word choice - I see a bus come

If you are at a bus stop, and see a bus coming, which version would you say, 1 or 2?

1. I see a bus come.


2. I see a bus coming.

If it is #2, then what does #1 mean exactly?

Answer

I see a bus come.

I see a bus coming.

When you say I see a bus come, it means the bus has already come, and now stopped at the stand. When you say I see a bus coming, it means the bus is on its way to the stop, progressing.

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1. 
   

   We saw Kim leave the bank.

   
   


2. 
   

   We saw Kim leaving the bank.

   
   

Slight as it is, there is a difference in meaning between those sentences.

In sentence #1, we saw the whole event of Kim's leaving the bank, while in sentence #2, we saw a segment of it. Sentence #2 has a progressive meaning in it. The contrast is same as that between Kim left the bank and Kim was leaving the bank.

_{From - CGEL page no. 1237}

Some other example sentences might be helpful -

3. 
   

   I saw him play.

   
   


4. 
   

   I saw him playing.

   
   
   

In sentence #3, it is meant that I saw his playing throughout the match, while in sentence #2, it meant that I saw his playing for sometime during the match. Something like that.