Grammar fix
catch a glimpse
see briefly
to see someone or something for a very short moment, often by chance.
collocationB1occasional
Hear it in context
Notice where the phrase sounds natural.
I managed to catch a glimpse of the famous actor as he left the restaurant.
During my trip to London, I caught a glimpse of the Queen as her car passed by, which was a very exciting moment for me.
Fix the pattern
One small grammar move makes it sound right.
Not: I caught a glimpse on the singer.
Say: I caught a glimpse of the singer.
'A glimpse OF something', not 'on'.
Which sounds natural?
Tap the one a native speaker would say.
'Momentarily perceived a fleeting visual impression' is absurdly formal; 'caught a glimpse of' is normal.
Build natural chunks
Words that usually travel with it.
catch a glimpse of
- of
- only
- barely
- manage to