Listen to the lesson audio:
 The Simple Present Tense
Spelling for the third person singular (he she it)   
Adding -s, -es, -ies 

Normally, we add -s for the verbs in Simple Present Tense:

  • He never eats breakfast.
  • It almost never rains here.
  • The match starts at 7 o'clock.
  • He sometimes visits me.
  • He usually tells lies.
  • My son feels sick every morning.
  • My dad shaves every morning.
  • My father scarcely ever smokes.

but there are some rules and exceptions for spelling

if a verb ends with this letter (-ch, -sh, -s, -x, -z), we add -es at the end of the verb.

assesses, blesses, caresses, fusses,
splashes, stashes, washes, wishes
catches, teaches, touches, watches
buzzes, fizzes
relaxes, fixes,

Example sentences:

  • She brushes her teeth three times a day.
  • Your phone buzzes.
  • Mary wishes that she is rich.
  • It relaxes me alot.
  • Tom teaches English.
  • She misses you much.

if a verb ends with the letter consonant + y, we take y out and  add -ies at the end of the verb.


(what are consonants?: b, s, t, w, x, l, m, n, p...)

fly / flies;    cry / cries;     study / studies
apply / applies; bury / buries;
carry / carries; copy / copies;
dry / dries; fly / flies; fry / fries;

Example Sentences:

  • She studies her lessons every night.
  • He never dries his hair after a shower.
  • He tries to earn money.

but, if a verb ends with this letter vowel + y, we only  add -s at the end of the verb.

(what are vowels?: a, e, i, o, u)

pay / pays,     buy / buys   

enjoy / enjoys, play / plays

Example Sentences:
  • She never plays tennis.
  • Sally enjoys dancing.

Some Irregular verbs:
go - goes
do - does
have - has

Example Sentences:
  • Sometimes she goes to work on foot.
  • She hardly ever does her homework.
  • Tom has a lot of money.





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