Hear
As long as there is a sound and someone’s ear can receive and process the sound, someone can hear.
Hearing is a physical activity of sound falling on ears, and the ears ability to process the sound.
We can often hear noise because it exists and we are there.
Sometimes we are unable to hear because the quality of sound is poor. We may ask for the volume to be increased, move closer to the source or reconnect a call.
We do not decide to hear, it can be a coincidence; we can hear traffic outside our home, other people talking away from us, the wind or rain outside or people talking outside in the street.
Examples
Can you hear me?
Can you hear that noise downstairs?
Did you hear the thunder?
Listen
To listen is a deliberate decision to apply the ability to hear.
Someone who listens is thinking about what they can hear.
We listen to what people say, music and the radio.
We cannot listen to anything if we cannot hear anything.
We decide if we want to listen or not.
Even if we hear something, we may decide to not listen it.
Examples
I am not interested so I will not listen.
I was doing something else and was not able to listen.
I listen to podcasts in English every day.
Can I listen to this?
See
To see is an ability.
See is to notice or become aware of something by using our eyes.
If your eyes are open and something is there in front of them, you will see something.
You can decide to not see something by closing your eyes.
Examples
Can you see the squirrel over there, in the trees?
If you get off the bus and cross the road, you will see my house next to the library.
Don’t worry about the stain on your shirt, nobody can see it.
Look
You make a decision to look at something.
You must want to look at something.
You look with attention to detail.
Examples
Wow, look at that!
Can everyone look at the presentation please!
They must look for a solution to the problem.
Your turn!
What can you hear right now?
What have you listened to today?
What can you see out of your window?
What is the first thing you look at after you wake up?