verb
1 become aware of sth using your eyes
ADVERB
▪ clearly , easily , plainly
▪ dimly , faintly
▪ barely , hardly
▪
I could hardly ~ because of the smoke.
▪ just
▪
We could just ~ the hotel in the distance.
▪ suddenly
▪ first-hand , personally
▪
He saw first-hand the impact of colonialism.
▪ commonly
▪
This problem is commonly seen in young adults.
VERB + SEE
▪ be able to , can
▪
I could ~ the boat clearly now.
▪ go to
▪
I went to ~ a movie.
▪ get to
▪
I finally got to ~ them in concert.
▪ turn around to , turn to
▪
She turned to ~ who it was.
▪ be amazed to , be shocked to , be surprised to
▪
He was surprised to ~ Martha standing there.
▪ be relieved to
▪ be keen to ( esp. BrE )
▪ be delighted , be glad to , be happy to , be overjoyed to , be pleased to
▪
I'm glad to ~ that you're keeping well.
▪ be sad to
▪ would love to
▪
I'd love to ~ her win the gold medal.
▪ wait to
▪
I can't wait to ~ his face!
▪
We'll have to wait to ~ if sales hold up.
▪ expect to
▪
We expect to ~ an increase of 50–60%.
▪ be likely to
▪ be great to , be nice to
▪
It's nice to ~ the children playing together.
▪ be interesting to
▪ let sb
▪
A dolphin? Oh, let me ~!
▪
Let me ~ the evidence!
PREPOSITION
▪ into
▪
She claims that she can ~ into the future.
PHRASES
▪ get a/the chance to ~ , get an/the opportunity to ~
▪
I also got a chance to ~ what she looked like.
▪ have a/the chance to ~ , have an/the opportunity to ~
▪ only to ~
▪
I looked up, only to ~ Tommy chatting to someone.
▪ ~ at a glance
▪
You can ~ at a glance if all is well.
▪ ~ with the naked eye
▪
The star is bright enough to ~ with the naked eye.
▪ ~ (sth) with your own eyes
▪
I know it's hard to believe but I saw it with my own eyes.
2 visit sb
VERB + SEE
▪ come to
▪
Veronica came to ~ him in prison.
▪ come around to , come over to
▪
Logan came around to ~ me about a job.
▪
He came over to ~ me after my surgery.
▪ go to
▪
She went to ~ the doctor about it.
▪ want to , wish to
▪
What is it you want to ~ me about?
▪ be here to
▪
I'm here to ~ Lisa Daniels.
PREPOSITION
▪ about
▪
She's gone to ~ the mechanic about getting her car repaired.
3 understand/realize sth
VERB + SEE
▪ can
▪
I can ~ why you were so angry about it.
▪ cannot , do not
▪
I don't ~ why she should get more money than the others.
▪ be easy to
▪ be difficult to , be hard to
▪
It is difficult to ~ how to get around this problem.
▪ fail to
▪
I fail to ~ how this idea will help anyone.
4 find out
VERB + SEE
▪ want to
▪
I want to ~ how they'll react.
▪ come over , go over , look over
▪
He came over to ~ what was going on.
▪ let sb
▪
Let's ~ what happens.
PHRASES
▪ go and ~
▪
‘Is the taxi here?’ ‘I'll just go and ~.’
▪ wait and ~
▪
‘Is he going to get better?’ ‘I don't know, we'll just have to wait and ~.’
See is used with these nouns as the subject: ↑ century , ↑ decade , ↑ observer , ↑ viewer , ↑ year
See is used with these nouns as the object: ↑ action , ↑ advert , ↑ advertisement , ↑ adviser , ↑ article , ↑ attraction , ↑ beginning , ↑ benefit , ↑ blossom , ↑ broadcast , ↑ cathedral , ↑ chance , ↑ change , ↑ clip , ↑ collection , ↑ combat , ↑ commercial , ↑ commotion , ↑ connection , ↑ conspiracy , ↑ continuation , ↑ correlation , ↑ counsellor , ↑ cruelty , ↑ culmination , ↑ danger , ↑ dawn , ↑ day , ↑ decline , ↑ demise , ↑ demonstration , ↑ destruction , ↑ deterioration , ↑ diagram , ↑ difference , ↑ dip , ↑ disappointment , ↑ disbelief , ↑ display , ↑ distinction , ↑ distress , ↑ documentary , ↑ downturn , ↑ duty , ↑ DVD , ↑ emergence , ↑ end , ↑ episode , ↑ erosion , ↑ escalation , ↑ establishment , ↑ evidence , ↑ example , ↑ exhibit , ↑ exhibition , ↑ explosion , ↑ expression , ↑ extent , ↑ face , ↑ fall , ↑ fault , ↑ fight , ↑ figure , ↑ film , ↑ flare , ↑ flash , ↑ flaw , ↑ flicker , ↑ folly , ↑ footprint , ↑ futility , ↑ game , ↑ gap , ↑ ghost , ↑ glint , ↑ headlights , ↑ headline , ↑ hesitation , ↑ hope , ↑ horror , ↑ humour , ↑ hurt , ↑ importance , ↑ improvement , ↑ incident , ↑ inconsistency , ↑ increase , ↑ indication , ↑ influx , ↑ injustice , ↑ issue , ↑ justification , ↑ likeness , ↑ logic , ↑ match , ↑ memo , ↑ menu , ↑ merit , ↑ miracle , ↑ mirage , ↑ motive , ↑ movie , ↑ necessity , ↑ need , ↑ news , ↑ niche , ↑ notice , ↑ opportunity , ↑ outline , ↑ parallel , ↑ patient , ↑ performance , ↑ play , ↑ plight , ↑ point , ↑ poll , ↑ possibility , ↑ post , ↑ posting , ↑ potential , ↑ preview , ↑ problem , ↑ programme , ↑ progress , ↑ proof , ↑ reason , ↑ recovery , ↑ reduction , ↑ reflection , ↑ relationship , ↑ relevance , ↑ replay , ↑ report , ↑ resemblance , ↑ review , ↑ revival , ↑ revolution , ↑ sadness , ↑ scenery , ↑ sense , ↑ service , ↑ shape , ↑ shift , ↑ show , ↑ showing , ↑ side , ↑ sight , ↑ sign , ↑ silhouette , ↑ similarity , ↑ snippet , ↑ specialist , ↑ spectre , ↑ suffering , ↑ surgeon , ↑ table , ↑ talent , ↑ tape , ↑ thing , ↑ tragedy , ↑ trail , ↑ trailer , ↑ trend , ↑ twinkle , ↑ upturn , ↑ variation , ↑ vet , ↑ video , ↑ website , ↑ wince , ↑ work , ↑ world