feel
Feel is a common verb that has several meanings. Its past tense and -ed participle is felt.
awareness
If you can feel something, you are aware of it because of your sense of touch, or you are aware of it in your body.
I can feel the heat of the sun on my face.
I wonder if insects can feel pain.
Be careful
You usually use can in sentences like these. You say, for example, ‘I can feel a pain in my foot’. Don't say ‘I feel a pain in my foot’. Also, don't use a progressive form. Don't say ‘I am feeling a pain in my foot’.
You usually use can in sentences like these. You say, for example, ‘I can feel a pain in my foot’. Don't say ‘I feel a pain in my foot’. Also, don't use a progressive form. Don't say ‘I am feeling a pain in my foot’.
If you want to say that someone was aware of something in the past, you use felt or could feel.
They felt the wind on their faces.
Through several layers of clothes I could feel his muscles.
However, if you want to say that someone suddenly became aware of something, you must use felt.
He felt a sting on his elbow.
You can use an -ing form after felt or could feel to show that someone was aware of something that was continuing to take place.
He could feel the sweat pouring down his face.
You can use an infinitive without to after felt to show that someone became aware of a single action.
She felt the boat move.
touching
When you feel an object, you touch it deliberately in order to find out what it is like.
The doctor felt her pulse.
impressions
The way something feels is the way it seems to you when you hold it or touch it.
The blanket felt soft.
How does it feel? Warm or cold?
It looks and feels like a normal fabric.
Be careful
When you use feel like this, don't use a progressive form. Don't say, for example, ‘The blanket was feeling soft’.
When you use feel like this, don't use a progressive form. Don't say, for example, ‘The blanket was feeling soft’.
emotions and sensations
You can use feel with an adjective to say that someone is or was experiencing an emotion or a physical sensation. When you use feel like this, you use either a simple form or a progressive form.
I feel lonely.
I'm feeling terrible.
She felt happy.
I was feeling hungry.
You can also use feel with a noun phrase to say that someone experiences an emotion or a physical sensation. When you use feel with a noun phrase, you use a simple form.
She felt a sudden desire to scream.
Be careful
When you use feel to say that someone experiences an emotion or a physical sensation, don't use a reflexive pronoun. Don't say, for example, ‘I felt myself uncomfortable’. You say ‘I felt uncomfortable’.
When you use feel to say that someone experiences an emotion or a physical sensation, don't use a reflexive pronoun. Don't say, for example, ‘I felt myself uncomfortable’. You say ‘I felt uncomfortable’.
‘feel like’
If you feel like a particular type of person or thing, you are aware of having some of the qualities or feelings of that person or thing.
If you want to feel like a star, travel like a star.
I feel like a mouse being chased by a cat.
If you feel like doing something, you want to do it.
Whenever I felt like talking, they were ready to listen.
Are there days when you don't feel like writing?
In sentences like these, you can sometimes use a noun phrase instead of an -ing form. For example, instead of saying ‘I feel like going for a walk’, you can say ‘I feel like a walk’.
I feel like a cup of coffee.
Be careful
Don't say that you ‘feel like to do’ something.
Don't say that you ‘feel like to do’ something.