"He felt a hand on his shoulder" vs "He was feeling a hand on his shoulder"

Question

"He felt a hand on his shoulder" vs "He was feeling a hand on his shoulder"

Both phrases are correct, but they convey slightly different nuances. 'He was feeling a hand on his shoulder' implies that the feeling was ongoing or in progress at a specific time, while 'He felt a hand on his shoulder' suggests a sudden or immediate sensation.

Last Updated: March 15, 2024

This phrase is used to describe a sudden or immediate sensation of a hand on the shoulder.

Examples:

He felt a hand on his shoulder and spun around to see who it was.
In the darkness, he felt a hand on his shoulder and froze in fear.

Alternatives:

He sensed a hand on his shoulder
He noticed a hand on his shoulder
He perceived a hand on his shoulder
He experienced a hand on his shoulder
He detected a hand on his shoulder

This phrase is used to describe a continuous or ongoing feeling of a hand on the shoulder at a particular moment.

Examples:

He was feeling a hand on his shoulder, but when he turned around, there was no one there.
As he sat in the dark room, he was feeling a hand on his shoulder, sending shivers down his spine.

Alternatives:

He was aware of a hand on his shoulder
He sensed a hand on his shoulder
He noticed a hand on his shoulder
He perceived a hand on his shoulder
He experienced a hand on his shoulder

Answer 1

He felt a hand on his shoulder

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English. It implies a sudden or immediate sensation of a hand on the shoulder.

Answer 2

He was feeling a hand on his shoulder

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English. It implies an ongoing feeling at a specific time.

"He felt a hand on his shoulder" vs "He was feeling a hand on his shoulder"

He felt a hand on his shoulder

He was feeling a hand on his shoulder

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