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I have seen many examples like "and I see the guy take my bag" or "I would watch him cry". But I wonder if it is correct to say "and I see the guy taking my bag" or "I would watch him crying". If yes, is there any difference?

Also, how would you say those sentences in past? "and I saw the guy took my bag"?..

Moreover, is it correct to say "you can experience different emotions as he sings"? or "as he is singing"? or "while he sings"? or "while he is singing"?

Could you please clarify these things for me. Thank you in advance.

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  • English Language Learners Stack Exchange might be a better place for your question.
    – MikeJRamsey56
    Jul 27, 2017 at 19:23
  • The only reason we say "I see the guy take (or taking) my bag" in conversation is to bring the scene alive, as though our story is happening in the present. Commonly: "Picture this, I see him take it, and there's nothing I can do!"
    – Yosef Baskin
    Jul 27, 2017 at 20:10

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All are fine. The sentences for both examples are very close in meaning, but yes, there are differences. In the second sentence for the first example, we can't tell if the guy completed the action (of taking the bag). The difference is even more subtle between the sentences for your second example. In the second sentence, the sense I get is that you would watch him while tears were flowing down his face, and there's less suggestion of it ever ending.

It would be:

And I saw the guy take my bag.

Only the first verb should be changed to a past form.

You could say that. Something like "you can experience different emotions listening to his singing" sounds much more natural to me, though.

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