ENGLISH
REFERENCE

you see

fixed phr..
B1 Intermediate Oxford

fixed phr.. you use this when you are explaining something to someone to help them understand a situation or a reason.

fixed phr.. a pragmatic marker used to introduce an explanation, provide context, or ensure the listener is following the speaker's logic.


SIMPLE

I can't go, you see, because I have to work.

CONTEXTUAL

It's not that I don't like the car; you see, I simply cannot afford the insurance right now.

COMPLEX

The project failed not for lack of effort but because the initial assumptions were flawed, you see, and we never recovered.

Usage

usually acts as a filler or transition and can appear at the beginning, middle, or end of a sentence.

Teaching tip

explain that this is a 'filler' phrase used to build rapport or clarify points, similar to 'the thing is' or 'well'; it does not literally ask if the person can see something.

Pitfall

I am late, you are seeing, the bus broke down.I am late, you see, the bus broke down.this phrase is a fixed idiom and does not change tense or use the continuous '-ing' form.

© 2026 English Reference