Verbs of Perception | Useful List With Example Sentences
Verbs of perception are words like see, hear, smell, taste, and feel. They are very common in everyday English conversations and help us describe what we experience through our senses. Below, you’ll find a list of common verbs of perception with definitions and example sentences to help you learn or teach them with confidence.
What Are Verbs Of Perception?
Verbs of perception are verbs that describe what we notice through our five senses: sight, hearing, touch, smell, and taste. When we use these verbs, we can communicate what we experience in the world around us. For example:
- It tastes really good.
- I saw a rainbow after the rain.
- She heard the phone ringing.
- I felt the sand between my toes.
- I smell the food cooking.
Verbs Of Perception List
Here’s a useful list of common verbs of perception, grouped by the sense they are used with. A printable version of this list is also available below.
Verbs of Perception: Sight
These verbs describe things we perceive with our eyes:
see, watch, observe, view, gaze at, look at, stare at, glimpse, catch a glimpse of, spot, catch sight of, perceive, make out, distinguish, recognize, identify
Verbs of Perception: Hearing
These verbs are used to talk about things we experience with our sense of hearing:
hear, listen to, overhear, eavesdrop on, tune in to
Verbs of Perception: Touch/Feeling
These verbs are used when talking about things we feel through touch:
feel, grasp
Verbs of Perception: Smell
These verbs are used to talk about what we experience through our sense of smell:
smell, sniff
Verbs of Perception: Taste
These verbs describe how we experience things we taste:
taste, savor, sample, try
Download Printable List
You can also download this list of common verbs of perception as a printable PDF to use in class or for self-study.
Verbs Of Perception: Example Sentences
Below you’ll find common verbs of perception with simple definitions and example sentences. These examples will help you see how each verb is used in everyday English.
See
Definition: to perceive with the eyes; to observe or notice
Example: “I saw a beautiful sunset on my walk home from work.”
Watch
Definition: to look at or observe attentively or carefully over a period of time
Example: “I like to watch the sunset.”
Observe
Definition: to watch or take notice of; to pay attention to
Example: “The scientist carefully observed the behavior of the mice.”
View
Definition: to look at or watch; to observe or consider
Example: “I viewed the paintings at the art museum for hours.”
Gaze at
Definition: to look at steadily and intently, often with fascination or admiration
Example: “I gazed at the Mona Lisa in awe.”
Look at
Definition: to direct one’s gaze towards; to see or examine with the eyes
Example: “Can you look at this picture and tell me what you see?”
Stare at
Definition: to look at intensely or fixedly, often with surprise or disbelief
Example: “He stared at the screen for hours, mesmerized by the game.”
Glimpse
Definition: to catch a brief or partial view of something
Example: “I caught a glimpse of a deer in the forest.”
Catch a glimpse of
Definition: to see or notice something briefly or partially
Example: “She caught a glimpse of the sea through the trees.”
Spot
Definition: to see or notice something, especially something unusual or unexpected
Example: “I spotted a rare bird in the park.”
Catch sight of
Definition: to see or notice something, especially something that is moving or difficult to see
Example: “I caught sight of a shooting star in the sky.”
Perceive
Definition: to become aware of or notice through the senses
Example: “I perceived a strange smell coming from the kitchen.”
Make out
Definition: to see, hear, or understand something with difficulty
Example: “I couldn’t make out the words on the sign from this distance.”
Distinguish
Definition: to recognize or differentiate between two or more things
Example: “She was able to distinguish the different shades of green in the field.”
Recognize
Definition: to identify or be able to name someone or something that one has seen or met before
Example: “I recognized my friend from a distance.”
Identify
Definition: to recognize or establish the identity of someone or something
Example: “The detective was able to identify the suspect by their distinctive tattoo.”
Grasp
Definition: to comprehend or understand fully
Example: “He grasped the concept quickly.”
Get
Definition: to understand or grasp the meaning or significance of
Example: “I’m sorry, I don’t get what you’re trying to say.”
Pick up on
Definition: to become aware of or notice something, especially something subtle or implicit
Example: “She was able to pick up on the subtle changes in his tone of voice.”
Sense
Definition: to perceive or become aware of something through the senses, especially something intangible or subtle
Example: “I sensed that something was wrong.”
Feel
Definition: to perceive or become aware of something through the sense of touch
Example: “She felt a sense of accomplishment after finishing the marathon.”
Hear
Definition: to perceive or become aware of sound through the ears
Example: “I heard a strange noise coming from the basement.”
Listen to
Definition: to pay attention to sound or music
Example: “I love to listen to music while I work.”
Overhear
Definition: to hear a conversation or other sounds by chance, especially without the speakers being aware
Example: “I overheard a conversation between two coworkers.”
Eavesdrop on
Definition: to secretly listen to a conversation or other sounds, especially without the speakers being aware
Example: “She was able to eavesdrop on the conversation.”
Tune in to
Definition: to focus one’s sense to hear something clearly
Example: “I tuned in to the conversation to hear what they were saying.”
Smell
Definition: to perceive or become aware of a smell or odor through the nose
Example: “I smelled something burning and immediately turned off the stove.”
Sniff
Definition: to inhale through the nose, often to detect a smell
Example: “She sniffed the flowers to enjoy their scent.”
Taste
Definition: to perceive or become aware of the flavor of (something) through the sense of taste
Example: “The pie tasted delicious.”
Savor
Definition: to enjoy or appreciate the flavor or qualities of (something)
Example: “I like to savor my food and eat it slowly.”
Sample
Definition: to try a small amount of (something) in order to determine its quality or flavor
Example: “I sampled a bit of each dish at the buffet.”
Try
Definition: to taste or sample (something) in order to determine its quality or flavor
Example: “I tried the steak, and it was fantastic!”
Common Mistakes With Verbs of Perception
Here are some common mistakes English learners make with verbs of perception, and how to avoid them:
1. Confusing the -ing form and the bare infinitive
Verbs of perception are often followed by an object and either the bare infinitive (without to) or the -ing form. The choice depends on whether the action is complete or ongoing.
- I saw him run across the field. (whole action, completed)
- I saw him running across the field. (action in progress)
- I saw him to run across the field. (incorrect)
2. Mixing up see/hear with look at/listen to
Some perception verbs describe passive perception (see, hear), while others describe intentional action (look at, listen to).
- I saw a bird outside my window. (correct – passive perception)
- I looked at the bird outside my window. (correct – intentional action)
- I looked a bird outside my window. (incorrect)
3. Using the continuous tense incorrectly
Verbs like see, hear, taste, smell, feel are usually not used in continuous form when describing the senses.
- I can hear a dog barking. (correct)
- I am hearing a dog barking. (incorrect)
But continuous forms can work when the meaning changes:
- I’m seeing my doctor tomorrow. (appointment, not perception)
- She is tasting the soup. (actively trying it)
4. Adding “to” before the second verb
After verbs of perception, the second verb takes the base form, without to.
- I heard him sing a song. (correct)
- I heard him to sing a song. (incorrect)
Other Verb Guides
If you found this list of verbs of perception useful, here are some other English verb guides you might like: