Skip to main content

About Writing: A Guide: Should You Use –s (or –es) for a Present-Tense Verb?

About Writing: A Guide
Should You Use –s (or –es) for a Present-Tense Verb?
    • Notifications
    • Privacy

“Should You Use –s (or –es) for a Present-Tense Verb?” in “About Writing: A Guide”

Should You Use –s (or –es) for a Present-Tense Verb?

Is the verb’s subject he, she, it, or one? If yes, Time to use –s! If no, Is the subject a singular noun? If yes, Time to use –s! If no, Is the subject a singular indefinite pronoun? If yes, Time to use –s! If no, Stick with the base form of the verb.

Examples

Verb’s subject is he, she, it, or one: He loves going to watch musical theater.

Verb’s subject is a singular noun: A parent wants the best for their child.

Verb’s subject a singular indefinite pronoun: Everybody swims in the lake during the summer.

Next chapter
Is Your Sentence a Fragment?
PreviousNext
College Writing: Guides, Handbooks, and Advice
Copyright © 2015 by Robin Jeffrey. About Writing: A Guide by Robin Jeffrey is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.
Powered by Manifold Scholarship. Learn more at
Opens in new tab or windowmanifoldapp.org
Manifold uses cookies

We use cookies to analyze our traffic. Please decide if you are willing to accept cookies from our website. You can change this setting anytime in Privacy Settings.