Mastering Third Person Verb Forms in English Grammar

Understanding third-person verb forms is crucial for constructing grammatically correct and clear sentences in English. This grammatical concept plays a pivotal role in ensuring subject-verb agreement, which is fundamental to effective communication.

This article provides an in-depth exploration of third-person verb forms, covering their definition, usage, common mistakes, and advanced applications. Whether you’re an ESL student, a writer aiming for precision, or simply someone looking to brush up on your grammar skills, this guide will equip you with the knowledge and practice needed to confidently use third-person verbs.

This comprehensive guide will walk you through the intricacies of third-person verb forms, providing clear explanations, numerous examples, and practical exercises to solidify your understanding. By the end of this article, you will be able to identify and correctly use third-person verbs in various contexts, enhancing your overall English proficiency.

Table of Contents

1. Definition of Third Person Verbs
2. Structural Breakdown
3. Types and Categories
• Present Simple
• Past Simple
• Future Simple
• Present Continuous
• Past Continuous
• Present Perfect
• Past Perfect
• Future Perfect
4. Examples of Third Person Verbs
5. Usage Rules
6. Common Mistakes
7. Practice Exercises
8. Advanced Topics
9. FAQ
10. Conclusion

Definition of Third Person Verbs

In English grammar, the term “third person” refers to the person or thing that is being talked about. It includes pronouns like he, she, it, and nouns that represent someone or something other than the speaker (first person) or the person being spoken to (second person). Therefore, a third-person verb is the form of a verb that is used when the subject of the sentence is in the third person. Understanding this concept is vital for correct subject-verb agreement.

The key characteristic of third-person verbs is that they often require a specific conjugation, especially in the present simple tense. For most verbs, this involves adding an “-s” or “-es” to the base form of the verb when the subject is a singular third person (he, she, it). This distinguishes them from verbs used with first-person (I, we) and second-person (you) subjects. For example, “I walk” becomes “He walks.”

The function of third-person verbs is to accurately reflect the action or state of being of a third-person subject within a sentence. They provide essential information about what the subject is doing, has done, or will do.

The specific form of the verb also indicates the tense (present, past, future) and aspect (simple, continuous, perfect) of the action. Correct usage ensures clarity and grammatical correctness in written and spoken English.

Structural Breakdown

The structure of third-person verb forms varies depending on the tense and aspect of the verb. However, the fundamental principle remains consistent: the verb must agree with its third-person subject.

Here’s a breakdown of the structural elements:

• Present Simple: For singular third-person subjects (he, she, it), add “-s” or “-es” to the base form of the verb. For example, He eats, She watches, It runs. For plural third-person subjects (they), use the base form of the verb: They eat.
• Past Simple: The past simple form is generally the same for all subjects, including third person. Regular verbs add “-ed” to the base form (e.g., He walked, She talked), while irregular verbs have their own unique past simple forms (e.g., He went, She saw).
• Future Simple: The future simple form uses “will” + the base form of the verb for all subjects, including third person. For example, He will go, She will study, They will play.
• Continuous Tenses: Continuous tenses use a form of the verb “be” + the present participle (-ing form) of the main verb. The form of “be” must agree with the subject. For example:
  • Present Continuous: He is eating, She is studying, They are playing.
  • Past Continuous: He was eating, She was studying, They were playing.
• Perfect Tenses: Perfect tenses use a form of the verb “have” + the past participle of the main verb. The form of “have” must agree with the subject. For example:
  • Present Perfect: He has eaten, She has studied, They have played.
  • Past Perfect: He had eaten, She had studied, They had played.
  • Future Perfect: He will have eaten, She will have studied, They will have played.

Understanding these structural elements is key to correctly conjugating verbs in the third person across different tenses and aspects. Paying attention to subject-verb agreement is essential for clear and accurate communication.

Types and Categories

Third-person verb forms are used in various tenses and aspects, each with its own specific rules and structures. Here’s a breakdown of the main types:

Present Simple

The present simple tense is used to describe habits, routines, general truths, and facts. For third-person singular subjects, the verb takes an “-s” or “-es” ending.

Examples:

• He eats breakfast every morning.
• She works at a hospital.
• It rains frequently in Seattle.

Past Simple

The past simple tense is used to describe actions that were completed in the past. The verb form is generally the same for all subjects, including third person.

Regular verbs add “-ed,” while irregular verbs have unique past forms.

Examples:

• He walked to school yesterday.
• She studied hard for the exam.
• It rained all day.

Future Simple

The future simple tense is used to describe actions that will happen in the future. It is formed using “will” + the base form of the verb.

Examples:

• He will travel to Europe next year.
• She will graduate in June.
• It will snow tomorrow.

Present Continuous

The present continuous tense is used to describe actions that are happening now or around now. It is formed using “is/are” + the present participle (-ing form) of the verb.

Examples:

• He is eating lunch at the moment.
• She is studying for her exams.
• It is raining outside.

Past Continuous

The past continuous tense is used to describe actions that were in progress at a specific time in the past. It is formed using “was/were” + the present participle (-ing form) of the verb.

Examples:

• He was watching TV when I called.
• She was working on her project all day yesterday.
• It was raining when I left the house.

Present Perfect

The present perfect tense is used to describe actions that started in the past and continue to the present or have a result in the present. It is formed using “has/have” + the past participle of the verb.

Examples:

• He has lived in London for ten years.
• She has finished her homework.
• It has stopped raining.

Past Perfect

The past perfect tense is used to describe actions that were completed before another action in the past. It is formed using “had” + the past participle of the verb.

Examples:

• He had eaten dinner before I arrived.
• She had finished her work before she went home.
• It had snowed all night.

Future Perfect

The future perfect tense is used to describe actions that will be completed before a specific time in the future. It is formed using “will have” + the past participle of the verb.

Examples:

• He will have finished his degree by next year.
• She will have worked here for twenty years by then.
• It will have stopped raining by tomorrow morning.

Examples of Third Person Verbs

Here are some detailed examples of third-person verb usage across various tenses. These examples are organized into tables for clarity.

Table 1: Present Simple Tense

The table below illustrates how the present simple tense is used with third-person singular and plural subjects.

Subject	Verb	Example Sentence
He	plays	He plays the guitar every evening.
She	works	She works as a teacher.
It	rains	It rains a lot in April.
The dog	barks	The dog barks at strangers.
The car	runs	The car runs smoothly.
They	play	They play soccer on weekends.
We	watch	We watch TV every night.
You	listen	You listen to music everyday.
He	reads	He reads books before bedtime.
She	writes	She writes in her journal daily.
It	snows	It snows in winter.
The bird	sings	The bird sings sweetly.
The sun	shines	The sun shines brightly.
They	dance	They dance at the party.
He	cooks	He cooks dinner for his family.
She	cleans	She cleans the house every week.
It	growls	The dog growls at the mailman.
The cat	sleeps	The cat sleeps all day.
They	talk	They talk about their day.
He	sings	He sings in the shower.
She	drives	She drives to work.
It	smells	It smells good in the kitchen.
The baby	cries	The baby cries at night.
The computer	works	The computer works perfectly.
They	eat	They eat lunch together.

Table 2: Past Simple Tense

The table below provides examples of the past simple tense with both regular and irregular verbs.

Subject	Verb	Example Sentence
He	walked	He walked to the store yesterday.
She	studied	She studied for the test last night.
It	rained	It rained heavily last week.
The bird	flew	The bird flew away.
The chef	cooked	The chef cooked a delicious meal.
They	visited	They visited their grandparents.
He	ate	He ate dinner quickly.
She	wrote	She wrote a letter to her friend.
It	broke	It broke when I dropped it.
The dog	ran	The dog ran in the park.
The student	learned	The student learned a lot in class.
They	saw	They saw a movie last night.
He	finished	He finished his work early.
She	listened	She listened to the radio.
It	stopped	It stopped raining.
The teacher	explained	The teacher explained the lesson.
The children	played	The children played in the garden.
They	danced	They danced at the party.
He	read	He read an interesting book.
She	sang	She sang a beautiful song.
It	rained	It rained during the night.
The artist	painted	The artist painted a masterpiece.
The musicians	performed	The musicians performed at the concert.
They	traveled	They traveled abroad last year.
He	bought	He bought a new car.
She	sold	She sold her old bike.

Table 3: Future Simple Tense

The following table demonstrates the usage of the future simple tense with third-person subjects.

Subject	Verb	Example Sentence
He	will travel	He will travel to Japan next summer.
She	will study	She will study medicine at university.
It	will snow	It will snow later this week.
The train	will arrive	The train will arrive on time.
The concert	will start	The concert will start at 8 PM.
They	will move	They will move to a new city.
He	will call	He will call you tomorrow.
She	will write	She will write a book.
It	will rain	It will rain this afternoon.
The game	will begin	The game will begin soon.
The movie	will end	The movie will end at 10 PM.
They	will visit	They will visit the museum.
He	will cook	He will cook dinner tonight.
She	will clean	She will clean the house.
It	will get	It will get cold tonight.
The party	will be	The party will be fun.
The students	will learn	The students will learn a lot.
They	will dance	They will dance at the wedding.
He	will read	He will read the newspaper.
She	will sing	She will sing at the concert.
It	will shine	The sun will shine tomorrow.
The artist	will paint	The artist will paint a new picture.
The musicians	will perform	The musicians will perform next week.
They	explore	They will explore the city.
He	will buy	He will buy a new phone.
She	will sell	She will sell her old car.

Table 4: Present Continuous Tense

The table below shows examples of the present continuous tense with third-person subjects.

Subject	Verb	Example Sentence
He	is playing	He is playing video games now.
She	is studying	She is studying for her exam.
It	is raining	It is raining outside.
The baby	is sleeping	The baby is sleeping soundly.
The dog	is barking	The dog is barking at the mailman.
They	are watching	They are watching a movie.
He	is eating	He is eating lunch.
She	is writing	She is writing an email.
It	is snowing	It is snowing in the mountains.
The bird	is singing	The bird is singing sweetly.
The chef	is cooking	The chef is cooking dinner.
They	are talking	They are talking about their plans.
He	is working	He is working on a project.
She	is cleaning	She is cleaning the house.
It	is getting	It is getting late.
The teacher	is teaching	The teacher is teaching the class.
The students	are learning	The students are learning grammar.
They	are dancing	They are dancing at the party.
He	is reading	He is reading a book.
She	is singing	She is singing in the choir.
It	is shining	The sun is shining brightly.
The artist	is painting	The artist is painting a new artwork.
The musicians	are performing	The musicians are performing live.
They	are exploring	They are exploring the city.
He	is buying	He is buying groceries.
She	is selling	She is selling her old clothes.

Table 5: Present Perfect Tense

The table below illustrates the usage of the present perfect tense with third-person subjects.

Subject	Verb	Example Sentence
He	has traveled	He has traveled to many countries.
She	has studied	She has studied abroad.
It	has stopped	It has stopped raining.
The baby	has learned	The baby has learned to walk.
The dog	has eaten	The dog has eaten its food.
They	have watched	They have watched that movie before.
He	has finished	He has finished his work.
She	has written	She has written a letter.
It	has snowed	It has snowed this winter.
The bird	has flown	The bird has flown away.
The chef	has cooked	The chef has cooked a special dish.
They	have talked	They have talked about the problem.
He	has worked	He has worked here for five years.
She	has cleaned	She has cleaned the house.
It	has become	It has become very cold.
The teacher	has taught	The teacher has taught many students.
The students	have learned	The students have learned a lot.
They	have danced	They have danced all night.
He	has read	He has read that book.
She	has sung	She has sung beautifully.
It	has shone	The sun has shone all day.
The artist	has painted	The artist has painted many masterpieces.
The musicians	have performed	The musicians have performed at many concerts.
They	have explored	They have explored the island.
He	has bought	He has bought a new car.
She	has sold	She has sold her old house.

Usage Rules

Correct usage of third-person verbs hinges on several key rules:

• Subject-Verb Agreement: The verb must agree in number with its subject. Singular subjects take singular verbs (e.g., He walks), while plural subjects take plural verbs (e.g., They walk).
• Present Simple Tense: In the present simple tense, add “-s” or “-es” to the base form of the verb when the subject is a singular third person (he, she, it).
• Irregular Verbs: Be aware of irregular verbs, which have unique forms in the past simple and past participle (e.g., go – went – gone).
• Collective Nouns: Collective nouns (e.g., team, family) can be singular or plural depending on whether they are acting as a unit or as individual members. If the collective noun acts as a unit, use a singular verb. If the members are acting individually, use a plural verb.
• Compound Subjects: If a compound subject is joined by “and,” use a plural verb (e.g., John and Mary walk). If the compound subject is joined by “or” or “nor,” the verb agrees with the subject closest to it (e.g., Either John or Mary walks).
• Indefinite Pronouns: Indefinite pronouns (e.g., everyone, someone, nobody) generally take singular verbs, even though they may refer to multiple people.

Exceptions and Special Cases:

• Modal Verbs: Modal verbs (e.g., can, should, must) do not change form based on the subject. Use the base form of the main verb after a modal verb (e.g., He can swim, They should study).
• Subjunctive Mood: In the subjunctive mood, the verb form remains the same regardless of the subject (e.g., I suggest that he be present).

Common Mistakes

Several common mistakes can occur when using third-person verbs. Being aware of these errors can help you avoid them.

• Incorrect Subject-Verb Agreement: Failing to match the verb form to the subject (e.g., Incorrect: He walk; Correct: He walks).
• Misuse of Irregular Verbs: Using the wrong form of irregular verbs in the past simple or past participle (e.g., Incorrect: He goed; Correct: He went).
• Confusion with Collective Nouns: Not correctly identifying whether a collective noun is acting as a singular unit or as individual members (e.g., Incorrect: The team are playing well when referring to the team as a unit; Correct: The team is playing well).
• Errors with Compound Subjects: Incorrectly conjugating the verb when dealing with compound subjects joined by “and,” “or,” or “nor” (e.g., Incorrect: John and Mary walks; Correct: John and Mary walk).
• Incorrect Use of Indefinite Pronouns: Using plural verbs with indefinite pronouns that require singular verbs (e.g., Incorrect: Everyone are happy; Correct: Everyone is happy).

Examples of Correct vs. Incorrect Usage:

Category	Incorrect	Correct
Subject-Verb Agreement	He go to the store.	He goes to the store.
Irregular Verbs	She taked the bus.	She took the bus.
Collective Nouns	The family are happy. (when referring to the family as a unit)	The family is happy.
Compound Subjects	John and Mary is coming.	John and Mary are coming.
Indefinite Pronouns	Everyone are invited.	Everyone is invited.

Practice Exercises

Test your understanding of third-person verb forms with the following exercises. Provide the correct form of the verb in parentheses.

Exercise 1: Present Simple

1. He _______ (play) the piano every day.
2. She _______ (work) at a bank.
3. It _______ (rain) a lot in this region.
4. The dog _______ (bark) at strangers.
5. The sun _______ (shine) brightly.
6. They _______ (live) in New York.
7. He _______ (eat) lunch at noon.
8. She _______ (write) in her journal.
9. It _______ (snow) in the winter.
10. The bird _______ (sing) sweetly.

Answers:

1. plays
2. works
3. rains
4. barks
5. shines
6. live
7. eats
8. writes
9. snows
10. sings

Exercise 2: Past Simple

1. He _______ (walk) to school yesterday.
2. She _______ (study) for the exam last night.
3. It _______ (rain) heavily last week.
4. The bird _______ (fly) away.
5. They _______ (visit) their grandparents.
6. He _______ (eat) dinner quickly.
7. She _______ (write) a letter.
8. It _______ (break) when I dropped it.
9. The dog _______ (run) in the park.
10. The student _______ (learn) a lot.

Answers:

1. walked
2. studied
3. rained
4. flew
5. visited
6. ate
7. wrote
8. broke
9. ran
10. learned

Exercise 3: Future Simple

1. He _______ (travel) to Europe next year.
2. She _______ (graduate) in June.
3. It _______ (snow) tomorrow.
4. The train _______ (arrive) on time.
5. They _______ (move) to a new city.
6. He _______ (call) you later.
7. She _______ (write) a book.
8. It _______ (rain) this evening.
9. The game _______ (begin) soon.
10. The movie _______ (end) at 10 PM.

Answers:

1. will travel
2. will graduate
3. will snow
4. will arrive
5. will move
6. will call
7. will write
8. will rain
9. will begin
10. will end

Exercise 4: Present Continuous

1. He _______ (play) video games now.
2. She _______ (study) for her exams.
3. It _______ (rain) outside.
4. The baby _______ (sleep) soundly.
5. The dog _______ (bark) at the mailman.
6. They _______ (watch) a movie.
7. He _______ (eat) lunch.
8. She _______ (write) an email.
9. It _______ (snow) in the mountains.
10. The bird _______ (sing) sweetly.

Answers:

1. is playing
2. is studying
3. is raining
4. is sleeping
5. is barking
6. are watching
7. is eating
8. is writing
9. is snowing
10. is singing

Exercise 5: Present Perfect

1. He _______ (travel) to many countries.
2. She _______ (study) abroad.
3. It _______ (stop) raining.
4. The baby _______ (learn) to walk.
5. The dog _______ (eat) its food.
6. They _______ (watch) that movie before.
7. He _______ (finish) his work.
8. She _______ (write) a letter.
9. It _______ (snow) this winter.
10. The bird _______ (fly) away.

Answers:

1. has traveled
2. has studied
3. has stopped
4. has learned
5. has eaten
6. have watched
7. has finished
8. has written
9. has snowed
10. has flown

Advanced Topics

Understanding third-person verb forms can be further enhanced by exploring more advanced topics:

• Subjunctive Mood: The subjunctive mood is used to express wishes, suggestions, or hypothetical situations. In the present subjunctive, the verb takes the base form, even for third-person singular subjects (e.g., I suggest that he be on time).
• Inversion: Inverted sentences, where the verb comes before the subject, still require subject-verb agreement. For example, Here comes the bus (singular) vs. Here come the buses (plural).
• Nominal Relative Clauses: These clauses, introduced by words like “what” or “whoever,” can act as subjects and require careful attention to verb agreement. For example, What he says is important.
• Use of “There” as a Dummy Subject: When using “there” as a dummy subject, the verb agrees with the actual subject that follows the verb. For example, There is a book on the table vs. There are books on the table.

Complex Sentence Structures:

• Relative Clauses: Relative clauses, which modify nouns, must also maintain subject-verb agreement. For example, The man who works here is my neighbor.
• Embedded Questions: Embedded questions within sentences require careful attention to the subject and verb agreement. For example, I don’t know what she wants.

FAQ

Conclusion

Mastering third-person verb forms is essential for anyone looking to improve their English grammar skills. By understanding the rules, practicing regularly, and being aware of common mistakes, you can confidently use third-person verbs in your writing and speaking.

Remember to focus on subject-verb agreement, irregular verbs, and the nuances of different tenses and aspects. With consistent effort, you’ll enhance your overall English proficiency and communicate more effectively.