Present simple: I play / she plays

Rules

• Rule 1: I / you / we / they → base verb

  With I, you, we, they and plural nouns, the verb has no ending.

  Pattern: I / you / we / they + verb

  Example: We eat lunch at school.

  Example: Cows give us milk.

• Rule 2: he / she / it → verb + s

  With he, she, it and singular nouns (my dad, the dog, Ali), add -s to the verb. This little -s is very important!

  Pattern: he / she / it + verb-s

  Example: My brother walks to school.

  Example: The dog sleeps in the garden.

• Rule 3: -es and -ies

  Verbs ending in -s, -ss, -sh, -ch, -x, -o add -es: watches, goes, does. Consonant + y → -ies: flies. But vowel + y → just -s: plays.

  Pattern: -sh / -ch / -ss / -x / -o → -es · consonant + y → -ies

  Example: Grandma kisses me goodnight.

  Example: He mixes the paint.

• Rule 4: have → has

  have is irregular: with he / she / it it becomes has (no “haves”!).

  Pattern: he / she / it + has

  Example: My friend has a pet rabbit.

  Example: Our school has a big library.

Common mistakes

• He play football. → He plays football.

  Add -s with he.

• They goes to school. → They go to school.

  Endings are only for he / she / it.

• She haves a cat. → She has a cat.

  have → has.