Verbs of the senses

Verbs of the senses, also called sense verbs or sensory verbs, are verbs connected with sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch. They include verbs such as see, hear, look, watch, listen, smell, taste and feel.

We can use sense verbs to describe perception: becoming aware of something through one of our senses. Sometimes this happens without us deliberately using the sense, as in I heard a noise or I smell smoke. These meanings are normally stative. At other times, we deliberately use a sense to examine something and perceive its qualities, as in I’m listening to music or I’m smelling the soup. These meanings describe actions and are dynamic.

We can also use sense verbs to describe how something seems to our senses after it is perceived. For example, we can say The music sounds beautiful, The soup smells delicious or The fabric feels soft. In this use, verbs such as look, sound, smell, taste and feel are linking verbs that connect the subject with a description of its sensory quality.

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The diagram below shows the relationship between perceiving something through the senses and describing the sensory quality that is perceived:

Common verbs of the senses

The main verbs of the senses are connected with sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch. We use different verbs depending on whether we perceive something non-deliberately, perceive it deliberately, or describe how it seems to one of our senses.

Sense verbs to perceive something

When we use sense verbs to talk about perception, the subject is the person or thing that perceives something through one of the senses. Perception can be non-deliberate, when we simply become aware of something, or deliberate, when we actively use a sense to perceive or examine something. Sense verbs can also be used to describe the perception of actions and events.

Non-deliberate perception

Non-deliberate perception happens when we become aware of something through one of our senses without deliberately trying to perceive it. Common verbs used in this way include see, hear, smell, taste and feel. These meanings are normally stative, so we do not usually use them in continuous forms.

• I saw an accident on my way to work.
• We heard a strange noise downstairs.
• Does anybody smell smoke?
• I could taste garlic in the sauce.
• She felt something on her arm.

We often use can and could with sense verbs when talking about what we are able to, or not able to, perceive at a particular moment:

• I can’t see you.
• Can you hear me?
• I could smell something burning.
• I couldn’t really taste the chicken in the curry.
• I can feel something in my shoe.

Deliberate perception

Deliberate perception happens when we actively use one of our senses to perceive or examine something. Common verbs used in this way include look at, watch, listen to, smell, taste and feel. These meanings describe actions, so they are dynamic and can be used in continuous forms.

• He looked at the painting for several minutes.
• I’m listening to the radio.
• He always smells the milk before pouring it into his coffee.
• She’s tasting the sauce to see if it needs more salt.
• She felt the fabric to check its texture.

Non-deliberate and deliberate perception compared

With some senses, we use a different verb when the perception is deliberate. In this case, instead of hear, we use listen to, and instead of see, we use look at. Some verbs can be used for both non-deliberate and deliberate perception, such as smell, taste and feel.

Perception of actions and events

Sense verbs can also describe the perception of an action or event. This follows an SVOV sentence pattern: the sense verb is followed by an object, and the perceived action or event involving that object is expressed with either a bare infinitive or an -ing form. This structure is most commonly used with verbs of sight and hearing, and can also be used with some verbs of touch or physical sensation. It occurs with both non-deliberate perception, such as see and hear, and deliberate perception, such as watch and listen to.

Bare infinitive

We use object + bare infinitive when we present the action or event as a whole or as a complete event:

• I saw her open the door and walk inside.
• We heard the glass break.
• They were watching the dogs run in the park.
• I listened to him play the piano.
• He felt the ground shake beneath his feet.

-ing form

We use object + -ing when we perceive an action or event while it is happening, rather than presenting it as a complete event:

• I last saw her walking towards the station.
• We heard someone crying upstairs.
• He was looking at the boats sailing across the harbour.
• I listened to him singing in the next room.
• He felt something crawling up his arm.

The difference is therefore often one of how the speaker views the event:

• I saw him cross the road. → The action is presented as a complete event.
• I saw him crossing the road. → The action is presented as in progress when it was perceived.

Passive forms

When an active sentence uses a sense verb followed by an object and a bare infinitive to describe the perception of an action or event, the passive form normally uses a to-infinitive instead:

• Someone saw him leave the building. (active)
• → He was seen to leave the building. (passive)

• People heard her shout for help. (active)
• → She was heard to shout for help. (passive)

With an -ing form, the -ing form remains:

• Someone saw him crossing the road. (active)
• → He was seen crossing the road. (passive)

• People heard her singing upstairs. (active)
• → She was heard singing upstairs. (passive)

Sense verbs to describe how something seems

Sense verbs can also describe how a person or thing seems to one of our senses. In this use, the person or thing being perceived is the subject of the sentence, and look, sound, smell, taste and feel act as linking verbs. This means they connect the subject with a description of its sensory quality or impression. These meanings are usually stative, so they are not normally used in continuous forms, although continuous forms are possible in some situations. For example:

• She looks exhausted.
• The music sounds like thunder.
• The room smells of fresh coffee.
• The milk tastes as if it’s gone sour.
• The fabric feels smooth.

Sense verb + adjective

The most common structure is sense verb + adjective. The adjective describes how the subject seems to the relevant sense:

• The sky looks dark.
• His voice sounds nervous.
• The room smells fresh.
• The coffee tastes bitter.
• The surface feels rough.

Sense verb + like + noun

We can use like + noun after a sense verb when the sensory impression of one person or thing resembles another:

• That cloud looks like a dragon.
• His voice sounds like his father’s.
• The perfume smells like roses.
• The meat tastes like chicken.
• The fabric feels like silk.

Smell/taste + of + noun

Smell and taste can also be followed by of + noun when we identify a smell or flavour that is present:

• The room smells of smoke.
• Her clothes smelled of perfume.
• The soup tastes of garlic.
• The sauce tastes strongly of lemon.

Smell/taste of + noun usually identifies a smell or flavour that is actually present, while smell/taste like + noun describes a resemblance:

• The soup tastes of garlic. (garlic flavour can be detected in it)
• The medicine tastes like oranges. (its flavour resembles oranges)

Sense verb + as if / as though / like + clause

We can use as if or as though followed by a clause to describe the impression something gives to one of our senses. In less formal English, like + clause is also common:

• He looks as if he hasn’t slept.
• It sounds as though someone is knocking at the door.
• The kitchen smells as if something is burning.
• The milk tastes like it has gone sour.
• The floor feels as though it is moving.

Continuous forms with linking sense verbs

When sense verbs describe how something seems, they usually describe a state and are therefore normally used in simple forms. The simple form presents the sensory impression as a neutral description or state:

• She looks tired.
• I feel cold.
• He sounds confident.

However, some linking sense verbs, particularly look, feel and sound, can also be used in continuous forms when the speaker wants to emphasise that the impression is current, temporary, developing or changing:

• You’re looking much better today.
• I’m feeling tired this morning.
• He’s sounding more confident with every presentation.

While the simple form is still possible in these situations, the continuous form places greater emphasis on the temporary, current or changing nature of the impression:

• You look much better today. → a neutral description of your appearance
• You’re looking much better today. → greater emphasis on how you appear now, often compared with before

Smell and taste are normally used in simple forms when they describe a sensory quality, even when that quality is temporary, developing or changing:

• The soup tastes delicious.
• The flowers smell wonderful.

When smell and taste are used in continuous forms, they normally describe deliberate perception rather than a sensory quality:

• I’m smelling the milk to check if it is still good.
• She’s tasting the sauce to see if it needs more salt.

Common mistakes with verbs of the senses

Learners often make mistakes with sense verbs because the same verb can have different meanings and grammatical patterns depending on whether it describes non-deliberate perception, deliberate perception or a sensory quality. The following are some of the most common errors.

Using a deliberate perception verb for non-deliberate perception

Use see and hear when you simply become aware of something (non-deliberate perception):

• ❌ I listened to a strange noise in the middle of the night.
• ✅ I heard a strange noise in the middle of the night.

• ❌ I looked at an accident on my way to work.
• ✅ I saw an accident on my way to work.

However, the incorrect sentences above could be possible if you are deliberately perceiving them. In that case, we do use look at, watch and listen to when the perception is deliberate.

Using continuous forms for stative perception

When see, hear, smell, taste and feel describe non-deliberate perception, they are normally stative and are not usually used in continuous forms:

• ❌ I’m seeing the mountains from my window.
• ✅ I can see the mountains from my window.

• ❌ I’m hearing music upstairs.
• ✅ I can hear music upstairs.

Using continuous forms to describe qualities with smell and taste

When smell and taste describe the sensory quality of something, they are normally used in simple forms:

• ❌ The soup is tasting better now.
• ✅ The soup tastes better now.

• ❌ The room is smelling strange today.
• ✅ The room smells strange today.

Forgetting a preposition with look and listen

Look normally needs at before the thing being looked at, while listen normally needs to before the thing being listened to:

• ❌ She was looking the painting.
• ✅ She was looking at the painting.

• ❌ I’m listening the radio.
• ✅ I’m listening to the radio.

Using an adverb after a linking sense verb

When a sense verb acts as a linking verb, we use an adjective, not an adverb, because the description refers to the subject:

• ❌ The soup tastes deliciously.
• ✅ The soup tastes delicious.

• ❌ The fabric feels softly.
• ✅ The fabric feels soft.

Using like before an adjective

Use an adjective directly after a linking sense verb, but use like before a noun or noun phrase:

• ❌ She looks like tired.
• ✅ She looks tired.

• ✅ She looks like her sister.

Using to before the infinitive after an active perception verb

When an active perception verb is followed by an object and an infinitive describing the perceived action, we use the bare infinitive, without to:

• ❌ I saw him to cross the road.
• ✅ I saw him cross the road.

However, the to-infinitive is used when this construction becomes passive:

• ✅ He was seen to cross the road.

Free verbs of the senses worksheets