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1. object infinitive or -ing form
Hear, see, watch, notice and similar verbs of perception can be followed by object infinitive (without to) or object -ing form.
I heard him go down the stairs.
I heard him going down the stairs. (NOT I heard him went down the stairs.)
There is often a difference of meaning. We use an infinitive after these verbs to say that we hear or see the whole of an action or event, and we use an -ing form to suggest that we hear or see an action or event in progress, going on. Compare:
----- I saw her cross the road. ( = As I looked, she crossed it from one side to the other.)
I saw her crossing the road. (= As I looked, she was crossing it - she was in the middle, on her way across)
----- I once heard him give a talk on Japanese politics.
As I walked past his room I heard him talking on the phone.
----- Watch me jump over the stream.
I like to watch people walking in the street.
----- I heard the bomb explode. (NOT I heard the bomb exploding.)
I saw the book lying on the table. (NOT I saw the book lie.....)
A progressive form can suggest repetition.
I saw her throwing stones at the other children.
After can see/hear (which refer to actions and events that are in progress), only -ing structure is used.
I could see John getting on the bus. (NOT I could see John get...)
These structures can be used after passive forms of hear and see. In this case, the infinitive has to.