Mastering Verb Conjugation: Sentence Building with Verbs Ending in ‘S’

Understanding how verbs ending in ‘s’ function is crucial for constructing grammatically correct and clear sentences in English. This seemingly small detail significantly impacts subject-verb agreement, tense consistency, and overall sentence structure.

Mastering this concept allows you to express yourself accurately and confidently in both written and spoken communication. This article is designed for English language learners of all levels, from beginners to advanced students, as well as anyone looking to refine their grammar skills and gain a deeper understanding of verb conjugation in the present tense.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Definition: Verbs Ending in ‘S’
3. Structural Breakdown
4. Types and Categories of Verbs Ending in ‘S’
   • Regular Verbs
   • Irregular Verbs
   • Third-Person Singular
5. Examples of Sentences with Verbs Ending in ‘S’
   • Affirmative Sentences
   • Negative Sentences
   • Interrogative Sentences
6. Usage Rules for Verbs Ending in ‘S’
   • Present Simple Tense
   • Subject-Verb Agreement
   • Exceptions to the Rules
7. Common Mistakes with Verbs Ending in ‘S’
8. Practice Exercises
9. Advanced Topics
   • Emphatic Sentences
   • Literary Uses
10. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
11. Conclusion

Definition: Verbs Ending in ‘S’

In English grammar, verbs ending in ‘s’ typically indicate the third-person singular form in the present simple tense. This means they are used when the subject of the sentence is a singular noun or pronoun like he, she, or it. The addition of ‘s’ signals agreement between the subject and the verb, a fundamental rule of English grammar. Understanding this concept is essential for constructing grammatically sound sentences. For example, in the sentence “She walks to school,” the verb “walks” ends in ‘s’ because the subject “she” is a third-person singular pronoun.

The primary function of verbs ending in ‘s’ is to denote actions, states, or occurrences performed by a single individual or entity in the present. These verbs are primarily used to describe habitual actions, general truths, or scheduled events.

The ‘s’ ending is a marker that ensures the verb aligns grammatically with its subject, maintaining clarity and precision in communication. This grammatical feature is not merely cosmetic; it’s integral to conveying meaning accurately.

Structural Breakdown

The structure of sentences using verbs ending in ‘s’ follows a consistent pattern. The basic structure is: Subject (He/She/It/Singular Noun) + Verb (ending in ‘s’) + Object/Complement. This structure ensures that the verb agrees with the subject in number. For example, in the sentence “The dog barks loudly,” the subject “the dog” is singular, and the verb “barks” ends in ‘s’ to maintain agreement. The object or complement provides additional information about the action or state described by the verb.

Let’s break down the components further. The subject is the person, place, or thing performing the action. The verb is the action word, and it’s the verb that changes to include the ‘s’ ending in the present simple tense when the subject is third-person singular. The object receives the action of the verb (e.g., “He kicks the ball”), and the complement provides more information about the subject (e.g., “She is happy”). Proper adherence to this structure is vital for clear and effective communication.

Types and Categories of Verbs Ending in ‘S’

Regular Verbs

Regular verbs form their third-person singular present tense by simply adding an ‘s’ to the base form of the verb. This is the most straightforward category.

For example, the verb “walk” becomes “walks” when used with a third-person singular subject.

Here are more examples of regular verbs that follow this pattern:

• Work – Works
• Play – Plays
• Eat – Eats
• Sleep – Sleeps
• Read – Reads

Irregular Verbs

Irregular verbs, on the other hand, may undergo slight modifications when forming their third-person singular present tense. While most still add an ‘s’, the spelling might change slightly.

For instance, verbs ending in ‘y’ often change the ‘y’ to ‘i’ and add ‘es’.

Examples of irregular verbs and their modifications:

• Study – Studies
• Cry – Cries
• Fly – Flies
• Carry – Carries
• Worry – Worries

Third-Person Singular

Verbs ending in ‘s’ are almost exclusively used with third-person singular subjects. These include pronouns like he, she, and it, as well as singular nouns. This is a critical point to remember for accurate subject-verb agreement.

Consider these examples:

• He sings beautifully.
• She dances gracefully.
• It rains frequently here.
• The dog barks loudly.
• My mother cooks delicious meals.

Examples of Sentences with Verbs Ending in ‘S’

Affirmative Sentences

Affirmative sentences state a fact or assertion. They are the most common type of sentences where you’ll encounter verbs ending in ‘s’.

The following table provides numerous examples of affirmative sentences using verbs ending in ‘s’.

Subject	Verb	Object/Complement
He	plays	the guitar.
She	works	at the hospital.
It	rains	often in Seattle.
The dog	barks	at strangers.
My mother	cooks	delicious meals.
The sun	shines	brightly.
The bird	sings	in the morning.
The cat	sleeps	all day.
He	reads	every night.
She	writes	poetry.
It	smells	good in the kitchen.
The teacher	explains	the lesson clearly.
My brother	studies	hard for his exams.
The baby	cries	when he is hungry.
The car	starts	easily in cold weather.
The computer	works	perfectly.
The flower	blooms	in the spring.
The clock	ticks	loudly.
He	listens	to music.
She	watches	movies.
It	snows	in winter.
The bus	arrives	on time.
The train	leaves	at noon.
My father	repairs	cars.
The company	sells	products online.
The store	opens	early.
He	cleans	his room.
She	washes	the dishes.
It	costs	a lot.

Negative Sentences

Negative sentences express the negation of an action or state. In the present simple tense, we typically use “does not” (doesn’t) before the base form of the verb when the subject is third-person singular.

Below is a table illustrating negative sentences with verbs originally ending in ‘s’.

Subject	Auxiliary Verb + Not	Base Verb	Object/Complement
He	doesn’t	play	the guitar.
She	doesn’t	work	at the hospital.
It	doesn’t	rain	often in the summer.
The dog	doesn’t	bark	at me.
My mother	doesn’t	cook	every day.
The sun	doesn’t	shine	at night.
The bird	doesn’t	sing	in the evening.
The cat	doesn’t	sleep	outside.
He	doesn’t	read	magazines.
She	doesn’t	write	novels.
It	doesn’t	smell	bad.
The teacher	doesn’t	explain	the homework.
My brother	doesn’t	study	on Sundays.
The baby	doesn’t	cry	often.
The car	doesn’t	start	easily.
The computer	doesn’t	work	properly.
The flower	doesn’t	bloom	in winter.
The clock	doesn’t	tick	quietly.
He	doesn’t	listen	to the radio.
She	doesn’t	watch	TV often.
It	doesn’t	snow	in summer.
The bus	doesn’t	arrive	late.
The train	doesn’t	leave	early.
My father	doesn’t	repair	bikes.
The company	doesn’t	sell	books.
The store	doesn’t	open	late.
He	doesn’t	clean	the kitchen.
She	doesn’t	wash	the car.
It	doesn’t	cost	much.

Interrogative Sentences

Interrogative sentences ask a question. In the present simple tense, we use “does” before the subject and the base form of the verb when the subject is third-person singular.

The table below presents examples of interrogative sentences using verbs that would typically end in ‘s’ in their affirmative form.

Auxiliary Verb	Subject	Base Verb	Object/Complement	Question Mark
Does	he	play	the guitar?	?
Does	she	work	at the hospital?	?
Does	it	rain	often in spring?	?
Does	the dog	bark	at the mailman?	?
Does	my mother	cook	dinner tonight?	?
Does	the sun	shine	every day?	?
Does	the bird	sing	in the morning?	?
Does	the cat	sleep	on the bed?	?
Does	he	read	books?	?
Does	she	write	stories?	?
Does	it	smell	good?	?
Does	the teacher	explain	the rules?	?
Does	my brother	study	math?	?
Does	the baby	cry	at night?	?
Does	the car	start	quickly?	?
Does	the computer	work	well?	?
Does	the flower	bloom	in summer?	?
Does	the clock	tick	loudly?	?
Does	he	listen	to podcasts?	?
Does	she	watch	sports?	?
Does	it	snow	often?	?
Does	the bus	arrive	on time?	?
Does	the train	leave	now?	?
Does	my father	repair	electronics?	?
Does	the company	sell	clothes?	?
Does	the store	open	early today?	?
Does	he	clean	his desk?	?
Does	she	wash	her hair?	?
Does	it	cost	much to repair?	?

Usage Rules for Verbs Ending in ‘S’

Present Simple Tense

The primary context for using verbs ending in ‘s’ is the present simple tense. This tense is used to describe habits, general truths, repeated actions, or unchanging situations, emotions, and wishes.

It is also used to give instructions or directions, and to talk about fixed arrangements, present or future.

Examples:

• He eats breakfast every morning. (habit)
• The sun rises in the east. (general truth)
• She goes to the gym on Mondays. (repeated action)
• Water boils at 100 degrees Celsius. (unchanging situation)

Subject-Verb Agreement

Subject-verb agreement means 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. With third-person singular subjects (he, she, it), the verb takes an ‘s’ ending in the present simple tense.

Examples:

• Correct: He walks to school.
• Incorrect: He walk to school.
• Correct: They walk to school.
• Incorrect: They walks to school.

Exceptions to the Rules

There are a few exceptions to the rules regarding verbs ending in ‘s’. Modal verbs (can, could, will, would, shall, should, may, might, must) do not take an ‘s’ ending, regardless of the subject.

Also, the verb “to be” has unique forms (is, are, am) and doesn’t follow the standard ‘s’ ending rule.

Examples:

• He can swim. (not “cans”)
• She is a doctor. (not “bes”)

Common Mistakes with Verbs Ending in ‘S’

One of the most common mistakes is forgetting to add the ‘s’ to the verb when the subject is third-person singular. Another frequent error is adding ‘s’ to verbs with plural subjects.

Understanding subject-verb agreement is crucial to avoid these mistakes.

Here are some examples of common mistakes and their corrections:

Incorrect	Correct	Explanation
He walk to school.	He walks to school.	The verb “walk” needs an ‘s’ because the subject “he” is third-person singular.
They walks to school.	They walk to school.	The verb “walk” should not have an ‘s’ because the subject “they” is plural.
She don’t like coffee.	She doesn’t like coffee.	The auxiliary verb should be “doesn’t” for third-person singular subjects.
Does he likes pizza?	Does he like pizza?	The base form of the verb “like” should be used after “does.”
The students studies hard.	The student studies hard.	The verb “studies” should only be used with singular subjects.
My parents lives in London.	My parents live in London.	The verb “live” should be used with plural subjects.
He can speaks English.	He can speak English.	Modal verbs like “can” do not take an ‘s’ ending.
She is goes to the store.	She goes to the store.	“Is” is unnecessary; use the correct present simple form of the verb.
It have a nice smell.	It has a nice smell.	The verb “have” becomes “has” for third-person singular subjects.
The dog are barking.	The dog is barking.	The verb “to be” should be “is” for singular subjects.

Practice Exercises

Test your understanding with these practice exercises.

Exercise 1: Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the verb.

Question	Answer
1. He ______ (play) football every Saturday.	plays
2. She ______ (work) at a bank.	works
3. It ______ (rain) a lot in this area.	rains
4. The dog ______ (bark) at the postman.	barks
5. My mother ______ (cook) dinner every night.	cooks
6. The sun ______ (shine) brightly today.	shines
7. The bird ______ (sing) in the tree.	sings
8. The cat ______ (sleep) on the sofa.	sleeps
9. He ______ (read) books every day.	reads
10. She ______ (write) letters to her friends.	writes

Exercise 2: Correct the sentences below if they are incorrect. If they are already correct, write “Correct.”

Question	Answer
1. He walk to the store.	He walks to the store.
2. She doesn’t likes chocolate.	She doesn’t like chocolate.
3. The dog barks loudly.	Correct
4. They walks to school.	They walk to school.
5. My mother cook dinner.	My mother cooks dinner.
6. He can speaks English fluently.	He can speak English fluently.
7. Does she likes to dance?	Does she like to dance?
8. It rains every day here.	Correct
9. She don’t work on Sundays.	She doesn’t work on Sundays.
10. He is play the piano.	He plays the piano.

Exercise 3: Rewrite the following sentences in the negative form.

Question	Answer
1. He plays the guitar.	He doesn’t play the guitar.
2. She works at the hospital.	She doesn’t work at the hospital.
3. It rains often here.	It doesn’t rain often here.
4. The dog barks at strangers.	The dog doesn’t bark at strangers.
5. My mother cooks delicious meals.	My mother doesn’t cook delicious meals.
6. The sun shines brightly.	The sun doesn’t shine brightly.
7. The bird sings in the morning.	The bird doesn’t sing in the morning.
8. The cat sleeps all day.	The cat doesn’t sleep all day.
9. He reads every night.	He doesn’t read every night.
10. She writes poetry.	She doesn’t write poetry.

Advanced Topics

Emphatic Sentences

In some cases, you might use “does” for emphasis in affirmative sentences. This is not as common but can be used to stress the truth of a statement.

For example, “He *does* play the guitar” emphasizes that he really does play the guitar, despite any doubt.

Examples:

• He does like coffee, even though he pretends he doesn’t.
• She does work hard, despite what others say.

Literary Uses

In older forms of English or in certain literary contexts, you might find different subject-verb agreement patterns. For example, you might see constructions like “thou sayest” (you say) in Shakespearean English.

These are less common in modern English but understanding them can add depth to your appreciation of literature.

Examples:

• “Whither goest thou?” (archaic form of “Where are you going?”)

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

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

1. Why do verbs end in ‘s’ in some sentences?

   Verbs end in ‘s’ to indicate the third-person singular form in the present simple tense. This ensures subject-verb agreement, a fundamental rule of English grammar. It signals that the subject of the sentence is a singular noun or pronoun like he, she, or it, and the verb is conjugated accordingly.

2. When should I use ‘doesn’t’ instead of ‘don’t’?

   Use “doesn’t” when the subject is third-person singular (he, she, it). “Don’t” is used with other subjects (I, you, we, they). For instance, “He doesn’t like ice cream,” but “I don’t like ice cream.” The choice between “doesn’t” and “don’t” is crucial for maintaining grammatical correctness.

3. What happens to the ‘s’ when I ask a question?

   When asking a question in the present simple tense with a third-person singular subject, use “does” before the subject and the base form of the verb. For example, “Does she play the piano?” The ‘s’ is incorporated into the auxiliary verb “does,” so it’s not needed on the main verb.

4. Are there any irregular verbs that don’t follow this rule?

   Yes, the verb “to be” is irregular and doesn’t follow the standard ‘s’ ending rule. Its third-person singular present tense form is “is” (e.g., “He is happy”). Additionally, modal verbs like “can,” “could,” “will,” etc., do not take an ‘s’ ending, regardless of the subject.

5. How can I improve my subject-verb agreement?

   Practice is key! Start by identifying the subject of the sentence and determining whether it’s singular or plural. Then, choose the correct verb form that agrees with the subject. Reading and listening to English regularly can also help you internalize these patterns. Pay close attention to how native speakers construct sentences.

6. What if I’m using a compound subject (e.g., “John and Mary”)?

   If you have a compound subject joined by “and,” treat it as plural. Therefore, the verb should not end in ‘s’. For example, “John and Mary walk to school.” However, if the compound subject refers to a single entity or idea, use a singular verb (e.g., “Mac and cheese is my favorite dish”).

7. Does this rule apply to all tenses?

   No, this rule primarily applies to the present simple tense. In other tenses, such as the past simple or future simple, the verb forms don’t change based on the subject’s number. For example, “He walked to school yesterday” (past simple) applies regardless of the subject.

8. What about sentences that start with “there”?

   In sentences starting with “there,” the subject comes after the verb. Therefore, you need to look at the noun that follows the verb to determine whether it’s singular or plural. For example, “There is a book on the table” (singular) versus “There are books on the table” (plural).

Conclusion

Mastering the use of verbs ending in ‘s’ is a foundational skill in English grammar. Understanding the rules of subject-verb agreement, particularly in the present simple tense, will significantly improve your writing and speaking accuracy.

Remember to pay close attention to the subject of your sentences and choose the appropriate verb form accordingly. Avoiding common mistakes and practicing regularly will solidify your understanding and build your confidence in using English effectively.

By consistently applying the principles outlined in this article, you’ll be well-equipped to construct grammatically correct and clear sentences. Keep practicing and don’t be afraid to ask questions.

With persistence, you’ll master this essential aspect of English grammar and communicate with greater precision and ease. Remember that even native speakers sometimes make mistakes, so be patient with yourself and continue to learn and grow.