The words "visible" and "seen" are often confused, but they have distinct meanings. "Visible" describes something that can be seen; it emphasizes the capability of being seen. "Seen" is the past participle of the verb "to see," indicating that something has been observed. The key difference is that "visible" describes a state of being perceivable, while "seen" describes an action that has already taken place.

Here are some example sentences to illustrate the difference:

• Visible: The star is visible tonight. (The star can be seen tonight.)

• Seen: I've seen that movie three times. (I have observed that movie three times.)

• Visible: The house is barely visible through the fog. (The house can only be seen with difficulty through the fog.)

• Seen: Have you seen my keys anywhere? (Have you observed the location of my keys?)

• Visible: Many different birds are visible from my window. (Many different birds can be seen from my window.)

• Seen: The children have never seen snow before. (The children have never observed snow.)

Notice that "visible" is usually an adjective describing the state of something, while "seen" is part of a verb phrase describing a completed action. Understanding this difference will significantly improve your English writing and speaking.

Happy learning!