Learn English – Sentence Structure – “I’m seeing very few people roam or roaming…”

grammargrammaticality

I would like to check if my following sentence structure is correct.

I'm seeing very few people roam in the streets these days.

or

I'm seeing very few people roaming in the streets these days.

Best Answer

To begin with you don't need the "in" in either of them. One "roams the streets", not "in them".

Strictly "roaming" - present participle fits with the present continuous main verb "I'm seeing".

But "roam"- simple present, is idiomatic in such an adjectival clause - though with perhaps a slight change of meaning. "Roam" to my mind would suggest a more deliberate activity, than "roaming" and would work better with the simple present "I see very few people..." Others may disagree.

But I believe you are reasonably safe with either:

  1. I'm seeing very few people roaming the streets these days.
  2. I'm seeing very few people roam the streets these days.
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