I saw him...

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HMLithman

#215859 Sat, 15 Apr 06 11:01 AM

I saw him stealing the money (past tense verb+ing)

I saw he steal the money (correct)

I saw he stole the money (incorrect) - can someone explain to me why is this one wrong?

I saw he was stealing the money (correct) - also this

HMLithman

Joined on Wed, Apr 12 2006

New Member (43)

Wot goes around comes around, wot goes up must come down!

Verbs, Tenses, Past tenses

Kazem

#215933 Sat, 15 Apr 06 03:05 PM

As you saw somebody in action of doing something, the best option would be: I saw him stealing the money.

Kazem

Joined on Sun, Apr 9 2006

New Member (46)

I fear one day I meet God,he will sneez and I don`t know what to say.

Clive

#215943 Sat, 15 Apr 06 03:36 PM

Hi,

I saw him stealing the money (past tense verb+ing) As already pointed out, this stresses that you saw him 'in the act'.

I saw he steal the money (correct) Incorrect. You need 'him', not 'he'. This stresses you saw the completed act.

I saw he stole the money (incorrect) - can someone explain to me why is this one wrong? It's not wrong. This states a simple fact about the past.

I saw he was stealing the money (correct) - This states a fact about the past. To native speakers, the use of the continuous instead of the simple past 'stole' suggests that perhaps the act of stealing was not completed.

Best wishes, Clive

Clive

Joined on Thu, Oct 28 2004

Canada

Veteran Member (21,168)

El tango argentino es un pensamiento triste que se puede bailar (The tango argentino is a sad thought which can be danced) Enrique Santos Discépolo

Verbs, Tenses, Simple past, Past tenses

HMLithman

#216395 Sun, 16 Apr 06 12:31 PM

Clive wrote:

Hi,

I saw him stealing the money (past tense verb+ing) As already pointed out, this stresses that you saw him 'in the act'.

I saw he steal the money (correct) Incorrect. You need 'him', not 'he'. This stresses you saw the completed act.

I saw he stole the money (incorrect) - can someone explain to me why is this one wrong? It's not wrong. This states a simple fact about the past.

I saw he was stealing the money (correct) - This states a fact about the past. To native speakers, the use of the continuous instead of the simple past 'stole' suggests that perhaps the act of stealing was not completed.

Best wishes, Clive

I saw him steal the money is correct? Tongue Tied [:S] Because the question was actually I say the youth steal/stole the money. Which the answer turned to be steal.