Episode 110
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Hi, dear students! I'm Georgiana, founder of SpeakEnglishPodcast.com. My mission is to help you to speak English fluently. Speaking English is way easier when you use the right material and techniques.
Let’s talk again about the repetitive use of the word "look." Seriously, you gotta stop using the word "look" all the time. There are many more words that you can use instead. I will help you to choose the right one depending on the context.
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Therefore, today, I will continue to enrich your vocabulary and help you to sound more like a native English speaker.
And with a point of view story, you will practice your English speaking and you will learn grammar without memorizing any rules.
By the way, you can find my podcast everywhere on the internet.
If you need to read the transcript, I recommend listening to the podcast on my website SpeakEnglishPodcast.com
Ok! Let's learn some new words that replace the word "look."
#1) To watch
We’ll start with the word "to watch."
Many students confuse "watch" with "see," so I will take a closer look at the difference between these two terms.
Two weeks ago, in episode #108, we saw that we use "see" to express the ability to discern visually. You are aware of your surroundings by using your eyes.
We use the term "watch" when we observe something happening in front of us or on television, for example.
However, we don’t need to participate in what we see actively.
Examples:
"Last night, I watched TV until 2 am."
"As a kid, I always liked to watch a plane take off."
"My friend Rachel and I watched a movie last night."
#2) To view
We continue now with "view."
For instance, you can view a presentation or a movie.
But if we want to be specific, we'll use "view" mostly when we're looking at something up close and examining it.
Examples:
"Before you buy a property, make sure to view it a few times."
"We’re excited to view your summer collection."
"I normally view situations objectively, especially when it comes to business."
#3) To Spot
We can use the word to spot literally or figuratively.
And what happens when you find something?
When you find something you are looking for, we can say that you have spotted it.
For example, you may spot a stain on a shirt.
Examples:
"I know him so well that I could spot him even among a large crowd."
"I’m not sure if it’s easy to spot a cheap imitation."
"Unfortunately, you failed to spot the error. "
#4) To Stare
Another word you could use in order to replace "look" is "stare."
"Stare" is similar to "glare," but we don’t necessarily use it in a negative situation.
For example, when you have a crush on someone, you might spend all day staring at them.
And if you have a pet, you might have already noticed how they stare at you whenever they are hungry.
Examples:
"Stop staring at me like that! You're making me uncomfortable."
"We all stared at the beautiful girl next door."
"If you want to stare at him, at least don't make it so self-evident."
#5) To inspect
When you "inspect" something, you take an active role in examining something. Let's say that you inspect a house before you buy it. You can also inspect your friend's house, to get some decorating ideas.
Example:
"You must inspect the vehicle before you purchase it."
#6) To gaze
This is another word you can use to replace the word "look."
We use the word "gaze" when we are admiring something or someone.
When you "gaze," you usually look at someone/something for a long time.
Examples:
"Rachel gazed at Tom with admiration as he spoke."
"Bobby spends hours gazing out the window, waiting for his dad to come home."
Speaking Practice
POV Story: Grammar in Context
Read the same story from different points of view and notice how grammar changes naturally.
First version
Present Tense
Have you ever heard of Detective Colombo? He is a fictional character and one of the most-watched TV shows in the ’80s.
And what does this homicide detective do on a typical day?
Well, every time he gets to a crime scene, he inspects the surroundings from a distance, so he can spot anything out of the ordinary.
He always views every detail objectively since he deals with complex crime scenes.
When he approaches potential suspects, he stares at them directly in the eye while he interrogates them.
He meticulously inspects all the evidence in great detail, so he always spots something others might miss out on.
Finally, once he gathers all the evidence, he gazes into the sky, trying to figure out who the bad guy is.
Second version
Past Tense
Have you ever heard of Detective Colombo? He was a fictional character and one of the most-watched TV shows in the ’80s.
And what did this homicide detective do on a typical day?
Well, every time he arrived at a crime scene, he inspected the surroundings from a distance, so he could spot anything out of the ordinary.
He always viewed every detail objectively since he dealt with complex crime scenes.
When he approached potential suspects, he stared at them directly in the eye while he interrogated them.
He meticulously inspected all the evidence in great detail, so he always spotted something others missed out on.
Finally, once he gathered all the evidence, he gazed into the sky, trying to figure out who the bad guy was.
Thanks for listening, and I’ll see you in the next episode.
Review
Vocabulary from This Episode
Review the most useful words and expressions before listening again.
01 watch
look at something for a period of time.
05 inspect
examine something carefully.
02 view
look at or examine something.
06 gaze
look steadily, often with admiration or thought.
03 spot
notice or identify something, often from a distance.
07 crime scene
the place where a crime occurred.
04 stare
look fixedly at someone or something.
08 evidence
facts or objects that help prove what happened.


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