VERBS OF THE SENSES

UNIT 5B

VERBS OF THE SENSES PT. II

When we talk about the impression something or someone gives us through the senses, we use:

Look, feel, smell, sound, taste

How we can use them:

1. An adjective
2. Like + noun
3. as if/ as though + a clause
4. Compare smell / taste of and smell / taste like

EXAMPLES (1)

• When you use that cream your skin feels really smooth.
• When he talked to us sounded nervous.
• You look tired.
• That smells fantastic.
• The soup tasted a bit salty.

(2)Like + Noun

We can also use look, smell, sound, taste and feel + like before a noun:

• You look like your mother.
• This tastes like chicken, not pork.
• It sounds like thunder.

(3) As if/ as though/ a clause

1. She looked as if/ as though she had been crying.
2. It sounds as if/ as though someone is triying to open the door.
3. You sound as if you had a long party last nigt.
4. You look as though you've just seen a ghost.

(4)

NOTE: That we say smell/taste of when the smell of flavour are of the real thing and we say smell/taste like when it's a smell or flavor similar to a real thing. COMPARE

1. The soup smells of cheese (=There is cheese in it).
2. The soup smells like cheese (=The smell is similar to the smell of cheese, but it probably doesn't contain cheese).

SEEM VERB

You seem worried. Is something wrong?

After seem we can use:

1. An adjective.
2. An infinitive (Simple of perfect or continous)
3. Like + noun or as if/ as though + a verb phrase

Note: Seem is not used in the continous form.

EXAMPLES

1. You seem tired. Didn't you sleep enough last night?
2. You seem to be a bit down today. Are you OK?

The waiter seems to have made a mistake with the bill.

3. It seemed like a good idea at the time, but in fact it wasn't. It seems as if/ as though every time I clean the car it rains.

THANKS!