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look

Linking verb (= ‘seem’)​

Look can mean ‘seem’ or ‘appear’. In this case it is a linking verb (see here) and can be followed by adjectives or (in British English) nouns.

  • You look angry – what’s the matter? (not You look angrily …)
  • I looked a real fool when I fell in the river. (BrE)
  • The garden looks a mess. (BrE)

To talk about a temporary appearance, we can use simple or progressive forms; there is not much difference of meaning.

  • You look / You’re looking very unhappy. What’s the matter?

Look can be followed by like or as if (see here). Progressive forms are not usually used in this case.

  • She looks like her mother.
  • It looks as if it’s going to rain. (not It’s looking as if …)
  • She looks as if she’s dreaming.
  • She looks like she’s dreaming. (informal) (not She looks like dreaming.)

Look like …ing … (informal) is used with future reference in British English.

  • It looks like being a wet night. (= It looks as if it will be …)

Look + infinitive is also sometimes used in informal British English.

  • The team look to repeat their success. (= It looks as if they will …)

Ordinary verb (= ‘direct one’s eyes’)​

When look means ‘direct one’s eyes’, it is used with adverbs, not adjectives. Before an object, a preposition is necessary (usually at).

  • The boss looked at me angrily. (not The boss looked at me angry.)

A preposition is not used when there is no object.

  • Look! It’s changing colour. (not Look at! …)

Not followed by if​

Before if or whether, we use see or look to see, not look.

  • Could you see if Anna’s in the kitchen? (not Could you look if Anna’s in the kitchen?)
  • ‘What are you doing?’ ‘I’m looking to see whether these batteries are OK.’ (not I’m looking whether…)

look after and look for; fetch​

These are not the same. Look after means ‘take care of’; look for means ‘try to find’. Compare:

  • Could you look after the kids while I go shopping?
  • I spent ages looking for her before I found her.

Fetch, not look for, is used in British English, if we know where people or things are.

  • I’m going to the station at three o’clock to fetch Daniel. (not … to look for Daniel.)
note

For Look! used in persuading, (see here).

For the difference between look (at), watch and see, (see here).

For other uses of look, see a good dictionary.