1) Affirmative: add the right ending to the verb

• Most verbs: add -s
  play → plays, read → reads, work → works

• Ends in -o, -ch, -sh, -ss, -x, -z: add -es
  go → goes, watch → watches, wash → washes, kiss → kisses, fix → fixes

• Consonant + y: change y → ies
  study → studies, try → tries
  (But vowel + y just add -s: play → plays)

• Irregular “have” → “has”
  She has a bike.

• Be: am / are → is
  He is tired.

2) Negative: doesn’t + base verb

• He/She/It + doesn’t + verb (base form)
  She doesn’t like coffee. (NOT doesn’t likes)

3) Questions: Does + subject + base verb?

• Does + he/she/it + verb (base form)…?
  Does he play tennis? — Yes, he does / No, he doesn’t.

4) Pronunciation tip for the -s

• /s/ after voiceless sounds: helps, works

• /z/ after vowels/voiced sounds: plays, runs

• /ɪz/ after -s, -sh, -ch, -x, -z: misses, washes, watches

5) Common mistakes to avoid

• Don’t add -s after does/doesn’t: Does she speak? ✅

• Don’t add -s to modal verbs: He can swim. ✅ (not can swims)

• Keep the verb in base form after to: She wants to go. ✅

Mini-check (answer mentally)

1. He ___ (study) French. → studies

2. She ___ (not/watch) TV. → doesn’t watch

3. ___ it ___ (rain) a lot here? → Does it rain

4. My cat ___ (go) outside. → goes

5. The car ___ (be) new. → is