Verbs ending in ‘s’ are fundamental to English grammar, especially when forming the present simple tense in the third-person singular. Understanding their usage is crucial for accurate and fluent communication.
This article provides a detailed exploration of verbs ending in ‘s’, covering their definition, structure, usage rules, common mistakes, and practice exercises. Whether you are a beginner or an advanced learner, this guide will help you master this essential aspect of English grammar and improve your overall language proficiency.
This article is designed for English language learners of all levels, teachers, and anyone looking to enhance their understanding of English grammar. By the end of this guide, you’ll be able to confidently use verbs ending in ‘s’ in your writing and speaking, avoiding common errors and communicating more effectively.
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Definition of Verbs Ending in ‘S’
- Structural Breakdown
- Types and Categories
- Examples of Verbs Ending in ‘S’
- Usage Rules
- Common Mistakes
- Practice Exercises
- Advanced Topics
- FAQ
- Conclusion
Definition of Verbs Ending in ‘S’
Verbs ending in ‘s’ typically appear in the present simple tense when the subject is a third-person singular pronoun (he, she, it) or a noun that can be replaced by one of these pronouns. This grammatical form indicates habitual actions, general truths, or scheduled events.
The addition of ‘s’ to the base form of the verb is a key marker of subject-verb agreement in English.
The ‘s’ ending signals that the verb is conjugated to match a singular subject in the third person. Without this ending, the sentence would be grammatically incorrect, leading to confusion or misinterpretation.
Understanding this concept is essential for constructing clear and accurate sentences in English.
Structural Breakdown
The basic structure involves a third-person singular subject followed by the base form of the verb with an ‘s’ added to the end. Consider the following structure:
Subject (He/She/It/Singular Noun) + Verb (base form + ‘s’)
For example:
- He eats.
- She reads.
- It rains.
- The dog barks.
The ‘s’ ending is added to the base form of most verbs. However, there are some exceptions and specific rules for verbs ending in -y, -ss, -sh, -ch, -x, and -o.
Exceptions to the Rule
Verbs ending in -y preceded by a consonant change the ‘y’ to ‘i’ and add ‘es’. For example, ‘study’ becomes ‘studies’.
Verbs ending in -ss, -sh, -ch, -x, or -o typically add ‘es’ to the base form. For example, ‘kiss’ becomes ‘kisses’, ‘wash’ becomes ‘washes’, ‘watch’ becomes ‘watches’, ‘fix’ becomes ‘fixes’, and ‘go’ becomes ‘goes’.
These exceptions ensure correct pronunciation and grammatical structure.
Types and Categories
Verbs ending in ‘s’ can be categorized based on their function and the rules governing their formation. Understanding these categories can help learners apply the correct form in various contexts.
Regular Verbs
Regular verbs are those that simply add ‘s’ to the base form in the third-person singular present simple tense. These are the most common type of verbs ending in ‘s’.
Verbs Ending in ‘Y’
Verbs that end in ‘y’ have two different rules. If the ‘y’ is preceded by a vowel, simply add ‘s’.
If the ‘y’ is preceded by a consonant, change the ‘y’ to ‘i’ and add ‘es’.
Verbs Ending in -ss, -sh, -ch, -x, -o
These verbs typically add ‘es’ to the base form. This rule ensures that the pronunciation remains natural and that the word is easy to say.
Examples include ‘kisses’, ‘washes’, ‘watches’, ‘fixes’, and ‘goes’.
Examples of Verbs Ending in ‘S’
The following tables provide extensive examples of verbs ending in ‘s’, categorized by type. Each table includes a variety of verbs to illustrate the different rules and patterns.
Regular Verbs Examples
This table showcases regular verbs and their third-person singular forms. These verbs follow the standard rule of simply adding ‘s’ to the base form.
| Base Form | Third-Person Singular | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| Walk | Walks | He walks to school every day. |
| Talk | Talks | She talks a lot on the phone. |
| Eat | Eats | It eats its food quickly. |
| Read | Reads | He reads the newspaper every morning. |
| Write | Writes | She writes beautiful poems. |
| Sleep | Sleeps | The baby sleeps for hours. |
| Cook | Cooks | He cooks delicious meals. |
| Clean | Cleans | She cleans the house every weekend. |
| Work | Works | He works hard at his job. |
| Play | Plays | She plays the piano beautifully. |
| Drink | Drinks | He drinks coffee in the morning. |
| Think | Thinks | She thinks about her future. |
| Sing | Sings | He sings in the shower. |
| Dance | Dances | She dances at the club. |
| Jump | Jumps | The dog jumps over the fence. |
| Run | Runs | He runs five miles everyday. |
| Smile | Smiles | She smiles when she sees him. |
| Laugh | Laughs | He laughs at the joke. |
| Dream | Dreams | She dreams about traveling the world. |
| Wish | Wishes | He wishes he could fly. |
| Learn | Learns | He learns quickly. |
| Teach | Teaches | She teaches English. |
| Help | Helps | He helps his mother. |
| Need | Needs | She needs a vacation. |
| Want | Wants | He wants a new car. |
| Look | Looks | She looks beautiful. |
| Seem | Seems | It seems easy. |
| Hear | Hears | He hears the birds. |
| Feel | Feels | She feels happy. |
Verbs Ending in ‘Y’ Examples
This table illustrates how verbs ending in ‘y’ change in the third-person singular. Note the distinction between verbs where ‘y’ is preceded by a vowel versus a consonant.
| Base Form | Third-Person Singular | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| Study | Studies | She studies hard for her exams. |
| Cry | Cries | He cries when he is sad. |
| Try | Tries | She tries her best in everything. |
| Fly | Flies | The bird flies in the sky. |
| Carry | Carries | He carries the groceries. |
| Copy | Copies | She copies the notes from the board. |
| Worry | Worries | He worries about his future. |
| Marry | Marries | She marries her childhood sweetheart. |
| Reply | Replies | He replies to the email quickly. |
| Say | Says | He says hello. |
| Play | Plays | He plays football. |
| Obey | Obeys | He obeys his parents. |
| Enjoy | Enjoys | She enjoys the music. |
| Stay | Stays | He stays at home. |
| Pray | Prays | He prays every night. |
| Delay | Delays | He delays his homework. |
| Betray | Betrays | She betrays her friend. |
| Display | Displays | He displays his art. |
| Employ | Employs | He employs many people. |
| Annoy | Annoys | He annoys his sister. |
| Destroy | Destroys | She destroys evidence. |
| Convey | Conveys | He conveys his message. |
| Survey | Surveys | He surveys the land. |
| Portray | Portrays | She portrays a character. |
| Allay | Allays | He allays his fears. |
| Defy | Defies | He defies the rules. |
| Justify | Justifies | She justifies her actions. |
| Magnify | Magnifies | He magnifies the details. |
Verbs Ending in -ss, -sh, -ch, -x, -o Examples
This table provides example of verbs ending in -ss, -sh, -ch, -x, and -o, demonstrating the addition of ‘es’ in the third-person singular form.
| Base Form | Third-Person Singular | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| Kiss | Kisses | She kisses her child goodnight. |
| Wash | Washes | He washes his car every week. |
| Watch | Watches | She watches TV in the evening. |
| Fix | Fixes | He fixes computers as a job. |
| Go | Goes | She goes to the gym every day. |
| Miss | Misses | He misses his family. |
| Push | Pushes | She pushes the door open. |
| Reach | Reaches | He reaches for the top shelf. |
| Box | Boxes | He boxes at the gym. |
| Do | Does | She does her homework. |
| Dress | Dresses | She dresses nicely. |
| Brush | Brushes | He brushes his teeth. |
| Teach | Teaches | She teaches math. |
| Mix | Mixes | He mixes the ingredients. |
| Echo | Echoes | It echoes in the cave. |
| Guess | Guesses | She guesses the answer. |
| Wish | Wishes | He wishes for peace. |
| Approach | Approaches | He approaches the building. |
| Tax | Taxes | The government taxes income. |
| Outdo | Outdoes | She outdoes her competitors. |
| Assess | Assesses | He assesses the situation. |
| Establish | Establishes | He establishes a company. |
| Preach | Preaches | He preaches his message. |
| Relax | Relaxes | She relaxes after work. |
| Bestow | Bestows | He bestows honors. |
| Dispatch | Dispatches | He dispatches orders. |
| Witness | Witnesses | He witnesses the event. |
| Attach | Attaches | He attaches the file. |
Usage Rules
The most important rule is subject-verb agreement. The verb must agree with its subject in number.
This means that singular subjects take singular verbs (verbs ending in ‘s’), and plural subjects take plural verbs (base form of the verb).
Rule 1: Use the ‘s’ form of the verb with third-person singular subjects (he, she, it) in the present simple tense.
Rule 2: For verbs ending in ‘y’ preceded by a consonant, change ‘y’ to ‘i’ and add ‘es’.
Rule 3: For verbs ending in -ss, -sh, -ch, -x, or -o, add ‘es’.
Exceptions and Special Cases
The verb ‘have’ is an exception. The third-person singular form is ‘has’.
Also, modal verbs (can, should, must, etc.) do not take an ‘s’ ending in the third-person singular.
Example: He has a car. (Correct)
Example: He can swim. (Correct, not ‘cans’)
Common Mistakes
One of the most common mistakes is forgetting to add the ‘s’ to the verb when using a third-person singular subject. Another common error is incorrectly applying the rules for verbs ending in ‘y’ or those requiring ‘es’.
Mistake 1: He eat apples. (Incorrect)
Correction: He eats apples. (Correct)
Mistake 2: She study hard. (Incorrect)
Correction: She studies hard. (Correct)
Mistake 3: He go to school. (Incorrect)
Correction: He goes to school. (Correct)
Mistake 4: The dog bark. (Incorrect)
Correction: The dog barks. (Correct)
Mistake 5: It rain often. (Incorrect)
Correction: It rains often. (Correct)
Practice Exercises
Complete the following sentences by filling in the blank with the correct form of the verb. Pay attention to subject-verb agreement.
Exercise 1
Instructions: Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the verb in parentheses.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| 1. He ________ (walk) to school every day. | 1. walks |
| 2. She ________ (study) English at the university. | 2. studies |
| 3. It ________ (rain) a lot in this area. | 3. rains |
| 4. The cat ________ (sleep) on the sofa. | 4. sleeps |
| 5. He ________ (watch) TV in the evening. | 5. watches |
| 6. She ________ (cook) dinner for her family. | 6. cooks |
| 7. He ________ (try) to learn new things. | 7. tries |
| 8. The sun ________ (shine) brightly in the sky. | 8. shines |
| 9. He ________ (fix) cars in his garage. | 9. fixes |
| 10. She ________ (go) to the gym regularly. | 10. goes |
Exercise 2
Instructions: Correct the errors in the following sentences. If the sentence is correct, write “Correct.”
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| 1. She eat apples every day. | 1. She eats apples every day. |
| 2. He study hard for his exams. | 2. He studies hard for his exams. |
| 3. It rain a lot in the spring. | 3. It rains a lot in the spring. |
| 4. The dog bark loudly. | 4. The dog barks loudly. |
| 5. She watch TV every night. | 5. She watches TV every night. |
| 6. He go to work early. | 6. He goes to work early. |
| 7. The bird fly high in the sky. | 7. The bird flies high in the sky. |
| 8. She has a beautiful smile. | 8. Correct |
| 9. He can speaks English fluently. | 9. He can speak English fluently. |
| 10. The baby sleeps soundly. | 10. Correct |
Exercise 3
Instructions: Complete the following sentences using the correct third person singular form of the verb in parentheses.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| 1. My sister ________ (enjoy) playing the piano. | 1. enjoys |
| 2. The train ________ (arrive) at 8:00 AM every morning. | 2. arrives |
| 3. He ________ (carry) his books in a backpack. | 3. carries |
| 4. She ________ (wash) her face every morning. | 4. washes |
| 5. The boy ________ (cry) when he is sad. | 5. cries |
| 6. It ________ (snow) heavily in winter. | 6. snows |
| 7. He ________ (teach) English at the local school. | 7. teaches |
| 8. She ________ (miss) her friends from college. | 8. misses |
| 9. The chef ________ (mix) the ingredients carefully. | 9. mixes |
| 10. He ________ (obey) his parents without question. | 10. obeys |
Advanced Topics
For advanced learners, it’s important to understand the nuances of using verbs ending in ‘s’ in complex sentences and different contexts. This includes understanding how they interact with other tenses and how they are used in conditional sentences.
For example, in conditional sentences, the ‘s’ form is used in the main clause when referring to habitual actions or general truths:
Example: If he studies hard, he gets good grades.
Understanding the use of verbs ending in ‘s’ in various complex sentence structures will help you write and speak with greater accuracy and fluency.
FAQ
Here are some frequently asked questions about verbs ending in ‘s’:
- Why do we add ‘s’ to verbs in the third-person singular?
The ‘s’ is added to indicate subject-verb agreement in the present simple tense. It signals that the subject is a third-person singular pronoun (he, she, it) or a noun that can be replaced by one of these pronouns.
- What happens if I forget to add the ‘s’?
Forgetting to add the ‘s’ is a common mistake. It makes the sentence grammatically incorrect and can lead to confusion or misinterpretation. Always double-check your sentences to ensure subject-verb agreement.
- Are there any verbs that don’t follow these rules?
Yes, the verb ‘have’ is an exception. Its third-person singular form is ‘has’. Also, modal verbs (can, should, must, etc.) do not take an ‘s’ ending.
- How do I know when to add ‘es’ instead of just ‘s’?
Add ‘es’ to verbs ending in -ss, -sh, -ch, -x, or -o. This rule ensures correct pronunciation and grammatical structure.
- What if the subject is a singular noun but it sounds plural?
If the noun is grammatically singular, even if it sounds plural, use the ‘s’ form of the verb. For example, “The news is interesting.” Here, “news” is singular, so we use “is.”
- How can I practice using verbs ending in ‘s’?
Practice by writing sentences using different third-person singular subjects and verbs. Pay attention to the rules and exceptions. You can also do exercises like the ones provided in this article.
- Is this rule only for the present simple tense?
Yes, this rule applies specifically to the present simple tense. In other tenses, the verb form changes and the ‘s’ ending is not used in the same way.
- What if the subject is a collective noun like “team” or “family”?
If the collective noun is acting as a single unit, use the singular verb form. For example, “The team wins the game.” If the collective noun is referring to the individual members, use the plural verb form. For example, “The family are arguing about the vacation.” However, the singular form is more common.
Conclusion
Mastering verbs ending in ‘s’ is a crucial step in achieving fluency and accuracy in English. By understanding the rules, exceptions, and common mistakes, you can significantly improve your writing and speaking skills.
Remember to practice regularly and pay close attention to subject-verb agreement.
This comprehensive guide has provided you with the knowledge and tools needed to confidently use verbs ending in ‘s’. Keep practicing, and you’ll find that using these verbs correctly becomes second nature.
Continue to explore and deepen your understanding of English grammar to further enhance your language proficiency.