object + “-ing”
This is another combination with strikingly different meanings. A statement that economists see prices rising means either that they observe prices to be rising, or that they predict it. Only context can show which is meant.
The “observe” meaning of SEE before an object + -ing closely resembles the “observe” meaning of SEE before that, as in sentence (f). If there is a difference, it is perhaps that that… suggests the observation as a fact worth noting, rather than just a simple occurrence.
For more about the “predict” meaning, see 316. Future Verbs without “Will” or “Shall”, #2.
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14. + Object + “Bare” Infinitive
SEE is one of various perception verbs whose object can be followed by a base-form verb – actually an infinitive (to verb) without the to (see 148. Infinitive Verbs without “to”, #2). The base form after an object makes a meaning contrast with the -ing form there that is described in #13: whereas -ing suggests the verb’s occurrence is ongoing, base forms present it as completed. For the special use of see … be versus see … being, see 217. Tricky Grammar Contrasts 1, #6.
The above contrast is also possible with the passive form of SEE (with the object as subject). Usually, however, the infinitive then needs to (prices are seen to rise).
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15. + Indirect Question
Verbs before an indirect question word (if, whether, how, who etc.) are usually “asking”, “explaining” or “knowing” (see 150. Verb Choices with Reported Speech, #2). SEE is commonly an “asking” verb meaning “investigate”:
(i) Use litmus paper to see if the liquid is acidic.
However, sometimes SEE is more “explaining” than “asking”, with the meaning of “observe”. This can happen before any of the question words except if and whether, with how being particularly likely:
(j) See how demand jumps during the summer.
Using how draws attention to something already visible, rather as with NOTE and NOTICE (see 271. Tricky Grammar Contrasts 3, #5).
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16. + Object + Directional Preposition
Movement-suggesting prepositions – to, into, from, out of, through etc. – tend, when following an object of SEE, to make SEE mean “escort”. Thus, seeing someone out of a building means accompanying them as far as the exit.
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17. In Multi-Word Verbs
Some verb-preposition combinations work so closely together that they are best considered single object-requiring “prepositional” verbs (see 44. Troublesome Prepositional Verbs). Common SEE examples include SEE ABOUT… (= deal with), SEE INTO the future (= predict), SEE TO… (= attend to) and SEE THROUGH… (= recognise deception in).
Similar to prepositional verbs are “phrasal” ones, where the verb accompanies a preposition-like adverb (see 139. Phrasal Verbs), sometimes with no object. Common SEE ones are SEE … IN/OUT (= escort inside/outside), SEE … THROUGH (= manage till the end) and SEE … OFF (= successfully resist or help to depart).
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18. In Other Fixed Expressions
The following are common:
Seeing is believing (see 71. Gerund and Participle Uses of “-ing”, #2)
Let me see = …think about it
See red = become very angry (see 278. Colours, #4).
See the back of = end of
see-through = transparent
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