SEE, WATCH, HEAR, LISTEN, FEEL, SMELL, NOTICE, OBSERVE + object + bare infinitive
After verbs of perception (see, watch, hear, listen, feel, smell, notice, observe etc.), the infinitive expresses a completed action:
I felt the ground shake once. (I felt it as the ground shook once.)
I saw the burglar climb over the fence and break into the house. (I saw that the burglar climbed over the fence and broke into the house.)
I have never heard them play that song before. (I have never heard that song played by them before.)
In the passive voice, we use a to-infinitive:
The burglar was seen to climb over the fence.
A present participle after these verbs refers to an action continuing over a period of time:
I felt the ground shaking for about half a minute. (I felt that the ground was shaking.)
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