Mastering Verb Conjugation: He, She, It in English Grammar

Understanding how verbs change with the pronouns “he,” “she,” and “it” is fundamental to forming grammatically correct sentences in English. This seemingly simple aspect of grammar often trips up English language learners.

This article provides a comprehensive guide to verb transformation rules for these third-person singular pronouns, covering everything from basic conjugation to advanced usage and common errors. Whether you’re a beginner or an advanced learner, this guide will help you confidently use verbs with “he,” “she,” and “it.”

This guide will be invaluable for students learning English as a Second Language (ESL), writers seeking to refine their prose, and anyone wishing to solidify their understanding of English grammar. By mastering these rules, you’ll significantly improve your fluency and accuracy in both spoken and written English.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Definition: Third-Person Singular Verb Conjugation
3. Structural Breakdown: The -s/-es Rule
4. Types of Verbs and Their Conjugation
   • Regular Verbs
   • Irregular Verbs
   • Auxiliary Verbs (Helping Verbs)
5. Examples of Verb Conjugation with He/She/It
   • Present Simple Tense
   • Past Simple Tense
   • Present Continuous Tense
   • Past Continuous Tense
   • Present Perfect Tense
6. Usage Rules and Exceptions
   • Exceptions to the -s/-es Rule
   • Modal Verbs
   • Subjunctive Mood
7. Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
8. Practice Exercises
   • Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks
   • Exercise 2: Correct the Errors
   • Exercise 3: Sentence Transformation
9. Advanced Topics: Nuances and Complexities
   • Formal vs. Informal Usage
   • Verb Conjugation in Literary Devices
10. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
11. Conclusion

Definition: Third-Person Singular Verb Conjugation

Third-person singular verb conjugation refers to how verbs change when used with the pronouns “he,” “she,” and “it,” as well as singular nouns that can be replaced by these pronouns (e.g., “John” can be replaced by “he,” “Mary” by “she,” and “the dog” by “it”). The primary change involves adding an -s or -es to the base form of the verb in the present simple tense. This grammatical rule is crucial for maintaining subject-verb agreement, which ensures that the verb agrees in number (singular or plural) with its subject.

Subject-verb agreement is one of the most fundamental rules of English grammar. It dictates that a singular subject must take a singular verb form, and a plural subject must take a plural verb form. In the case of “he,” “she,” and “it,” the verb must be in its singular form, typically achieved by adding the -s or -es suffix in the present simple tense.

Understanding the nuances of this conjugation is essential for clear and effective communication. Incorrect verb conjugation can lead to confusion and misinterpretation, especially in formal writing and academic contexts.

Therefore, mastering this concept is a key step in achieving proficiency in English grammar.

Structural Breakdown: The -s/-es Rule

The core of third-person singular verb conjugation lies in the -s/-es rule in the present simple tense. While the general rule is to add -s to the base form of the verb, certain verbs require the addition of -es. The specific rules for adding -s or -es are determined by the ending of the base form of the verb.

Here’s a breakdown of the rules:

• Most verbs: Add -s to the base form. For example, “work” becomes “works,” “read” becomes “reads,” and “play” becomes “plays.”
• Verbs ending in -s, -ss, -sh, -ch, -x, or -z: Add -es. For example, “kiss” becomes “kisses,” “wash” becomes “washes,” “watch” becomes “watches,” “mix” becomes “mixes,” and “buzz” becomes “buzzes.”
• Verbs ending in a consonant + -y: Change the -y to -i and add -es. For example, “study” becomes “studies,” “cry” becomes “cries,” and “try” becomes “tries.” However, if the verb ends in a vowel + -y, simply add -s (e.g., “play” becomes “plays”).
• The verb “have”: This is an irregular verb. Its third-person singular form is “has.”
• The verb “do”: Add -es. The third-person singular form is “does.”
• The verb “go”: Add -es. The third-person singular form is “goes.”

These rules ensure that the verb form is grammatically correct when used with the third-person singular pronouns “he,” “she,” and “it.” Failure to follow these rules results in incorrect subject-verb agreement, which can detract from the clarity and professionalism of your writing and speech.

Types of Verbs and Their Conjugation

English verbs can be broadly classified into three categories: regular verbs, irregular verbs, and auxiliary verbs (also known as helping verbs). Understanding the characteristics of each type is crucial for accurate verb conjugation, especially in the third-person singular.

Regular Verbs

Regular verbs are those that form their past simple and past participle forms by adding -ed to the base form. In the present simple tense, they follow the standard -s/-es rule for third-person singular conjugation.

Examples of regular verbs:

• Walk: He/She/It walks
• Talk: He/She/It talks
• Cook: He/She/It cooks
• Clean: He/She/It cleans

Irregular Verbs

Irregular verbs do not follow the standard -ed rule for forming their past simple and past participle forms. Their conjugation patterns are often unpredictable and must be memorized. However, in the present simple tense, they still adhere to the -s/-es rule for third-person singular.

Examples of irregular verbs:

• Eat: He/She/It eats
• Drink: He/She/It drinks
• Write: He/She/It writes
• See: He/She/It sees

Auxiliary Verbs (Helping Verbs)

Auxiliary verbs, also known as helping verbs, are used in conjunction with main verbs to form different tenses, moods, and voices. The most common auxiliary verbs are “be,” “have,” and “do.” These verbs have unique conjugation patterns, especially in the third-person singular.

Examples of auxiliary verb conjugation:

• Be: He/She/It is (present simple), He/She/It was (past simple)
• Have: He/She/It has (present simple), He/She/It had (past simple)
• Do: He/She/It does (present simple), He/She/It did (past simple)

Examples of Verb Conjugation with He/She/It

The following sections provide extensive examples of verb conjugation with “he,” “she,” and “it” in various tenses. These examples illustrate the application of the -s/-es rule and other conjugation patterns in different contexts. Each table provides at least 20 examples.

Present Simple Tense

The present simple tense is used to describe habitual actions, general truths, and facts. In the third-person singular, it requires the addition of -s or -es to the base form of the verb.

The following table provides multiple examples of present simple tense conjugation with “he,” “she,” and “it.”

Subject	Verb (Base Form)	Verb (Third-Person Singular)	Example Sentence
He	Work	Works	He works at a bank.
She	Read	Reads	She reads a book every night.
It	Rain	Rains	It rains frequently in the spring.
He	Play	Plays	He plays the guitar very well.
She	Sing	Sings	She sings in the choir.
It	Shine	Shines	The sun shines brightly today.
He	Watch	Watches	He watches TV in the evening.
She	Wash	Washes	She washes the dishes after dinner.
It	Buzz	Buzzes	The bee buzzes around the flower.
He	Mix	Mixes	He mixes the ingredients for the cake.
She	Kiss	Kisses	She kisses her child goodnight.
It	Fix	Fixes	The mechanic fixes the car.
He	Study	Studies	He studies hard for his exams.
She	Cry	Cries	She cries when she watches sad movies.
It	Fly	Flies	The bird flies high in the sky.
He	Try	Tries	He tries his best in everything he does.
She	Carry	Carries	She carries her books to school.
It	Worry	Worries	He worries about the future.
He	Go	Goes	He goes to the gym every day.
She	Do	Does	She does her homework after school.
It	Have	Has	It has a strong engine.
He	Think	Thinks	He thinks deeply about philosophical questions.
She	Feel	Feels	She feels happy when she is with her friends.
It	Seem	Seems	It seems like it is going to rain.
He	Believe	Believes	He believes in the power of positive thinking.
She	Understand	Understands	She understands the complex problem.
It	Cost	Costs	It costs a lot of money to live in the city.

Past Simple Tense

The past simple tense is used to describe actions that were completed in the past. For regular verbs, the past simple form is created by adding -ed to the base form. Irregular verbs have unique past simple forms that must be memorized. Importantly, the past simple tense does NOT change based on whether the subject is third-person singular (“he”, “she”, “it”).

The following table provides examples of past simple tense conjugation with “he,” “she,” and “it.”

Subject	Verb (Base Form)	Verb (Past Simple)	Example Sentence
He	Work	Worked	He worked late last night.
She	Read	Read	She read a book yesterday.
It	Rain	Rained	It rained all day yesterday.
He	Play	Played	He played basketball last weekend.
She	Sing	Sang	She sang beautifully at the concert.
It	Shine	Shone	The sun shone brightly this morning.
He	Watch	Watched	He watched a movie last night.
She	Wash	Washed	She washed the car this afternoon.
It	Buzz	Buzzed	The bee buzzed around the garden.
He	Mix	Mixed	He mixed the paint carefully.
She	Kiss	Kissed	She kissed her mother goodbye.
It	Fix	Fixed	The mechanic fixed the engine.
He	Study	Studied	He studied for the test.
She	Cry	Cried	She cried during the sad movie.
It	Fly	Flew	The bird flew away quickly.
He	Try	Tried	He tried to open the door.
She	Carry	Carried	She carried the groceries inside.
It	Worry	Worried	He worried about the presentation.
He	Go	Went	He went to the store.
She	Do	Did	She did her best.
It	Have	Had	It had a flat tire.
He	Think	Thought	He thought about the problem all night.
She	Feel	Felt	She felt tired after the long day.
It	Seem	Seemed	It seemed like a good idea at the time.
He	Believe	Believed	He believed her story.
She	Understand	Understood	She understood the instructions.
It	Cost	Cost	It cost a fortune to repair.

Present Continuous Tense

The present continuous tense is used to describe actions that are happening now or around now. It is formed using the auxiliary verb “be” (is, are, am) and the present participle (verb + -ing).

The third-person singular form of “be” is “is.”

The following table provides examples of present continuous tense conjugation with “he,” “she,” and “it.”

Subject	Verb (Base Form)	Verb (Present Continuous)	Example Sentence
He	Work	Is working	He is working on a new project.
She	Read	Is reading	She is reading an interesting article.
It	Rain	Is raining	It is raining outside right now.
He	Play	Is playing	He is playing video games.
She	Sing	Is singing	She is singing a beautiful song.
It	Shine	Is shining	The sun is shining brightly.
He	Watch	Is watching	He is watching a football game.
She	Wash	Is washing	She is washing her hair.
It	Buzz	Is buzzing	The bee is buzzing around the flowers.
He	Mix	Is mixing	He is mixing the salad dressing.
She	Kiss	Is kissing	She is kissing her baby.
It	Fix	Is fixing	The mechanic is fixing the car.
He	Study	Is studying	He is studying for his exam.
She	Cry	Is crying	She is crying because she is sad.
It	Fly	Is flying	The bird is flying in the sky.
He	Try	Is trying	He is trying to solve the problem.
She	Carry	Is carrying	She is carrying a heavy bag.
It	Worry	Is worrying	He is worrying about his job.
He	Go	Is going	He is going to the store.
She	Do	Is doing	She is doing her homework.
It	Have	Is having	It is having a difficult time starting.
He	Think	Is thinking	He is thinking about his future.
She	Feel	Is feeling	She is feeling happy today.
It	Seem	Is seeming	It is seeming more likely that it will rain.

Past Continuous Tense

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

The third-person singular form of “be” is “was.”

The following table provides examples of past continuous tense conjugation with “he,” “she,” and “it.”

Subject	Verb (Base Form)	Verb (Past Continuous)	Example Sentence
He	Work	Was working	He was working late last night.
She	Read	Was reading	She was reading when I called.
It	Rain	Was raining	It was raining when I left the house.
He	Play	Was playing	He was playing the piano.
She	Sing	Was singing	She was singing in the shower.
It	Shine	Was shining	The sun was shining yesterday afternoon.
He	Watch	Was watching	He was watching TV when the power went out.
She	Wash	Was washing	She was washing the dishes.
It	Buzz	Was buzzing	The bee was buzzing around the garden.
He	Mix	Was mixing	He was mixing the ingredients for the cake.
She	Kiss	Was kissing	She was kissing her child goodnight.
It	Fix	Was fixing	The mechanic was fixing the car.
He	Study	Was studying	He was studying when I arrived.
She	Cry	Was crying	She was crying during the sad movie.
It	Fly	Was flying	The bird was flying over the lake.
He	Try	Was trying	He was trying to open the jar.
She	Carry	Was carrying	She was carrying a heavy load.
It	Worry	Was worrying	He was worrying about the exam.
He	Go	Was going	He was going to the party.
She	Do	Was doing	She was doing her homework.
It	Have	Was having	It was having trouble starting.
He	Think	Was thinking	He was thinking about the vacation.
She	Feel	Was feeling	She was feeling tired.
It	Seem	Was seeming	It was seeming like a good idea.

Present Perfect Tense

The present perfect tense is used to describe actions that started in the past and continue to have relevance in the present. It is formed using the auxiliary verb “have” (has, have) and the past participle of the main verb.

The third-person singular form of “have” is “has.”

The following table provides examples of present perfect tense conjugation with “he,” “she,” and “it.”

Subject	Verb (Base Form)	Verb (Present Perfect)	Example Sentence
He	Work	Has worked	He has worked here for five years.
She	Read	Has read	She has read that book before.
It	Rain	Has rained	It has rained a lot this month.
He	Play	Has played	He has played the guitar since he was a child.
She	Sing	Has sung	She has sung in many concerts.
It	Shine	Has shone	The sun has shone brightly all day.
He	Watch	Has watched	He has watched that movie several times.
She	Wash	Has washed	She has washed all the dishes.
It	Buzz	Has buzzed	The bee has buzzed around the garden all morning.
He	Mix	Has mixed	He has mixed the ingredients for the cake.
She	Kiss	Has kissed	She has kissed her baby goodbye.
It	Fix	Has fixed	The mechanic has fixed the car.
He	Study	Has studied	He has studied hard for the exam.
She	Cry	Has cried	She has cried during that movie every time she watches it.
It	Fly	Has flown	The bird has flown away.
He	Try	Has tried	He has tried his best.
She	Carry	Has carried	She has carried the responsibility for years.
It	Worry	Has worried	He has worried about the future.
He	Go	Has gone	He has gone to the store.
She	Do	Has done	She has done her homework.
It	Have	Has had	It has had a long day.
He	Think	Has thought	He has thought about it carefully.
She	Feel	Has felt	She has felt much better recently.
It	Seem	Has seemed	It has seemed like a good idea from the start.

Usage Rules and Exceptions

While the -s/-es rule is fundamental, there are several exceptions and special cases that learners should be aware of. These exceptions often involve specific verb forms or grammatical structures.

Exceptions to the -s/-es Rule

There are specific situations where the -s/-es rule does not apply, even with third-person singular subjects.

• Modal verbs: Modal verbs (e.g., can, could, will, would, shall, should, may, might, must) do not take the -s form. For example, “He can swim,” not “He cans swim.”
• Auxiliary verbs in certain constructions: When used as auxiliary verbs in certain constructions, the verb may not take the -s form. For example, “He did not go” not “He does not go.”
• Subjunctive mood: In the subjunctive mood, the base form of the verb is used, regardless of the subject.

Modal Verbs

Modal verbs are auxiliary verbs that express necessity, possibility, permission, or ability. They are always followed by the base form of the main verb and do not change form based on the subject.

Examples:

• He can swim.
• She will arrive tomorrow.
• It might rain later.

Subjunctive Mood

The subjunctive mood is used to express wishes, suggestions, demands, or hypothetical situations. In the present subjunctive, the base form of the verb is used, regardless of the subject.

Examples:

• It is essential that he be present.
• I suggest that she study harder.
• The doctor recommended that he stop smoking.

Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

One of the most common mistakes made by English learners is forgetting to add the -s or -es to verbs in the present simple tense when using third-person singular subjects. Another frequent error involves misusing auxiliary verbs or failing to recognize exceptions to the -s/-es rule.

Here are some examples of common mistakes and their corrections:

Incorrect	Correct	Explanation
He work at a bank.	He works at a bank.	Missing -s in the present simple tense.
She read a book every night.	She reads a book every night.	Missing -s in the present simple tense.
It rain frequently.	It rains frequently.	Missing -s in the present simple tense.
He can swims.	He can swim.	Modal verbs do not take the -s form.
She does not likes it.	She does not like it.	The main verb after “does not” should be in the base form.
It have a strong engine.	It has a strong engine.	Incorrect form of “have” in the present simple tense.

To avoid these mistakes, practice conjugating verbs with “he,” “she,” and “it” regularly. Pay close attention to the rules and exceptions, and seek feedback on your writing and speech.

Practice Exercises

The following exercises will help you practice verb conjugation with “he,” “she,” and “it.” Each exercise focuses on a different aspect of the grammar rule, ranging from basic fill-in-the-blanks to more complex sentence transformations.

Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks

Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the verb in parentheses.

Question	Answer
1. He ______ (play) the piano every day.	plays
2. She ______ (study) English at university.	studies
3. It ______ (rain) a lot in the autumn.	rains
4. He ______ (watch) TV every evening.	watches
5. She ______ (wash) her car on Sundays.	washes
6. It ______ (buzz) loudly near the flowers.	buzzes
7. He ______ (mix) the paint carefully.	mixes
8. She ______ (kiss) her baby goodnight.	kisses
9. It ______ (fix) the problem quickly.	fixes
10. He ______ (try) to learn a new language.	tries

Exercise 2: Correct the Errors

Identify and correct the errors in the following sentences.

Question	Answer
1. He work hard every day.	He works hard every day.
2. She read a lot of books.	She reads a lot of books.
3. It rain often in this area.	It rains often in this area.
4. He can swims very well.	He can swim very well.
5. She do not like coffee.	She does not like coffee.
6. It have a beautiful garden.	It has a beautiful garden.
7. He go to school by bus.	He goes to school by bus.
8. She study English every day.	She studies English every day.
9. It fly high in the sky.	It flies high in the sky.
10. He try to help others.	He tries to help others.

Exercise 3: Sentence Transformation

Transform the following sentences to use “he,” “she,” or “it” as the subject.

Question	Answer
1. I play the piano. (He)	He plays the piano.
2. They study mathematics. (She)	She studies mathematics.
3. We live in London. (It – the building)	It lives in London.
4. I watch movies every week. (He)	He watches movies every week.
5. They wash their clothes. (She)	She washes her clothes.
6. We mix the ingredients. (He)	He mixes the ingredients.
7. I kiss my mom. (She)	She kisses her mom.
8. They fix the car. (He)	He fixes the car.
9. We try our best. (She)	She tries her best.
10. I carry the bag. (He)	He carries the bag.

Advanced Topics: Nuances and Complexities

Beyond the basic rules, there are nuances and complexities in verb conjugation that arise in formal writing, informal speech, and literary contexts. Understanding these advanced topics can further enhance your command of the English language.

Formal vs. Informal Usage

In formal writing, strict adherence to subject-verb agreement is crucial for maintaining credibility and professionalism. However, in informal speech, some of these rules may be relaxed.

For instance, contractions are more common in spoken English than in formal writing.

Examples:

• Formal: He does not like it.
• Informal: He doesn’t like it.

Verb Conjugation in Literary Devices

Writers often use verb conjugation creatively to achieve specific effects in their writing. For example, they may intentionally break subject-verb agreement rules to create a sense of informality, dialect, or character voice.

Examples:

• Dialect: “He don’t know nothing about that.” (Intentionally incorrect verb conjugation to reflect a specific dialect)
• Character Voice: “She be working hard all day.” (Incorrect conjugation to create a unique character voice)

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Conclusion

Mastering verb transformation rules for “he,” “she,” and “it” is a fundamental aspect of English grammar. By understanding the -s/-es rule, recognizing exceptions, and practicing regularly, you can significantly improve your accuracy and fluency in both spoken and written English. This guide has provided a comprehensive overview of the key concepts and practical exercises to help you confidently use verbs with third-person singular pronouns. Whether you are an ESL student, a writer, or simply someone looking to refine their grammar skills, the knowledge and practice offered here will undoubtedly enhance your command of the English language.