B2Modals and related expressions

Verbs of the senses

Use sense verbs as linking verbs and action verbs, and combine them with adjective, like, as if/as though and infinitive/participle patterns.

Overview

What this grammar does

Use sense verbs as linking verbs and action verbs, and combine them with adjective, like, as if/as though and infinitive/participle patterns.

Form and rules

How it works

Look, sound, smell, taste and feel as linking verbs take adjective complements: The soup tastes strange.

Like + noun phrase compares an impression; as if/as though + clause gives a fuller comparison.

See/hear/watch/feel + object + base verb can present a complete event; + -ing presents an event in progress or part of it.

Look at, listen to and smell/taste as deliberate actions have different grammar from their linking-verb uses.

Seem/appear can overlap with sense impressions but also allow to-infinitive and that-clause patterns at this level.

A closer look

Meaning and use

Look at, listen to and smell/taste as deliberate actions have different grammar from their linking-verb uses.

Seem/appear can overlap with sense impressions but also allow to-infinitive and that-clause patterns at this level.

Examples

See the pattern in complete sentences

The plan sounds reasonable.

It feels as though the floor is moving.

I saw him cross the street.

I saw him crossing the street when I left.

She appeared to know the answer.

Common mistakes

What to avoid

The sauce tastes slightly bitterly.

The sauce tastes slightly bitter.

A sense linking verb takes an adjective complement.

It looks to nobody has been here for weeks.

It looks as though nobody has been here for weeks.

As though can introduce a full clause after an impression verb.

Ready to practise?

The test combines multiple choice, gap completion, error correction, and sentence building so students have to recognise and produce the grammar, not simply reread the rule.

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