You're playing away, in your game of choice. Your character is about to try and kick someone's backside all over the scene.
1. Do you declare "I try to jump over the table and punch him"
2. Do you declare "I shove the table out of the way and take a swing at him"
3. Do you declare "I fling the table aside, scattering the crowd, and whip my fist into his face."
4. Do you declare "I leap across the table, grab him, and fling him along the bar, scattering drinks and people."
You see the difference? In the first example, you haven't even declared that the table moves, or that you succeed in throwing the punch. In the second, you do shove the table, and you do take a swing - but you're not sure you hit him. In the third example, you affect the table and the crowd, and you even declare that you punch him - but you don't declare anything happening to him. And in the last - he's something you affect, too.
Which do you favor as a player? As a GM? Why?