Understanding when and how to use verbs ending in ‘s’ is a fundamental aspect of English grammar. This seemingly simple addition can significantly impact the correctness and clarity of your sentences.
Mastering this concept is crucial for both native English speakers and learners alike, as it directly relates to subject-verb agreement and the overall fluency of your writing and speech. This article provides a comprehensive guide to verbs with ‘s’, covering their definition, usage rules, common mistakes, and practice exercises to solidify your understanding.
Whether you’re a student, a professional, or simply someone looking to improve your English skills, this guide will equip you with the knowledge and confidence to use verbs with ‘s’ accurately.
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Definition: Verbs with ‘S’
- Structural Breakdown
- Types and Categories
- Examples
- Usage Rules
- Common Mistakes
- Practice Exercises
- Advanced Topics
- FAQ
- Conclusion
Definition: Verbs with ‘S’
A verb with ‘s’ is typically a verb in the present simple tense that is conjugated to agree with a third-person singular subject (he, she, it, or a singular noun). This ‘s’ is added to the base form of the verb. The primary function of this grammatical structure is to indicate that an action is performed by a single entity in the present time.
For example, in the sentence “He walks to school,” the verb “walks” ends in ‘s’ because the subject “he” is a third-person singular pronoun. This contrasts with other subject-verb combinations, such as “I walk,” “You walk,” “We walk,” and “They walk,” where the base form of the verb is used without the ‘s’ ending. Understanding this simple rule is crucial for constructing grammatically correct sentences and avoiding common errors in English.
Structural Breakdown
The structure of verbs with ‘s’ is relatively straightforward, but it’s essential to understand the components that influence its correct usage. The basic formula is:
Third-Person Singular Subject + Base Verb + ‘s’
Let’s break this down further:
- Third-Person Singular Subject: This refers to pronouns like he, she, it, or any singular noun that can be replaced by these pronouns. For example, the dog, Mary, the car.
- Base Verb: This is the infinitive form of the verb without the “to.” For example, the base verb of “to walk” is “walk.”
- ‘s’: This is the suffix added to the base verb to indicate that the action is being performed by a third-person singular subject in the present simple tense. It’s important to note that the spelling can change slightly depending on the verb (e.g., adding ‘es’ instead of just ‘s’).
For instance, consider the sentence “She eats apples.” Here, “She” is the third-person singular subject, “eat” is the base verb, and “s” is added to form “eats.” This structure clearly indicates that the action of eating is being performed by a single female entity in the present.
Types and Categories
Present Simple Tense
The present simple tense is used to describe habits, routines, general truths, and facts. It’s in this tense that the verbs with ‘s’ are most commonly used.
The present simple tense is formed using the base form of the verb (for I, you, we, they) and the base form + ‘s’ (for he, she, it). Consider the following examples:
- I eat breakfast every morning.
- She eats breakfast every morning.
- They play soccer on weekends.
- He plays soccer on weekends.
As you can see, the ‘s’ is only added to the verb when the subject is “she” or “he.” This distinction is crucial for maintaining grammatical accuracy.
Third-Person Singular
The third-person singular form is specific to the pronouns he, she, it and singular nouns. It’s the only form in the present simple tense that requires the ‘s’ ending on the verb. Recognizing these subjects is key to correctly conjugating verbs. Here are some additional examples:
- He reads books every night.
- She writes in her journal daily.
- It rains frequently in the spring.
- The dog barks at strangers.
In each of these examples, the subject is either a third-person singular pronoun or a singular noun, and the verb ends in ‘s’ to reflect this agreement.
Examples
To further illustrate the use of verbs with ‘s’, let’s examine various examples categorized by sentence type.
Affirmative Sentences
Affirmative sentences are statements that express a positive assertion. The following table provides numerous examples of affirmative sentences using verbs with ‘s’.
| Subject | Verb | Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| He | Walks | He walks to the store every day. |
| She | Talks | She talks to her mother on the phone. |
| It | Rains | It rains a lot in April. |
| The cat | Sleeps | The cat sleeps on the sofa. |
| My brother | Plays | My brother plays the guitar. |
| The sun | Shines | The sun shines brightly in the sky. |
| He | Eats | He eats pizza every Friday. |
| She | Drinks | She drinks coffee in the morning. |
| It | Smells | It smells good in the bakery. |
| The dog | Barks | The dog barks at the mailman. |
| My sister | Watches | My sister watches TV in the evening. |
| The bird | Sings | The bird sings beautifully. |
| He | Works | He works at the bank. |
| She | Teaches | She teaches English at the university. |
| It | Looks | It looks like it will rain. |
| The car | Runs | The car runs smoothly. |
| My father | Cooks | My father cooks dinner on Sundays. |
| The flower | Blooms | The flower blooms in the spring. |
| He | Reads | He reads the newspaper daily. |
| She | Writes | She writes poetry in her free time. |
| It | Sounds | It sounds like a good idea. |
| The clock | Ticks | The clock ticks loudly. |
| My mother | Loves | My mother loves to garden. |
| The baby | Cries | The baby cries when he is hungry. |
| He | Drives | He drives to work every morning. |
| She | Listens | She listens to music while she works. |
These examples demonstrate how the ‘s’ is consistently added to the verb when the subject is a third-person singular noun or pronoun.
Negative Sentences
Negative sentences express a denial or negation. In the present simple tense, negative sentences with third-person singular subjects use “does not” (or “doesn’t”) followed by the base form of the verb.
Note that the ‘s’ is not added to the verb in negative sentences because “does” already indicates the third-person singular.
| Subject | Negative Form | Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| He | Doesn’t walk | He doesn’t walk to the store. |
| She | Doesn’t talk | She doesn’t talk to strangers. |
| It | Doesn’t rain | It doesn’t rain in the summer. |
| The cat | Doesn’t sleep | The cat doesn’t sleep on the floor. |
| My brother | Doesn’t play | My brother doesn’t play video games. |
| The sun | Doesn’t shine | The sun doesn’t shine at night. |
| He | Doesn’t eat | He doesn’t eat meat. |
| She | Doesn’t drink | She doesn’t drink alcohol. |
| It | Doesn’t smell | It doesn’t smell like roses. |
| The dog | Doesn’t bark | The dog doesn’t bark at children. |
| My sister | Doesn’t watch | My sister doesn’t watch horror movies. |
| The bird | Doesn’t sing | The bird doesn’t sing in the winter. |
| He | Doesn’t work | He doesn’t work on weekends. |
| She | Doesn’t teach | She doesn’t teach math. |
| It | Doesn’t look | It doesn’t look right. |
| The car | Doesn’t run | The car doesn’t run well. |
| My father | Doesn’t cook | My father doesn’t cook on weekdays. |
| The flower | Doesn’t bloom | The flower doesn’t bloom in the fall. |
| He | Doesn’t read | He doesn’t read comics. |
| She | Doesn’t write | She doesn’t write emails. |
| It | Doesn’t sound | It doesn’t sound safe. |
| The clock | Doesn’t tick | The clock doesn’t tick anymore. |
| My mother | Doesn’t love | My mother doesn’t love spicy food. |
| The baby | Doesn’t cry | The baby doesn’t cry often. |
| He | Doesn’t drive | He doesn’t drive fast. |
| She | Doesn’t listen | She doesn’t listen to the radio. |
Notice that the base form of the verb is used after “doesn’t,” without the ‘s’ ending.
Interrogative Sentences
Interrogative sentences ask a question. In the present simple tense, questions with third-person singular subjects use “Does” followed by the subject and the base form of the verb.
Again, the ‘s’ is not added to the verb because “Does” already indicates the third-person singular.
| Question Form | Sentence |
|---|---|
| Does he walk | Does he walk to school? |
| Does she talk | Does she talk a lot? |
| Does it rain | Does it rain here often? |
| Does the cat sleep | Does the cat sleep all day? |
| Does my brother play | Does my brother play sports? |
| Does the sun shine | Does the sun shine in the morning? |
| Does he eat | Does he eat vegetables? |
| Does she drink | Does she drink tea? |
| Does it smell | Does it smell strange? |
| Does the dog bark | Does the dog bark at night? |
| Does my sister watch | Does my sister watch comedies? |
| Does the bird sing | Does the bird sing in the spring? |
| Does he work | Does he work hard? |
| Does she teach | Does she teach well? |
| Does it look | Does it look expensive? |
| Does the car run | Does the car run on gasoline? |
| Does my father cook | Does my father cook well? |
| Does the flower bloom | Does the flower bloom every year? |
| Does he read | Does he read fiction? |
| Does she write | Does she write novels? |
| Does it sound | Does it sound complicated? |
| Does the clock tick | Does the clock tick loudly? |
| Does my mother love | Does my mother love to travel? |
| Does the baby cry | Does the baby cry a lot? |
| Does he drive | Does he drive carefully? |
| Does she listen | Does she listen to podcasts? |
Again, the base form of the verb is used in these questions after “Does.”
Irregular Verbs
While the majority of verbs simply add an ‘s’ in the third-person singular present simple, some verbs have irregular forms. The most common irregular verb is “to be,” which has the form “is” in the third-person singular.
Another common irregular verb is “to have,” which becomes “has.”
Consider these examples:
- He is a doctor. (instead of “He bes…”)
- She has a car. (instead of “She haves…”)
It’s important to memorize these irregular forms, as they are frequently used in everyday speech and writing.
Usage Rules
Subject-Verb Agreement
The fundamental rule governing the use of verbs with ‘s’ is subject-verb agreement. This means that the verb must agree in number with its subject. If the subject is singular, the verb must be singular (usually ending in ‘s’ in the present simple). If the subject is plural, the verb must be plural (base form). This principle is the foundation of grammatically correct sentences.
Here are some examples to illustrate this rule:
- Correct: The student studies hard. (Singular subject, singular verb)
- Incorrect: The student study hard.
- Correct: The students study hard. (Plural subject, plural verb)
- Incorrect: The students studies hard.
Pay close attention to the subject of the sentence to ensure that the verb agrees in number.
Exceptions to the Rule
While the general rule is to add ‘s’ to the verb with third-person singular subjects, there are some exceptions. One key exception involves modal verbs.
Modal verbs (can, could, may, might, must, shall, should, will, would) do not take an ‘s’ in the third-person singular.
For example:
- Correct: He can swim. (not “He cans swim”)
- Correct: She should study. (not “She shoulds study”)
Another exception occurs in subordinate clauses after expressions of wishes, demands, or suggestions, where the subjunctive mood is used (often with the verb in its base form). This is more common in formal writing and speech.
For example:
- It is important that he be on time. (not “he is”)
- I suggest that she go to the doctor. (not “she goes”)
Collective Nouns
Collective nouns (e.g., team, family, committee, group) can be tricky. They can be treated as either 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, it takes a singular verb (with ‘s’). If it’s acting as individual members, it takes a plural verb.
For example:
- The team plays well together. (Team as a single unit)
- The family are deciding on their vacation plans. (Family as individual members with different opinions)
The context of the sentence will usually indicate whether the collective noun is acting as a single unit or as individual members.
Common Mistakes
Several common mistakes occur when using verbs with ‘s’. Being aware of these errors can help you avoid them in your own writing and speech.
| Incorrect | Correct | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| He walk to school. | He walks to school. | Missing ‘s’ on the verb for a third-person singular subject. |
| She don’t like coffee. | She doesn’t like coffee. | Incorrect use of “don’t” with a third-person singular subject; should be “doesn’t.” |
| Does he likes pizza? | Does he like pizza? | Incorrectly adding ‘s’ to the verb after “Does.” |
| The students studies hard. | The students study hard. | Incorrectly adding ‘s’ to the verb with a plural subject. |
| He can swims. | He can swim. | Incorrectly adding ‘s’ to a modal verb. |
| It have a strange smell. | It has a strange smell. | Incorrect form of the verb “to have” for a third-person singular subject. |
| The committee meet every week. | The committee meets every week. | Treating a collective noun as plural when it’s acting as a single unit. |
| She be a doctor. | She is a doctor. | Incorrect form of the verb “to be” for a third-person singular subject. |
| He not go to the party. | He does not go to the party. | Incorrectly forming a negative sentence without “does not.” |
| She must studies for the exam. | She must study for the exam. | Misusing ‘s’ after a modal verb. |
By paying attention to these common mistakes, you can significantly improve the accuracy of your English grammar.
Practice Exercises
To solidify your understanding of verbs with ‘s’, complete the following exercises.
Exercise 1: Identifying Correct Verb Forms
Choose the correct verb form in each sentence.
| Question | Option A | Option B | Answer |
|---|---|---|---|
| He ______ to the gym every day. | go | goes | goes |
| She ______ English fluently. | speak | speaks | speaks |
| It ______ a lot in the mountains. | snow | snows | snows |
| The dog ______ loudly at strangers. | bark | barks | barks |
| My sister ______ to music every evening. | listen | listens | listens |
| The sun ______ brightly in the summer. | shine | shines | shines |
| He ______ pizza every Friday night. | eat | eats | eats |
| She ______ coffee in the morning. | drink | drinks | drinks |
| It ______ good when you bake cookies. | smell | smells | smells |
| My brother ______ video games on the weekend. | play | plays | plays |
Exercise 2: Filling in the Blanks
Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the verb in parentheses.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| She _______ (watch) TV after dinner. | watches |
| He _______ (read) a book before bed. | reads |
| It _______ (rain) heavily in the spring. | rains |
| The cat _______ (sleep) on the windowsill. | sleeps |
| My father _______ (cook) dinner on Sundays. | cooks |
| The bird _______ (sing) in the morning. | sings |
| He _______ (work) at the hospital. | works |
| She _______ (teach) English at the school. | teaches |
| It _______ (look) like it will be a sunny day. | looks |
| The car _______ (run) smoothly on the highway. | runs |
Exercise 3: Correcting Errors
Identify and correct the errors in the following sentences.
| Incorrect Sentence | Correct Sentence |
|---|---|
| He walk to work every day. | He walks to work every day. |
| She don’t like spicy food. | She doesn’t like spicy food. |
| Does he likes to play basketball? | Does he like to play basketball? |
| The students studies in the library. | The students study in the library. |
| He can speaks three languages. | He can speak three languages. |
| It have a strange smell in here. | It has a strange smell in here. |
| The team are playing well tonight. | The team is playing well tonight. |
| She be a very talented artist. | She is a very talented artist. |
| He not want to go to the party. | He does not want to go to the party. |
| She must studies hard to pass the exam. | She must study hard to pass the exam. |
Advanced Topics
Complex Sentences
In complex sentences, which contain an independent clause and one or more dependent clauses, subject-verb agreement must be maintained in each clause. This means paying close attention to the subject of each clause to ensure the verb is correctly conjugated.
For example:
- Because he studies hard, he gets good grades. (Both clauses maintain correct subject-verb agreement)
Relative Clauses
Relative clauses, which are introduced by relative pronouns like “who,” “which,” or “that,” also require careful attention to subject-verb agreement. The verb in the relative clause must agree with the noun it modifies.
For example:
- The book that she reads is very interesting. (The verb “reads” agrees with “book”)
Subjunctive Mood
The subjunctive mood is used to express wishes, suggestions, demands, or hypothetical situations. In some cases, the subjunctive mood requires the base form of the verb, even with third-person singular subjects.
For example:
- I suggest that he be present at the meeting. (Subjunctive mood, base form of “to be”)
FAQ
- Why do we add ‘s’ to verbs in the present simple tense?
The ‘s’ is added to verbs in the present simple tense to indicate that the subject is third-person singular (he, she, it, or a singular noun). This is a grammatical convention to maintain subject-verb agreement, ensuring that the verb form corresponds to the subject’s number.
- When should I NOT add ‘s’ to a verb with a third-person singular subject?
You should not add ‘s’ in the following cases: in negative sentences (using “doesn’t”), in interrogative sentences (using “does”), after modal verbs (can, should, will, etc.), and in certain subjunctive constructions where the base form of the verb is required.
- What are some common irregular verbs that don’t follow the standard ‘s’ rule?
The most common irregular verbs are “to be” (which becomes “is” in the third-person singular) and “to have” (which becomes “has”). These verbs have unique forms that must be memorized.
- How do I handle collective nouns when deciding whether to use ‘s’ on a verb?
If the collective noun is acting as a single unit, use a singular verb (with ‘s’). If the collective noun is acting as individual members, use a plural verb (base form). The context of the sentence will usually make it clear whether the collective noun is acting as a single unit or as individual members.
- What is subject-verb agreement, and why is it important?
Subject-verb agreement is the grammatical rule that the verb in a sentence must agree in number with its subject. If the subject is singular, the verb must be singular (usually ending in ‘s’ in the present simple). If the subject is plural, the verb must be plural (base form). This agreement is crucial for clear and grammatically correct communication.
- How does the use of ‘s’ on verbs change in different tenses other than the present simple?
The ‘s’ ending on verbs is primarily associated with the present simple tense and third-person singular subjects. In other tenses, such as the past simple, present continuous, or future simple, the verb forms do not typically include this ‘s’ ending. Each tense has its own specific rules for verb conjugation.
- Are there regional dialects or variations in English where the ‘s’ rule is not strictly followed?
Yes, some regional dialects of English may have variations in the use of the ‘s’ ending on verbs. However, in standard written English and formal spoken English, the rule is generally followed consistently. It is important to be aware of these variations but to adhere to standard English grammar in most contexts.
- What strategies can I use to improve my accuracy in using verbs with ‘s’?
Practice regularly, pay close attention to the subject of each sentence, review the rules for subject-verb agreement, and be aware of common mistakes. You can also ask a native English speaker or language teacher to review your writing and provide feedback. Consistent practice and attention to detail will significantly improve your accuracy.
Conclusion
Mastering the use of verbs with ‘s’ is a fundamental step towards achieving fluency and accuracy in English. This seemingly small grammatical detail plays a significant role in conveying meaning and ensuring that your sentences are grammatically correct.
By understanding the definition, usage rules, and common mistakes associated with verbs with ‘s’, you can significantly improve your writing and speaking skills. Remember to pay close attention to subject-verb agreement, be aware of exceptions to the rule, and practice regularly to solidify your understanding.
Continue to practice the exercises and review the examples provided in this guide. Consistent effort and attention to detail will help you internalize these rules and use verbs with ‘s’ correctly and confidently.
With dedication and practice, you can master this essential aspect of English grammar and communicate more effectively.