Unlocking the Secrets: Verbs Ending in ‘S’ Explained

Verbs ending in ‘s’ are a fundamental aspect of English grammar, particularly when forming the present simple tense. Understanding how and when to use these verbs correctly is crucial for clear and accurate communication.

This article delves into the intricacies of verbs ending in ‘s’, providing a comprehensive guide for learners of all levels. Whether you’re a beginner grappling with basic sentence structure or an advanced student looking to refine your grammar skills, this guide will equip you with the knowledge and practice needed to master this essential element of English grammar.

By the end of this article, you’ll confidently navigate the nuances of verbs ending in ‘s’ and enhance your overall fluency.

This article is designed to benefit a wide range of English learners. It is particularly helpful for students preparing for English proficiency exams, individuals seeking to improve their writing skills, and anyone who wants to gain a deeper understanding of English grammar.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Definition: Verbs Ending in ‘S’
3. Structural Breakdown
4. Types and Categories
   • Third-Person Singular Present Simple
   • Nouns vs. Verbs Ending in ‘S’
5. Examples
   • Affirmative Sentences
   • Negative Sentences
   • Interrogative Sentences
   • Irregular Verbs
   • Verbs Followed by Gerunds
6. Usage Rules
   • Basic Rules for Adding ‘S’
   • Exceptions to the Rules
   • Subject-Verb Agreement
7. Common Mistakes
8. Practice Exercises
   • Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks
   • Exercise 2: Correct the Errors
   • Exercise 3: Sentence Construction
9. Advanced Topics
   • Collective Nouns
   • Uncountable Nouns
10. FAQ
11. Conclusion

Definition: Verbs Ending in ‘S’

A verb ending in ‘s’ typically indicates the third-person singular form of a verb in the present simple tense. This means it is used when the subject of the sentence is he, she, or it, or a noun that can be replaced by one of these pronouns. The addition of ‘s’ to the base form of the verb signals this specific subject-verb agreement. The present simple tense is generally used to describe habitual actions, facts, general truths, and scheduled events.

For example, consider the verb “to walk.” In the present simple tense, we say “I walk,” “you walk,” “we walk,” and “they walk.” However, when the subject is third-person singular, the verb changes to “he walks,” “she walks,” and “it walks.” This simple addition of ‘s’ is essential for grammatical correctness in English.

Structural Breakdown

The structure involving verbs ending in ‘s’ is quite straightforward. In an affirmative sentence, the subject precedes the verb. If the subject is third-person singular, the verb takes the ‘s’ ending. The basic structure is: Subject (He/She/It/Singular Noun) + Verb (with ‘s’) + Object/Complement. Understanding this structural element is key to forming grammatically sound sentences.

In negative sentences, we use “does not” (or “doesn’t”) before the base form of the verb. The ‘s’ ending is dropped because “does” already indicates the third-person singular. The structure becomes: Subject (He/She/It/Singular Noun) + Does not/Doesn’t + Verb (base form) + Object/Complement. For questions (interrogative sentences), we invert the subject and “does”: Does + Subject (He/She/It/Singular Noun) + Verb (base form) + Object/Complement?

Types and Categories

Third-Person Singular Present Simple

The primary context for verbs ending in ‘s’ is the third-person singular in the present simple tense. This is used to describe actions, habits, or states that are generally true or regularly occur for he, she, or it. It’s important to recognize that this rule applies only to the present simple tense; other tenses do not follow this pattern.

For instance, “She eats breakfast every morning” describes a regular habit. “He works at a bank” describes his profession. “It rains a lot in Seattle” states a general truth. In each of these cases, the ‘s’ ending is crucial for correct grammar.

Nouns vs. Verbs Ending in ‘S’

It’s important to distinguish between nouns that end in ‘s’ and verbs that end in ‘s’. Nouns ending in ‘s’ are often plural forms, while verbs ending in ‘s’, as discussed, usually indicate the third-person singular present simple tense.

Confusing these two can lead to grammatical errors.

For example, “dogs” is a plural noun, referring to multiple canines. However, “walks” can be a verb (He walks to school) or a plural noun (The park has many walks). The context of the sentence will determine whether a word ending in ‘s’ is a noun or a verb. Understanding this distinction is vital for correct sentence construction.

Examples

Affirmative Sentences

The following table provides numerous examples of affirmative sentences using verbs ending in ‘s’. Notice how the ‘s’ is consistently added to the verb when the subject is third-person singular.

Subject	Verb	Sentence
He	eats	He eats pizza every Friday.
She	drinks	She drinks coffee in the morning.
It	rains	It rains heavily in the monsoon season.
John	plays	John plays the guitar beautifully.
Mary	reads	Mary reads a book before bed.
The dog	barks	The dog barks at strangers.
The sun	shines	The sun shines brightly in the summer.
My brother	works	My brother works at a software company.
My sister	studies	My sister studies medicine at university.
The bird	sings	The bird sings sweetly in the morning.
He	watches	He watches television after dinner.
She	washes	She washes the dishes every evening.
It	snows	It snows in the mountains during winter.
The cat	sleeps	The cat sleeps on the sofa.
The car	runs	The car runs smoothly on the highway.
My mother	cooks	My mother cooks delicious meals.
My father	drives	My father drives to work every day.
The plant	grows	The plant grows quickly in the sunlight.
The computer	works	The computer works efficiently.
He	kicks	He kicks the ball.
She	jumps	She jumps high.
It	smells	It smells good.
John	smiles	John smiles a lot.
Mary	laughs	Mary laughs loudly.
The dog	plays	The dog plays in the park.
The sun	warms	The sun warms the earth.
My brother	travels	My brother travels a lot.
My sister	writes	My sister writes poems.
The bird	flies	The bird flies south.

Negative Sentences

In negative sentences, we use “does not” (or “doesn’t”) followed by the base form of the verb. The ‘s’ ending is omitted in these cases.

The table below illustrates this structure.

Subject	Negative Form	Sentence
He	doesn’t eat	He doesn’t eat meat.
She	doesn’t drink	She doesn’t drink alcohol.
It	doesn’t rain	It doesn’t rain often here.
John	doesn’t play	John doesn’t play video games.
Mary	doesn’t read	Mary doesn’t read newspapers.
The dog	doesn’t bark	The dog doesn’t bark at the mailman.
The sun	doesn’t shine	The sun doesn’t shine at night.
My brother	doesn’t work	My brother doesn’t work on weekends.
My sister	doesn’t study	My sister doesn’t study on Fridays.
The bird	doesn’t sing	The bird doesn’t sing in the winter.
He	doesn’t watch	He doesn’t watch horror movies.
She	doesn’t wash	She doesn’t wash her car often.
It	doesn’t snow	It doesn’t snow in this region.
The cat	doesn’t sleep	The cat doesn’t sleep in its bed.
The car	doesn’t run	The car doesn’t run well.
My mother	doesn’t cook	My mother doesn’t cook spicy food.
My father	doesn’t drive	My father doesn’t drive fast.
The plant	doesn’t grow	The plant doesn’t grow in the shade.
The computer	doesn’t work	The computer doesn’t work properly.
He	doesn’t kick	He doesn’t kick the wall.
She	doesn’t jump	She doesn’t jump rope.
It	doesn’t smell	It doesn’t smell bad.
John	doesn’t smile	John doesn’t smile often.
Mary	doesn’t laugh	Mary doesn’t laugh at silly jokes.
The dog	doesn’t play	The dog doesn’t play fetch.
The sun	doesn’t warm	The sun doesn’t warm the poles enough.
My brother	doesn’t travel	My brother doesn’t travel by plane.
My sister	doesn’t write	My sister doesn’t write novels.
The bird	doesn’t fly	The bird doesn’t fly at night.

Interrogative Sentences

For questions, we start with “Does” followed by the subject and the base form of the verb. Again, the ‘s’ ending is omitted.

The table below provides examples of interrogative sentences.

Question Form	Subject	Sentence
Does	he	Does he eat healthy food?
Does	she	Does she drink enough water?
Does	it	Does it rain every day?
Does	John	Does John play any sports?
Does	Mary	Does Mary read often?
Does	the dog	Does the dog bark at night?
Does	the sun	Does the sun shine all day?
Does	my brother	Does my brother work late?
Does	my sister	Does my sister study hard?
Does	the bird	Does the bird sing loudly?
Does	he	Does he watch the news?
Does	she	Does she wash the clothes?
Does	it	Does it snow in July?
Does	the cat	Does the cat sleep a lot?
Does	the car	Does the car run on electricity?
Does	my mother	Does my mother cook on Sundays?
Does	my father	Does my father drive to work?
Does	the plant	Does the plant grow flowers?
Does	the computer	Does the computer work fast?
Does	he	Does he kick the can?
Does	she	Does she jump over the puddle?
Does	it	Does it smell like rain?
Does	John	Does John smile when he’s happy?
Does	Mary	Does Mary laugh at comedies?
Does	the dog	Does the dog play with toys?
Does	the sun	Does the sun warm the sand?
Does	my brother	Does my brother travel for work?
Does	my sister	Does my sister write in a journal?
Does	the bird	Does the bird fly in the morning?

Irregular Verbs

While most verbs simply add ‘s’, some verbs have irregular forms in the third-person singular. The most common example is the verb “to have,” which becomes “has” in the third-person singular (He has, She has, It has).

Another is “to do”, which becomes “does.”

Here are examples of irregular verbs in the third-person singular:

• He has a car.
• She does her homework every day.
• It goes to the park on weekends.

Verbs Followed by Gerunds

Sometimes, verbs ending in ‘s’ can be followed by gerunds (verbs ending in -ing that function as nouns). The ‘s’ still signifies the third-person singular, but the meaning shifts to describing an action as a subject or object.

Consider these examples:

• He enjoys swimming.
• She likes reading.
• It involves planning.

Usage Rules

Basic Rules for Adding ‘S’

For most verbs, adding ‘s’ to the base form is straightforward. However, there are some rules to follow based on the ending of the verb:

• Most verbs: Simply add ‘s’ (e.g., walk -> walks, eat -> eats).
• Verbs ending in -s, -ss, -sh, -ch, -x, or -z: Add ‘es’ (e.g., kiss -> kisses, wash -> washes, watch -> watches, fix -> fixes, buzz -> buzzes).
• Verbs ending in consonant + ‘y’: Change ‘y’ to ‘i’ and add ‘es’ (e.g., study -> studies, cry -> cries). However, if the verb ends in vowel + ‘y’, just add ‘s’ (e.g., play -> plays, enjoy -> enjoys).

These rules ensure correct spelling and pronunciation of verbs in the third-person singular.

Exceptions to the Rules

As with many grammar rules, there are exceptions. The verb “to have” is a prime example, as it changes to “has” in the third-person singular.

There aren’t many other exceptions, but it’s important to be aware of irregular verbs like this.

Another exception is the verb “to be” which has the forms “is,” “am,” and “are” in the present tense. “Is” is used for the third-person singular (He is, She is, It is).

Subject-Verb Agreement

The fundamental rule governing verbs ending in ‘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 (without the ‘s’ ending).

Consider these examples:

• Incorrect: They eats pizza.
• Correct: They eat pizza.
• Incorrect: He eat pizza.
• Correct: He eats pizza.

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 frequent error is adding ‘s’ when it’s not needed, such as with plural subjects or in tenses other than the present simple.

Here are some examples of common mistakes and their corrections:

Incorrect	Correct	Explanation
He eat pizza.	He eats pizza.	Missing ‘s’ for third-person singular.
They eats pizza.	They eat pizza.	‘S’ added incorrectly with plural subject.
She will eats pizza.	She will eat pizza.	‘S’ should not be added with future tense.
John and Mary eats pizza.	John and Mary eat pizza.	‘Eats’ is incorrect with a plural subject (John and Mary).
The dog bark at strangers.	The dog barks at strangers.	Missing ‘s’ for singular subject (The dog).
My brother don’t work on weekends.	My brother doesn’t work on weekends.	Incorrect use of “don’t” with a singular subject. Should be “doesn’t”.
Does he eats pizza?	Does he eat pizza?	‘Eats’ is incorrect in a question with “does”.
She have a car.	She has a car.	Incorrect form of “have” for third-person singular.
It do not rain often here.	It does not rain often here.	Incorrect use of “do” with a singular subject. Should be “does”.
Mary read a book. (habitual action)	Mary reads a book.	Missing ‘s’ for habitual action in present simple.

Practice Exercises

Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks

Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the verb in parentheses. Remember to use the present simple tense and pay attention to subject-verb agreement.

Question	Answer
1. He _______ (watch) TV every evening.	1. watches
2. She _______ (drink) coffee in the morning.	2. drinks
3. It _______ (rain) a lot in the spring.	3. rains
4. John _______ (play) the piano.	4. plays
5. Mary _______ (read) a book before bed.	5. reads
6. The dog _______ (bark) at strangers.	6. barks
7. The sun _______ (shine) brightly.	7. shines
8. My brother _______ (work) at a bank.	8. works
9. My sister _______ (study) medicine.	9. studies
10. The bird _______ (sing) in the morning.	10. sings

Exercise 2: Correct the Errors

Identify and correct the errors in the following sentences. Each sentence contains one error related to verbs ending in ‘s’.

Incorrect Sentence	Correct Sentence
1. He eat pizza every Friday.	1. He eats pizza every Friday.
2. They eats pizza on Saturdays.	2. They eat pizza on Saturdays.
3. She will eats pizza tomorrow.	3. She will eat pizza tomorrow.
4. John and Mary eats pizza.	4. John and Mary eat pizza.
5. The dog bark at strangers.	5. The dog barks at strangers.
6. My brother don’t work on weekends.	6. My brother doesn’t work on weekends.
7. Does he eats pizza?	7. Does he eat pizza?
8. She have a car.	8. She has a car.
9. It do not rain often here.	9. It does not rain often here.
10. Mary read a book. (habitual action)	10. Mary reads a book.

Exercise 3: Sentence Construction

Construct sentences using the provided subjects and verbs in the present simple tense. Ensure correct subject-verb agreement.

Subject	Verb	Sentence
He	cook	He cooks dinner every night.
She	dance	She dances gracefully.
It	snow	It snows in winter.
John	swim	John swims in the ocean.
Mary	write	Mary writes poetry.
The dog	run	The dog runs in the park.
The sun	rise	The sun rises in the east.
My brother	travel	My brother travels for business.
My sister	paint	My sister paints portraits.
The bird	fly	The bird flies high in the sky.

Advanced Topics

Collective Nouns

Collective nouns (e.g., team, family, committee) can be tricky. They can be treated as 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 (ending in ‘s’). If the members are acting individually, use the plural verb form.

Examples:

• The team plays well together. (Singular – acting as a unit)
• The family disagrees on politics. (Singular – acting as a unit)
• The committee have different opinions. (Plural – individual members)

Uncountable Nouns

Uncountable nouns (e.g., water, information, advice) are always treated as singular. Therefore, verbs used with uncountable nouns should always end in ‘s’ in the present simple.

Examples:

• The water tastes good.
• The information is accurate. (“Is” is the third-person singular form of “to be”)
• His advice helps me a lot.

FAQ

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

   We add ‘s’ to verbs in the present simple tense to indicate the third-person singular form. This helps maintain subject-verb agreement, which is a fundamental rule of English grammar. It signals that the subject of the sentence is ‘he,’ ‘she,’ or ‘it,’ or a singular noun that can be replaced by one of these pronouns.

2. When should I *not* add ‘s’ to a verb?

   You should not add ‘s’ to a verb when the subject is plural (e.g., they, we, you) or when using the first-person singular (‘I’). Additionally, do not add ‘s’ in tenses other than the present simple, or when using modal verbs (e.g., can, should, will).

3. What happens to the ‘s’ when forming negative sentences?

   In negative sentences, we use “does not” (or “doesn’t”) before the base form of the verb. The ‘s’ ending is dropped from the main verb because “does” already indicates the third-person singular. For example: “He doesn’t eat meat.”

4. How do I form questions using verbs ending in ‘s’?

   To form questions, start with “Does” followed by the subject (he, she, it, or a singular noun) and the base form of the verb. The ‘s’ ending is omitted from the main verb. For example: “Does she drink coffee?”

5. Are there any irregular verbs I should be aware of?

   Yes, the most common irregular verb is “to have,” which becomes “has” in the third-person singular (He has, She has, It has). The verb “to be” also has irregular forms: “is” for third-person singular (He is, She is, It is), “am” for first-person singular (I am), and “are” for plural subjects (They are, We are, You are).

6. What’s the difference between a noun ending in ‘s’ and a verb ending in ‘s’?

   Nouns ending in ‘s’ are often plural forms (e.g., dogs, cats, books), while verbs ending in ‘s’ usually indicate the third-person singular present simple tense (e.g., he walks, she eats, it rains). The context of the sentence will determine whether a word ending in ‘s’ is a noun or a verb.

7. How do I handle collective nouns like ‘team’ or ‘family’ with verbs ending in ‘s’?

   Collective nouns can be treated as 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 (ending in ‘s’). If the members are acting individually, use the plural verb form. For example: “The team plays well together” (singular) vs. “The team have different opinions” (plural).

8. What if I’m unsure whether to use the ‘s’ ending?

   When in doubt, always consider the subject of the sentence. Is it third-person singular (he, she, it, or a singular noun)? Is the tense present simple? If the answer to both questions is yes, then you should add the ‘s’ ending to the verb. If not, you should omit it. Practice and careful attention to subject-verb agreement will help you become more confident.

Conclusion

Mastering verbs ending in ‘s’ is essential for accurate and fluent English communication. This article has provided a comprehensive overview of the rules, exceptions, and common mistakes associated with this fundamental grammar point.

Remember that the key is subject-verb agreement: ensuring that the verb form matches the subject in number. By understanding the basic rules, practicing regularly, and paying attention to context, you can confidently use verbs ending in ‘s’ in your writing and speaking.

Continue to practice and review these concepts to solidify your understanding. Pay close attention to how native speakers use verbs ending in ‘s’ in various contexts.

With consistent effort, you’ll refine your grammar skills and communicate more effectively in English. Good luck!