Seen vs. Saw: Which Word Should You Use?
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Seen vs. Saw: Which Word Should You Use?
The words saw and seen have similar meanings and uses. Both refer to the use of sight in the past tense. However, they are not interchangeable.
If you have ever confused the two, or feel like you couldn’t explain the difference between saw and seen, this post will be very helpful. We will define each one and give you some easy examples to follow.
The Meaning of Saw and Seen
As mentioned, both saw and seen refer to sight in the past tense. Specifically, saw is the past-tense version of the verb see. Seen is the past participle. That means it needs a helping verb to make it work.
That subtle distinction is key to understanding seen vs. saw. If it seems unclear, don’t worry. We are going to show you exactly how both forms work with examples.
Also note that there is another definition of saw. It can be used as a noun (specifically a cutting tool). Most people have a harder time distinguishing the sight-related version of that word, though, so that’s what we’ll focus on today.
When to Use Saw
You’ll want to use saw anytime you are referring to sight in the past tense and without a helping verb, meaning it acts on its own in a sentence. The following examples use saw correctly:
I saw three squirrels at the park today.
Joan wants to buy the bracelet she saw in the shop window.
No one saw the car that hit the street sign.
So, saw is the right choice when you have a sentence using the simple past tense of sight. Now let’s move on to seen.
When to Use Seen
Because seen is the past participle of see, it needs a helping verb to complete its meaning as a verb in a sentence. That helping verb is often a form of to be (is, am, are, was, were, will be) or to have (have, has, had, will have).
This is one of those concepts that might sound tricky until you see it in action. The following examples correctly use seen as a past participle verb:
Jim caught the biggest fish we had ever seen.
The suspect was seen speeding on the highway.
Have you seen my purple socks anywhere?
I will be seen by the prime minister tomorrow.
With a bit of practice, you will begin to naturally identify where seen is the right fit in a sentence because of the presence of the helping verb.
Pop Quiz
Identify the correct use of saw or seen in each sentence.
1. Mariya [saw / seen] a black swan on the pond today.
2. You have [saw / seen] the Grand Canyon before, right?
3. By the time the tour is over, Lucas will have [saw / seen] the rock band in 10 different cities.
4. The UFO was [saw / seen] by at least fifteen people last night.
5. Yalda [saw / seen] a dress that she wanted to buy at the market.
Pop Quiz Answers
1. Mariya saw a black swan on the pond today.
2. You have seen the Grand Canyon before, right?
3. By the time the tour is over, Lucas will have seen the rock band in 10 different cities.
4. The UFO was seen by at least fifteen people last night.
5. Yalda saw a dress that she wanted to buy at the market.
Ready for Your Next Grammar Lesson?
Seen vs. saw can be a grammar challenge for some, but now you are certain of the difference. You can continue to grow as a writer and a grammarian with our vast archive of topics concerning American English. If you have a question about the post on this page, simply leave it below. If you have ideas about grammar topics, we welcome those as well!
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I believed that I was right; however, I notice people continually using seen and saw incorrectly. Thanks for clearing this up for me. Signed by someone who dropped out from middle school because I read from left to right. Yet, listening to people who went to college speak, I’m not sure of their education anymore.
I hear people on a daily basis use the word seen when they should have said saw. I actually had to look here to see if I had lost my marbles, and it seems I have not.