1.1.4: Simple Present Spelling

ESOL Intermediate Grammar · LibreTexts

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    Spelling: Adding -s and -es

    We add -s and -es for two reasons:

    1. The word is a noun, and we are making it plural.

    Examples

    table → tables

    chair → chairs

    2. The word is a verb, and it agrees with the subject (he, she, or it–3rd person singular)

    Examples

    I wait → she waits

    they cook → he cooks

    Spelling Rules

    Rule 1:

    If a word ends in /s/, /z/, /ch/, /sh/ or /x/ sound → add -es

    Only add -es for the he/she/it form of the verb (third person singular).

    Examples

    watch → watches

    wash → washes

    kiss → kisses

    I pass out papers. → She passes out papers.

    I wash the dishes. → He washes the dishes.

    Exercise 1.16: Spelling Rule 1 

    Directions: Write the correct form of the verb in parentheses on the lines.

    Remember

    Add -es if the verb ends in /s/, /z/, /ch/, /sh/ or /x/ 

    1. (watch) I _____________ TV in the morning, but she _____________ TV at night.
    2. (wash) They _____________ dishes together after dinner. He _____________ dishes on weekends.
    3. (fix) My father and I _____________ cars together. My husband _____________ the bicycle.
    4. (teach) They _____________ their daughter Ukrainian. Eva _____________ her son Amharic.
    5. (brush) I _____________ my teeth twice a day. He _____________ three times a day.
    6. (guess) I never _____________ the answer, but Tatiana often _____________ the answer.
    7. (mix) She _____________ Spanish and English. They _____________ English and Ukranian.
    8. (cash) I _____________ my check at the bank. He _____________ his check too.
    9. (notice) I always _____________ mistakes. She never _____________ mistakes when she writes.
    10. (ask) I _____________ for vegetarian food. Natasha _____________ for Ukrainian food.

    Rule 2:

    If a word ends in a consonant plus -y, change -y to i and add -es. If the word ends in a vowel plus -y, just add -s.

    Examples

    Consonant + -y    Change -y to i and add -es

    cry → cries

    study → studies

    Vowel + -y   Add -s

    pay → pays

    buy → buys

    Rule 3: 

    After the letter o. The spelling depends on the origin of the word. You may need a dictionary!

    Examples

    We add the suffix –es to most words that end in o.

    • tomato → tomatoes
    • hero → heroes
    • go → goes

    We add the plural suffix –s to words of foreign origin (Latin, Greek, Spanish, etc.)

    • piano → pianos
    • solo→ solos
    • video → videos

    Exercise 1.17: Spelling Rules 2 and 3

    Directions: Write the correct form of the verb on the line in the sentences below.

    1. (study) I ____________ in the morning, but my brother _________ at night.
    2. (worry) My husband ___________ about money. I _____________ about him.
    3. (cry) The cat ___________ when I leave. The babies _____________ all the time.
    4. (play) She _____________ the piano. We _____________ the violin.
    5. (shampoo) I _____________ my hair every day. Jeff ______________his hair twice a week.
    6. (stay) Nam often __________ after class for help. Some other students sometimes ___________ after class to talk.
    7. (do) I_____________ my homework in the evening. My daughter___________ in the afternoon.
    8. (say) My nieces ___________ they are busy Friday, but my nephew __________ Friday is ok.
    9. (try) I __________ to study 3 times a week. Sheila __________ to study every day.
    10. (echo) The sound of my voice ____________ (echo) across the canyon. The sounds of the children ____________(echo) across the playground.

    This page titled 1.1.4: Simple Present Spelling was last modified on Sat, 27 Dec 2025 16:21:09 GMT and is shared under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Allyson Marceau via source content that was edited to the style and standards of the LibreTexts platform.