Table of Contents
Third person singular refers to one person or thing (“he,” “she,” or “it”)
English identifies a verb by its present tense form (sometimes adding “to,” making the infinitive).
Examples:
- “do” (present) becomes “to do” (infinitive)
- “eat” (present) becomes “to eat” (infinitive)
- “come” (present) becomes “to come” (infinitive)
In general (with the exception of “to be”), this form (“he,” “she,” “it”) is the oddball, with the first and second persons singular (“I” and “you”) the same as the plural forms (“we,” “you,” and “they”).
- Same verb forms for “I” = “you” (singular) = “we” = “you” (plural) = “they”
- Verb forms for “he,” “she,” “it” add an “-s” or an “-es”
The regular rule is that verbs simply add “s” for the third person singular (“he,” “she,” or “it”).
Examples:
- Walk >> walks
- Bake >> bakes
- Remember >> remembers
The most irregular verb in the present tense is “to be.”
- I am
- You are
- He/she/it is
- We are
- You are
- They are
“To have” has its own rule.
- I have
- You have
- He/she/it has
- We have
- You have
- They have
Other patterns in the present:
Verbs ending in “-o” preceded by a consonant generally add “-es.”
Examples:
- Do >> does
- Go >> goes
- Veto >> vetoes
- Echo >> echoes
Verbs ending in “-y” preceded by a consonant generally change the “-y” to “-i-” and add “-es.”
Examples:
Consonant plus “-y” >> “-ies”
Vowel plus “-y” >> add “-s”
- Carry >> carries
- Accompany >> accompanies
- Occupy >> occupies
- Try >> tries
- Buy >> buys
- Say >> says
- Convey >> conveys
- Obey >> obeys
Verbs ending in “sh,” “ch,” “x,” “z,” or “ss” add “es.”
Examples:
- Hush >> hushes
- Catch >> Catches
- Fax >> faxes
- Waltz >> waltzes
- Miss >> misses
A very few verbs do not change their third person singular in the present.
- can (“be able”)
- may
- might
Credits: Photo by Lachlan Dempsey, Photo by Spenser Sembrat, Photo by Mads Schmidt Rasmussen on Unsplash.