Example Sentences of the Verb See

Do you see?
Do you see?. Adam Drobiec / EyeEm / Getty Images

This page provides example sentences of the verb "See" in all tenses including active and passive forms, as well as conditional and modal forms.

Present Simple

Use the present simple for routines and habits such as how often you see a person.

We see them every week.
How often do you see Tim?
She doesn't see Peter every day.

Present Simple Passive

The birds are seen every spring.
Which movie is seen most often?
That table isn't seen by anyone.

Present Continuous

Use the present continuous to speak about what is happening at the present moment. Note: The present continuous form is only used in the sense of 'see' meaning visit or have an appointment with someone.

We are seeing the doctor this afternoon.
Who are you seeing for that problem?
She isn't seeing anyone for her issue.

Present Continuous Passive

The patient is being seen by the doctor at the moment.
Which picture is being seen by Fred this afternoon?
That isn't being seen by anyone at the moment.

Present Perfect

Use the present perfect to discuss actions that have happened repeatedly such as how many times you have seen a friend.

We haven't seen each other for years.
How many times have you seen that movie?
She hasn't seen too many doctors.

Present Perfect Passive

They haven't been seen by anyone for a long time.
Which film hasn't been seen by Tom?
She hasn't been seen by a specialist yet.

Present Perfect Continuous

Use the present perfect continuous to speak about how long you have been seeing someone in both the sense of dating and going to a doctor.

We have been seeing each other for three months.
How long have you been seeing a doctor for that?
Kevin hasn't been seeing the psychologist for very long.

Past Simple

Use the past simple to speak about something you saw a specific time in the past.

Jack saw Peter last weekend.
Where did you see Susan last week?
She didn't see his point of view.

Past Simple Passive

Peter was seen at the beach last weekend.
When was she last seen?
THey weren't seen for more than two weeks after they got married.

Past Continuous

Use the past continuous to describe what someone was seeing when something else occurred.

We were seeing each other when we had the argument.

Who were you seeing at the time?
They weren't seeing anyone for the problem until last month.

Past Perfect

Use the past perfect to what or who you had seen before something else happened.

They had seen the film before, so we went to see something else.
Where had they seen the deal before they left?
She hadn't seen the boy in a long time when she bumped into him.

Past Perfect Passive

They had been seen by a number of people on the day of the murder.
What had been seen by the witnesses?
The painting hadn't been seen by anyone for a few months.

Past Perfect Continuous

Use the past perfect continuous to express how long you had been seeing someone up to a point in time in the past.

They had been seeing each other for a few months when they decided to get married.
How long had she been seeing Peter before she met Doug?
We hadn't been seeing each other for long before we decided to get married.

Future (will)

Use future tenses to speak about something that you will / are going to see in the future.

She will see to it.
Where will she see him?
They won't see the art show next week.

Future (will) passive

It will be seen to by Mary.
When will it be seen by the owner?
She won't be seen by him again.

Future (going to)

They are going to see their friends next week.
When are you going to see the new art exhibit?
She isn't going to see a doctor about the problem.

Future (going to) passive

The doctor is going to be seen by a number of patients this afternoon.
What is going to be seen by Peter later today?
They aren't going to be seen by the police.

Future Continuous

Use the future continuous to express what or who you will be seeing at a specific point in time in the future.

We will be seeing the sunrise this time next week.
Will you be seeing him this time next year?
She won't be seeing a doctor about this anytime soon.

Future Perfect

Use the present perfect to explain what or who you will have seen up to a certain point in time in the future. 

They will have seen at least three different houses by the time they decide.
How many homes will you have seen before you make a choice?
They won't have been seen by more than two couples before the end of the day.

Future Possibility

Use modals in the future to discuss future possibilities. 

She might see him next week.
May I see him about the problem?
She might not see him for two or more years.

Real Conditional

Use the real conditional to speak about possible events.

If she sees Jack, she will give him the message.
What will she do if she sees him?
The won't worry if they see a lifeguard.

Unreal Conditional

Use the unreal conditional to speak about imagined events in the present or future.

If she saw Jack, she would give him the message.
What would she do if she saw him now?
If she didn't see him soon, she would go crazy!

Past Unreal Conditional

Use the past unreal conditional to speak about imagined events in the past.

If she had seen Jack, she would have given him the message.
What would she have done if she hadn't seen a doctor?
They would have moved if she hadn't seen the opportunity.

Present Modal

She should see a doctor soon.
Can you see the house?
She mustn't see Peter.

Past Modal

They might have seen a ghost!
What should they have seen?
She couldn't have seen Peter at the party.

Quiz: Conjugate With See

Use the verb "to see" to conjugate the following sentences. Quiz answers are below. 

  1. They _____ by anyone for a long time.
  2. Peter _____ at the beach last weekend.
  3. We _____ the sunrise this time next week.
  4. If she _____ Jack, she would give him the message.
  5. They _____ the film before so we went to see something else.
  6. They _____ at least three different houses by the time they decide.
  7. We _____ them every week.
  8. The patient _____ by the doctor at the moment.
  9. Jack s_____ Peter last weekend.
  10. She _____ to it.

Quiz Answers

  1. was seen
  2. will be seeing
  3. saw
  4. had seen
  5. will have seen
  6. see
  7. is being seen
  8. saw
  9. will see
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Your Citation
Beare, Kenneth. "Example Sentences of the Verb See." ThoughtCo, Aug. 27, 2020, thoughtco.com/example-sentences-of-the-verb-see-1212336. Beare, Kenneth. (2020, August 27). Example Sentences of the Verb See. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/example-sentences-of-the-verb-see-1212336 Beare, Kenneth. "Example Sentences of the Verb See." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/example-sentences-of-the-verb-see-1212336 (accessed March 29, 2024).