Mastering Verb ‘S’ Endings: A Comprehensive Guide 2025

The proper use of verb endings, particularly the ‘s’ ending, is a fundamental aspect of English grammar. Mastering this seemingly simple concept is crucial for clear and accurate communication.

This article provides an in-depth exploration of verbs ending in ‘s’, covering their definition, usage rules, common mistakes, and practical exercises. Whether you’re a beginner or an advanced learner, this guide will equip you with the knowledge and skills to confidently use verbs with ‘s’ endings.

This guide is designed for English language learners of all levels, from beginners who are just starting to grasp the basics of subject-verb agreement to advanced speakers who want to refine their grammar and avoid common errors. Native English speakers can also benefit from this comprehensive overview, which clarifies frequently misunderstood rules and provides a solid foundation for effective writing and speaking.

Table of Contents

• Definition of Verbs Ending in ‘S’
• Structural Breakdown
• Types and Categories of Verb ‘S’ Endings
• Examples of Verbs Ending in ‘S’
• Usage Rules for Verbs Ending in ‘S’
• Common Mistakes with Verb ‘S’ Endings
• Practice Exercises
• Advanced Topics
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Conclusion

Definition of Verbs Ending in ‘S’

A verb ending in ‘s’ is typically the third-person singular present tense form of a verb in English. This means it is used when the subject of the verb is a singular noun or pronoun, such as he, she, it, or a noun that represents a single entity (e.g., the cat, John, the company). The ‘s’ ending indicates that the action is being performed by a single person or thing in the present moment.

The primary function of the ‘s’ ending is to ensure subject-verb agreement. Subject-verb agreement is a fundamental grammatical rule that states that the verb must agree in number with its subject. If the subject is singular, the verb must be singular; if the subject is plural, the verb must be plural. The ‘s’ ending is the most common way to mark a verb as singular in the present tense.

Consider these examples:

• He eats apples.
• She walks to school.
• The dog barks loudly.

In each of these sentences, the subject is singular, and the verb ends in ‘s’.

Structural Breakdown

The structure of verbs ending in ‘s’ is relatively straightforward. The base form of the verb is modified by adding an ‘s’ or ‘es’ at the end.

The specific rule for adding ‘s’ or ‘es’ depends on the ending of the base verb.

Here’s a breakdown of the rules:

• Most verbs: Add ‘s’ to the base form. (e.g., walk becomes walks, eat becomes eats)
• Verbs ending in -s, -ss, -sh, -ch, -x, or -z: Add ‘es’ to the base form. (e.g., kiss becomes kisses, watch becomes watches, fix becomes fixes)
• Verbs ending in a consonant + ‘y’: Change the ‘y’ to ‘i’ and add ‘es’. (e.g., study becomes studies, cry becomes cries)
• Verbs ending in a vowel + ‘y’: Simply add ‘s’. (e.g., play becomes plays, enjoy becomes enjoys)

The verb “to have” is an irregular verb and has a unique third-person singular form: has.

Types and Categories of Verb ‘S’ Endings

Regular Verbs

Most verbs in English are regular verbs, which means they follow a predictable pattern for forming the third-person singular present tense. As mentioned earlier, you simply add ‘s’ to the base form of the verb.

Examples:

• He works hard.
• She reads books.
• It rains often.

Irregular Verbs

Irregular verbs do not follow the standard rules for forming the third-person singular present tense. The most common irregular verb is “to have,” which becomes “has.” Another irregular verb is “to be”, which has the forms “is”, “am”, and “are”.

Examples:

• He has a car.
• She is happy.

Verbs Ending in -s, -ss, -sh, -ch, -x, or -z

These verbs require the addition of ‘es’ to the base form to create the third-person singular present tense.

Examples:

• He kisses his wife.
• She watches TV.
• It fixes the problem.

Verbs Ending in Consonant + ‘y’

For verbs ending in a consonant followed by ‘y’, you must change the ‘y’ to ‘i’ and add ‘es’.

Examples:

• He studies English.
• She cries easily.
• It flies high.

Verbs Ending in Vowel + ‘y’

For verbs ending in a vowel followed by ‘y’, you simply add ‘s’.

Examples:

• He plays the guitar.
• She enjoys music.
• It stays here.

Examples of Verbs Ending in ‘S’

The following tables provide extensive examples of verbs ending in ‘s’ across different categories, illustrating their usage in various contexts. These examples will help solidify your understanding of how to correctly apply the rules of subject-verb agreement.

Regular Verbs Examples

This table showcases regular verbs and their third-person singular present tense forms. Notice how the ‘s’ is simply added to the base verb.

Base Verb	Third-Person Singular (with ‘s’)	Example Sentence
Walk	Walks	He walks to school every day.
Eat	Eats	She eats breakfast at 7 AM.
Sleep	Sleeps	The baby sleeps soundly.
Work	Works	He works at a bank.
Read	Reads	She reads novels in her free time.
Write	Writes	He writes emails every morning.
Speak	Speaks	She speaks fluent Spanish.
Sing	Sings	The bird sings beautifully.
Dance	Dances	She dances gracefully.
Cook	Cooks	He cooks delicious meals.
Clean	Cleans	She cleans the house every week.
Drive	Drives	He drives to work.
Listen	Listens	She listens to music.
Watch	Watches	He watches movies.
Learn	Learns	She learns quickly.
Teach	Teaches	He teaches English.
Help	Helps	She helps her friends.
Call	Calls	He calls his mother every day.
Play	Plays	He plays the piano.
Think	Thinks	She thinks too much.
Open	Opens	He opens the door.
Close	Closes	She closes the window.
Start	Starts	The meeting starts at 9 AM.
Finish	Finishes	He finishes his work early.
Live	Lives	She lives in New York.

Verbs Ending in -s, -ss, -sh, -ch, -x, or -z Examples

This table provides examples of verbs that require ‘es’ to be added to form the third-person singular present tense. Note the specific endings of these verbs.

Base Verb	Third-Person Singular (with ‘es’)	Example Sentence
Kiss	Kisses	He kisses his wife goodnight.
Miss	Misses	She misses her family.
Wash	Washes	He washes the car on Sundays.
Push	Pushes	She pushes the stroller.
Watch	Watches	He watches TV after dinner.
Catch	Catches	She catches the bus every morning.
Fix	Fixes	He fixes computers.
Mix	Mixes	She mixes the ingredients.
Buzz	Buzzes	The bee buzzes around the flower.
Quiz	Quizzes	The teacher quizzes the students.
Dress	Dresses	She dresses elegantly.
Brush	Brushes	He brushes his teeth.
Reach	Reaches	She reaches for the top shelf.
Teach	Teaches	He teaches history.
Box	Boxes	He boxes at the gym.
Fuzz	Fuzzes	The microphone fuzzes sometimes.
Rush	Rushes	She rushes to get ready.
Crunch	Crunches	He crunches on the chips.
Approach	Approaches	He approaches the podium.
Dispatch	Dispatches	The company dispatches orders daily.
Assess	Assesses	The teacher assesses the students’ work.
Express	Expresses	He expresses his opinion.
Witness	Witnesses	She witnesses the accident.
Possess	Possesses	He possesses a rare talent.
Tax	Taxes	The government taxes imports.

Verbs Ending in Consonant + ‘y’ Examples

This table demonstrates how verbs ending in a consonant followed by ‘y’ change to ‘i’ and add ‘es’ in the third-person singular present tense.

Base Verb	Third-Person Singular (with ‘ies’)	Example Sentence
Study	Studies	He studies math at university.
Cry	Cries	She cries during sad movies.
Try	Tries	He tries his best.
Fly	Flies	The bird flies high in the sky.
Carry	Carries	He carries the groceries.
Worry	Worries	She worries about everything.
Apply	Applies	He applies for the job.
Reply	Replies	She replies to the email.
Satisfy	Satisfies	The food satisfies his hunger.
Defy	Defies	He defies authority.
Deny	Denies	She denies the allegations.
Employ	Employs	The company employs many people.
Occupy	Occupies	The army occupies the territory.
Identify	Identifies	He identifies the problem.
Justify	Justifies	She justifies her actions.
Modify	Modifies	He modifies the program.
Nullify	Nullifies	The court nullifies the agreement.
Purify	Purifies	The filter purifies the water.
Rectify	Rectifies	He rectifies the error.
Testify	Testifies	She testifies in court.
Verify	Verifies	He verifies the information.
Ally	Allies	The country allies with its neighbors.
Comply	Complies	He complies with the regulations.
Supply	Supplies	The company supplies the materials.
Terrify	Terrifies	The horror movie terrifies her.

Irregular Verb Examples

This table showcases the irregular verb “to have” and its third-person singular form, “has,” along with the verb “to be” and its third-person singular form, “is”.

Base Verb	Third-Person Singular	Example Sentence
Have	Has	He has a new car.
Be	Is	She is a teacher.
Do	Does	He does his homework.

Usage Rules for Verbs Ending in ‘S’

The most important rule to remember is that verbs ending in ‘s’ are used with singular subjects in the present tense. Here’s a more detailed breakdown:

• Singular Nouns: Use the ‘s’ ending when the subject is a singular noun. (e.g., The cat sleeps on the mat.)
• Singular Pronouns: Use the ‘s’ ending with the singular pronouns he, she, and it. (e.g., He works hard.)
• Indefinite Pronouns: Some indefinite pronouns are considered singular, such as everyone, someone, anyone, nobody, each, and every. (e.g., Everyone likes pizza.)
• Collective Nouns: Collective nouns (e.g., team, family, committee) can be singular or plural depending on whether they are acting as a single unit or as individual members. If the collective noun is acting as a single unit, use the singular verb form with ‘s’. (e.g., The team plays well together.)
• Titles and Names: Proper nouns, such as book titles, company names, and geographical locations, that appear plural but refer to a single entity take a singular verb. (e.g., “Great Expectations” is a famous novel.)

Exceptions:

• I and You: The pronouns I and you do not take the ‘s’ ending in the present tense. (e.g., I eat breakfast., You walk to school.)
• Plural Nouns and Pronouns: Plural nouns and pronouns (e.g., we, they, cats, students) do not take the ‘s’ ending in the present tense. (e.g., They eat apples., The students study hard.)
• Modal Verbs: Modal verbs (e.g., can, should, must, might) do not take the ‘s’ ending. (e.g., He can swim.)
• Subjunctive Mood: In the subjunctive mood, the ‘s’ ending is not used, even with singular subjects. This is often used in hypothetical or conditional statements. (e.g., I suggest that he be on time.)

Common Mistakes with Verb ‘S’ Endings

One of the most frequent errors in English grammar is the incorrect use of the ‘s’ ending on verbs. Here are some common mistakes to avoid:

Incorrect	Correct	Explanation
He eat apples.	He eats apples.	The subject “he” is singular, so the verb must end in ‘s’.
They eats apples.	They eat apples.	The subject “they” is plural, so the verb should not end in ‘s’.
She have a car.	She has a car.	“Have” is an irregular verb; the correct third-person singular form is “has”.
I eats breakfast.	I eat breakfast.	The pronoun “I” does not take the ‘s’ ending.
You eats breakfast.	You eat breakfast.	The pronoun “you” does not take the ‘s’ ending.
The students studies hard.	The students study hard.	“Students” is plural.
Every student study hard.	Every student studies hard.	“Every student” is singular.
The team play well.	The team plays well.	“The team” is acting as a single unit.
He can swims well.	He can swim well.	Modal verbs don’t take ‘s’.
She should works harder.	She should work harder.	Modal verbs don’t take ‘s’.
The dog bark loudly.	The dog barks loudly.	The subject “dog” is singular, so the verb must end in ‘s’.
My parents lives in London.	My parents live in London.	“My parents” is plural, so the verb should not end in ‘s’.
The child play in the park.	The child plays in the park.	The subject “child” is singular, so the verb must end in ‘s’.
We goes to the cinema every week.	We go to the cinema every week.	The pronoun “we” does not take the ‘s’ ending.
He don’t like coffee.	He doesn’t like coffee.	The correct auxiliary verb for the third-person singular is “doesn’t.”

Practice Exercises

Test your knowledge of verbs ending in ‘s’ with these practice exercises. Choose the correct verb form to complete each sentence.

Exercise 1: Basic Subject-Verb Agreement

Choose the correct verb form in the following sentences.

Question	Answer
1. He (walk/walks) to school every day.	walks
2. They (eat/eats) lunch together.	eat
3. She (have/has) a beautiful voice.	has
4. I (like/likes) to read books.	like
5. The dog (bark/barks) loudly.	barks
6. You (speak/speaks) English very well.	speak
7. It (rain/rains) a lot in this area.	rains
8. We (watch/watches) movies on weekends.	watch
9. He (study/studies) hard for his exams.	studies
10. The cat (sleep/sleeps) all day.	sleeps

Exercise 2: Identifying Correct Verb Forms

Identify whether the verb form used in each sentence is correct or incorrect. If incorrect, provide the correct form.

Sentence	Correct/Incorrect	Corrected Sentence (if incorrect)
1. She eat apples every morning.	Incorrect	She eats apples every morning.
2. He has a new job.	Correct
3. They studies English at school.	Incorrect	They study English at school.
4. I likes to play the guitar.	Incorrect	I like to play the guitar.
5. The bird sings beautifully.	Correct
6. You goes to the gym regularly.	Incorrect	You go to the gym regularly.
7. It rains often in the spring.	Correct
8. We watches TV in the evening.	Incorrect	We watch TV in the evening.
9. He try his best.	Incorrect	He tries his best.
10. The sun shines brightly.	Correct

Exercise 3: Fill in the Blanks

Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the verb in parentheses.

Sentence	Correct Answer
1. She always ________ (finish) her work on time.	finishes
2. He often ________ (watch) movies on weekends.	watches
3. The baby ________ (cry) when he is hungry.	cries
4. The cat ________ (play) with the yarn.	plays
5. He ________ (go) to the gym every day.	goes
6. She ________ (study) Spanish at night.	studies
7. It ________ (snow) in the winter.	snows
8. He ________ (have) a lot of friends.	has
9. She ________ (live) in New York City.	lives
10. He ________ (teach) English at the university.	teaches

Advanced Topics

Collective Nouns: Singular or Plural?

As mentioned earlier, collective nouns can be tricky. The key is to determine whether the group is acting as a single unit or as individual members.

If the group is acting as a single unit, use a singular verb. If the group is acting as individual members, use a plural verb.

Examples:

• The team is playing well. (The team as a whole is playing well.)
• The team are arguing about the strategy. (The individual members of the team are arguing.)

Intervening Phrases

Be careful not to be misled by intervening phrases between the subject and the verb. The verb must agree with the actual subject, not the words in the intervening phrase.

Examples:

• The book, along with the CDs, sells well. (The subject is “book,” not “CDs.”)
• The quality of the apples is very good. (The subject is “quality,” not “apples.”)

Relative Clauses

In relative clauses, the verb must agree with the noun or pronoun that the clause refers to.

Examples:

• He is one of the students who study hard. (The clause refers to “students,” which is plural.)
• He is the only one of the students who studies hard. (The clause refers to “one,” which is singular.)

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some frequently asked questions about verbs ending in ‘s’:

1. Why do we add ‘s’ to some verbs in the present tense?

   The ‘s’ ending is added to verbs in the third-person singular present tense to indicate subject-verb agreement. It helps to show that the action is being performed by a single person or thing in the present moment, maintaining grammatical accuracy and clarity.

2. What are the exceptions to the ‘s’ ending rule?

   The main exceptions include the pronouns I and you, which never take the ‘s’ ending. Plural nouns and pronouns also do not take the ‘s’ ending. Additionally, modal verbs (e.g., can, should, must) and verbs in the subjunctive mood do not use the ‘s’ ending, even with singular subjects.

3. How do I know when to use ‘es’ instead of ‘s’?

   Use ‘es’ instead of ‘s’ when the base verb ends in -s, -ss, -sh, -ch, -x, or -z. This rule ensures that the word is pronounceable and follows standard English spelling conventions. For example, kiss becomes kisses and watch becomes watches.

4. What do I do when a verb ends in a consonant + ‘y’?

   When a verb ends in a consonant followed by ‘y’, change the ‘y’ to ‘i’ and add ‘es’. This rule applies to verbs like study (which becomes studies) and cry (which becomes cries). However, if the verb ends in a vowel + ‘y’, simply add ‘s’ (e.g., play becomes plays).

5. How do I handle collective nouns like ‘team’ or ‘family’?

   Collective nouns can be singular or plural depending on the context. If the collective noun is acting as a single unit, use a singular verb form with ‘s’ (e.g., The team plays well together). If the collective noun is acting as individual members, use a plural verb form without ‘s’ (e.g., The team are arguing about the strategy).

6. What about intervening phrases between the subject and the verb?

   Intervening phrases should not affect subject-verb agreement. The verb must agree with the actual subject, not the words in the intervening phrase. For example, in the sentence “The book, along with the CDs, sells well,” the subject is “book,” so the verb should be “sells.”

7. What is the subjunctive mood, and how does it affect verb endings?

   The subjunctive mood is used to express hypothetical situations, wishes, or suggestions. In the subjunctive mood, the ‘s’ ending is not used, even with singular subjects. For example, “I suggest that he be on time” uses the subjunctive mood, and the verb “be” does not take the ‘s’ ending.

8. Are there any resources I can use to practice subject-verb agreement?

   Yes, there are many online resources and textbooks that offer practice exercises and quizzes on subject-verb agreement. Websites like Grammarly, Khan Academy, and Purdue OWL provide valuable information and interactive exercises to help you master this grammar concept.

Conclusion

Mastering the use of verbs ending in ‘s’ is essential for clear and accurate English communication. By understanding the rules of subject-verb agreement, recognizing common mistakes, and practicing regularly, you can significantly improve your grammar skills.

Remember to pay attention to the subject of the sentence, identify whether it is singular or plural, and apply the appropriate verb form.

Continue to practice and review these rules to reinforce your understanding. With consistent effort, you’ll be able to confidently and correctly use verbs ending in ‘s’ in your writing and speaking, enhancing your overall English proficiency.

Consistent practice, combined with a solid understanding of these rules, will ensure you can confidently use verbs ending in ‘s

‘ in any context.

By following the guidelines and examples provided in this article, you are well-equipped to tackle the nuances of verb ‘s’ endings. Keep practicing, stay attentive to the rules, and you’ll notice significant improvements in your English language skills.

Good luck!