Using "see through" and "look through"

"see through" and "look through" are phrasal verbs. Are they the same in meaning? Read on and find out.

"see through" can be used in two different meanings
(past tense - saw through/past participle - seen through)
1st meaning: realizing/knowing about something or not being deceived or tricked by someone
Example sentences:
We were able to see through those men even though their credentials showed that they were police officers. (i.e. We knew very well those men were not police officers and were just in their disguise.)
She saw through Henry's little game. (i.e. She knew for sure that Henry was trying to play a trick on her.
Fortunately, the young waitresses saw through their manager's plot of abducting them overseas for prostitution. (i.e.) The waitresses realized/knew their manager was planning to abduct them overseas for prostitution

Note that in the sentence "You can see through clear glass windows", "see through" is NOT used as a phrasal verb. "see" is used as an action verb and "through" is used as a preposition. It means you can see the scenery outside without opening the windows.

2nd meaning: not to abandon/leave a job or project or task until it is totally accomplished or finished
Note that the noun must come between "see" and "through" like this:
They were determined to see the project through. (i.e.They were determined to work on the project until it is complete.)

Note: Do not get confused with "see through" and "see-through". "See" and "through" separated by a hyphen is a hyphenated adjective and it means transparent or translucent or thin. It is usually used to describe clothes, glass and plastic things.
Example sentences:
All the lady teachers have been warned not to wear see-through clothes during schooling hours.(i.e. not to wear clothes made from very thin/flimsy material)
Most mothers prefer see-through feeding bottles for their infants. (i.e. transparent feeding bottles)

"look through" can be used in two different meanings
1st meaning: ignore somebody and pretend not to see/know him or her
Example sentences:
Pauline did see me, but she just looked through me. (i.e. Pauline pretended not to see me.)
Note that the word straight may be used after "look" to make the speech sound more emphatic.
We greeted our pompous director but he just looked straight through us.
(i.e. ignored us completely)

2nd meaning: examine or read something quickly
All the candidates looked through their notes just before the examination. (i.e. read their notes quickly)
Has the boss looked through the inventory yet? (i.e. examined the inventory)

Click on "vocabulary articles" for more words/phrasal verbs.

By Susan L
On 1/21/2010 05:30:00 PM
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Using "see through" and "look through"

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