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I was just making a joke about something and I said: "I have to watch my friend playing chess." is that correct or should I have used "play" instead of "playing"

Eddie Kal
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WannaGetHigh
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2 Answers2

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For verbs of perception like watch, we can use either the infinitive without to or the -ing form after the object verbs.

For watch, the former is more common, as shown in Ngram.

Please see below for further details.

https://dictionary.cambridge.org/grammar/british-grammar/hear-see-etc-object-infinitive-or-ing

Hear, see, etc. + object + infinitive or -ing

We can use either the infinitive without to or the -ing form after the object of verbs such as hear, see, notice, watch. The infinitive without to often emphasises the whole action or event which someone hears or sees. The -ing form usually emphasises an action or event which is in progress or not yet completed.

James K
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Seowjooheng Singapore
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Both are correct.

I have to watch my friend play chess. (complete action, from beginning to end)

I have to watch my friend playing chess. (NOT complete action, in the middle of the action)

[ He crossed the road. I saw this. I saw him cross the road. (Complete action, from beginning to end)

He was crossing the road. I saw this. I saw him crossing the road. (NOT complete action, in the middle of crossing the road)

I heard her sing.- complete action, from beginning to end

I heard her singing.- NOT complete action, in the middle of the action ]

For a shorter action, we can use either (-ing form or infinitive without to).

Mohammad Farukh Ahmad
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  • "I have to watch my friend play chess" does not imply that the chess playing is complete. "I heard her singing" does not imply that the singing is currently incomplete, just that the singing was ongoing in the timeframe when you heard it. The -ing form emphasizes the ongoing nature of the action, but I find this complete/incomplete dichotomy too strict. – Nuclear Hoagie Mar 08 '22 at 18:26