Present Simple: 3rd person (he/she/it)
The -s / -es ending.
When we talk about what one person or thing does in general or as a routine, we use the Present Simple. For he, she, or it, we must add -s or -es to the base verb. Most verbs just take -s: plays, reads, lives. Verbs ending in -ch, -sh, -ss, -x, or -o take -es: watches, washes, goes. Verbs ending in a consonant + y drop the y and add -ies: study → studies, carry → carries. For negatives, use doesn't (= does not) followed by the BASE verb — never add -s after doesn't: she doesn't play (NOT she doesn't plays). For yes/no questions, put Does at the start: Does he read books? The short answers are Yes, he does or No, he doesn't. A very common mistake is forgetting the -s on the verb (he go) or keeping -s after doesn't (she doesn't goes). For example: Tom watches TV every evening, but he doesn't watch it in the morning.
Rules
- 1Add -s to most verbs for he/she/it: play → plays, read → reads.
- 2Add -es after -ch, -sh, -ss, -x, -o: watch → watches, go → goes.
- 3Consonant + y → drop y, add -ies: study → studies, fly → flies.
- 4Negative: use doesn't + base verb (no -s): she doesn't play.
- 5Question: Does he/she/it + base verb…? Short answer: Yes, he does / No, he doesn't.
Practice
10 easy · 10 medium · 10 hard
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