Seemmeans ‘appear in a particular way’. We can use it as a linking verb (likebe)or with ato-infinitive. We do not normally useseemin the continuous form:
Sheseemsvery young to be a teacher.
Not:She is seeming…
Iseemto be the only person who hasn’t heard the news.(+to-infinitive)
Seemas a linking verb
Seemas a linking verb is followed by an adjective or, less commonly, a noun:
Itseemsstrange that no one noticed that the window was broken.(+ adjective)
Glendaseemshappier these days.
Buying a new carseemsa complete waste of money to me. A used one would be just as good.(+ noun)
We can use the impersonal constructionit seemsorit seemedwith athat-clause, or withas iforas thoughand a clause:
It seemsthatthe village shop will have to close down. They can’t find a buyer for it.
It seemsas ifhe wants everyone to feel sorry for him, but I don’t.
It seemedas thoughtime was standing still. She wanted that moment to last forever.
Whenseemis followed by a clause, we can refer to the person who experiences the situation using a prepositional phrase withto:
Itseemedto everyonethatthe police were over-reacting, but no one dared to criticise them.
Itseemsto meas thoughshe needs help.
It seems likeand a clause is less formal thanit seems that…:
It seemslikehe’s going to sell his house and move to Canada.(more formal:It seems thathe’s going to …)
Seem+to-infinitive
We can useseemwith ato-infinitive:
Tony alwaysseemsto offend people.
Everybodyseemedto be ready, so we set off.
The old manseemsto have mistaken us for some people he knew years ago.
We can also use the impersonal constructionthere seems to beorthere seemed to be, followed by a noun:
There seems to bea mistake in these calculations. Can we check them?
There seemed to beno reason why she should not come with us, so we all travelled together.
See also:
Appear