Improve Your English Vocabulary: Using Sense Verbs in Conversation

Hey, everyone. I'm Alex. Thanks for clicking, and welcome to this lesson on

sensory imperatives in English. Before I begin, I just want to make a quick note

that this video is made with respect to those who have sensory differences. So,

what does the word: "sensory" mean? It means related to the senses. So, what

are the human senses? There's touch, sight, smell, hearing — okay? We're

going to look at some verbs; and we're going to look at, at the end, another

way to give some imperatives that use sensory words. So, we have: "look" with

your eyes; "listen" with your ears, "feel" with your skin, your hands,

fingers; "watch" with your eyes; "touch" with your hands, with your skin; "smell"

with your nose; "taste" with your tongue; "try". Now, "try" could give,

you know... has a number of meanings. Typically, it could be for food. So, it

could be taste; it could be something else. And "check" — also could be

"touch", could be "smell", could be "taste"; a lot of different things. So,

we're going to start with these verbs.

Now, what is an "imperative" first of all? Well, it's similar to a command;

typically it starts with a verb. So, here, I have the affirmative form of:

"look", "listen", "feel", "watch", "touch", "smell", etc. You can also make

a negative imperative by saying: "Don't touch", "don't look" — right? — "don't

taste", "don't try", "don't check". Okay? So, I have a lot of different ways

that I've structured this board. And what I want to do is go through each

verb one by one, and let you know about some of the things that you can say with

that sensory verb. So, you can tell someone... you can either say: "Hey,

look". Now, if you want to direct their attention to a particular person, a

particular thing, you need to say: "look at". Right? So: "Look at me", "look at

yourself", "look at him", "look at her", "look at it", "look at us", "look at

them", "look at this", "look at that". You can also use adverbs with "look",

such as: "up" and "down". So, you can say: "Look up", "look down". Okay? So:

"Look there" or "look here", etcetera. Next, we have: "Listen". So, you could

just say: "Shh. Listen. Do you hear that?" Now, if you want to listen to a

particular thing, you need to say: "to". Right? So, you can say: "Don't listen to

me", or "don't listen to him, or "her", or "them"; or: "listen to this", if you

have a new song — right? — on your iPhone, or your cellphone, or whatever

kind of phone you have. So, you can direct people to listen to specific

things. So, don't forget: "Listen to", like: "Listen to this", "listen to her";

"listen here". So, again, the "listen here" — it can be used to strongly...

just to say: "Pay attention to me; listen here". It could also mean, like:

"Hey. Listen here"; like, in this part of the wall I hear something in the next

part; in the next room. "Listen up". I should have put an asterisk here.

"Listen up" is a phrasal verb, which simply means: Listen now. So, you can

say: "Listen up, everyone". And that is one of the phrasal verb commands in my

30 phrasal verb command videos, so if you want more, you know... phrasal

verbs, like: "Listen up" —watch that video.

Next, we have: "feel". So, you know... "Feel this", "feel that". It's similar

to taying-... saying: "touch". Right? So, "touch" and "feel" are very much

related. So, you can say: "Feel here", "feel there". "Feel it"... if you have a

pet and you want... and they have really soft fur because they're like: "Feel...

feel his fur". Right? Or: "Feel her fur", if you have a cat or a dog with

real, like, soft fur. "Watch". So, "watch" is different from "see". Where

did I put "see"? Did I put "see"? I didn't put "see". Okay. Well, "watch" it

is — that's what we're gonna go with. So, "watch" refers to — right? — paying

attention with your eyes. So, you "watch movies", you "watch TV shows". So, you

can say: "Watch me", "watch yourself". "Watch yourself" means, like: I'm a

little uncomfortable with what you're saying right now, so take a step back;

be careful — "watch yourself". So, that's an idiomatic meaning. Now, you

can say: "Hey. Watch this", if you have a video on your phone. Right? Or: "Watch

that". You can also say: "Watch here", "watch there". If you're showing someone

a YouTube video, and you want them to pay attention on a very specific part of

the video, you can say: "Watch here. Watch here. Yeah. Did you see that? It

was really funny." Next, we have: "touch". Right? So, "touch" refers to,

like, I'm touching the board. "Touch him", "touch her", "touch it", "touch

them", "touch this", "touch that", "touch here", "touch there". Again, if

you have, like, this thing, right here — this is a fake book or something... oh,

okay. It's a chest. Nice. Oh, that feels interesting. And I might tell someone:

"Touch here. This... this kind of feels cool". Or: "Touch this", "touch that".

It has a rough feeling to it. Okay, next: "smell". So, you smell with your

nose. You can say... yeah. Like: "Smell this", "smell that", "smell here",

"smell there". Or: "Don't smell that", if it's, like, ammonia or something that

is very, very strong; that is a chemical that can really affect you and your

brain. So, you might want to tell someone, like: "Don't smell that" or

"don't touch that". Right? All right.

"Taste". "Taste this". Right? With your tongue. So, this is for food typically;

and you can also say, you know... "Taste this", "taste that", "taste here",

"taste there". If you have a plate with a variety of foods, you might say:

"Taste here", "tastes there". It's not very common, but it's... it's possible.

The reason why I put the asterisk here: It's not common to say, like: "Taste

here", "taste there", but it's... it is possible, technically. Okay? Next, I'm

going to do "try" and "check" together because "try" and "check" can both mean

to sample something. So: "Try this", "try that", "try it". So, this could

mean usually to, you know... taste food, for example. Like, you "try" food, if

we're talking about sensory verbs specifically. So, you can ask someone to

"try" something. You can also ask someone to "check" something — right? —

to verify its taste; if it's okay. So, you can also use the phrasal verbs...

I'm just going to step off the screen for one moment. With "try" and "check",

you can say: "Check this", "that", or "it out". So, I put an asterisk there,

just because: "Check it out", "try it out" — these are phrasal verb commands;

phrasal verb imperatives, which mean: "Try it". Okay? Or: "Check it out"

means, like: "Hey. Look at this", or "Check it out", like, you know... try

this thing. Or: "Check it out. Listen to this song." Okay?

At the very bottom, you can also use this imperative with sensory words. So,

you can say: "Give this", "give that", "give it a look". It's easier if I'm on

this side. So, I'll... I'll say: "Give it". "Give it a look". Right? So, I have

a book. "Here, give it a look. Maybe you'll like it". "Give it a taste. Have

some soup". Right? "Give it a taste". "Give it a smell". Like: "Smell it;

sample it with your nose". "Give it a whiff". So, a "whiff" is another way to

say "smell". Now, a "whiff" is like a... just a quick smell, like that. So, if I

say: "Give it a whiff", it means, like: "Smell it quickly, and let me know what

you think. Does it need more basil? Does it need more mint?" if I'm cooking

something. "Give it a watch". Right? So, if you're recommending a new series for

your friend to watch, you can say: "Yeah, that's a really good series. You

should give it a watch." Right? Like: "Give it a watch. Watch it". "Give it a

listen". I have a new album that I bought, and I'm really enjoying it. I

don't know why I'm doing this; almost no one buy CDs anymore. But I bought a new

album at, you know... maybe from Bandcamp or something like that. And I

say: "This was really good. I think you would like it; give it a listen". Or, in

your car, you can say: "Hey. Give this a listen". All right? "Give it a try". So,

to "give something a try", again, is to sample it.

So, I hope that we have been able to, you know... improve our English in this

video; that you have been able to expand your vocabulary; and you see the range

of sensory verbs that you can use to give imperatives to people; to ask them

to sample things, to try things to... "Look at this", "look at that", "check

this out". These are all very useful, very common imperatives. And before we

finish, I'm just going to, you know... say a couple of them one more time, so

that you can repeat after me. "Look at this". "Listen to that". "Feel this".

"Watch this". "Touch here". "Smell that". "Taste this". "Don't try that".

"Check that out". And one more time, with "give this". I'll say: "Give this".

"Give this a look". "Give this a taste". "Give that a smell". "Give it a whiff".

"Give it a watch". "Give this a listen". "Give it a try". Perfect. As always, if

you want to test your understanding of the material we have covered in this

video, you can check out the quiz on www.engvid.com. Also, don't forget to

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