Are You Making These Present Simple Mistakes?
You are learning or learned the present simple verb tense in your first ESL grammar class, but you still might be making these mistakes. Check your understanding and challenge yourself to master these rules.
The Present Simple Verb Tense
We use the present simple to talk about actions that are either normal or usual. These actions might be a habit, a hobby, or an event that frequently occurs.
Usually, you can add an -s or -es to the end of a base or infinitive verb (See examples below).
| Base/Infinitive Verb | Present Simple Verb |
|---|---|
| Run | Runs |
| Examine | Examines |
| Prefer | Prefers |
| Study | Studies |
Spelling Mistakes
Changing y to i
Are you changing your y’s to i’s? Verbs that end in -y, such as study are spelled differently.
To spell these verbs correctly, simply change the y to an i. Then add the -es to the end of the word (See examples below).
| Base/Infinitive Verb | Spelling Change | Present Simple Verb |
|---|---|---|
| Study | Studi | Studies |
| Bury | Buri | Buries |
| Cry | Cri | Cries |
| Fly | Fli | Flies |
Sibilant Sounds to -es
What are sibilant sounds? These are sounds that you make by placing your tongue on the roof of your mouth. Letters such as ch, sh, ss, tch, x, and zz make sibilant sounds.
When a verb ends with these sounds, you need to change the spelling to end with an -es (See examples below).
| Base/Infinitive Verb | Present Simple Verb |
|---|---|
| Crush | Crushes |
| Fax | Faxes |
| Munch | Munches |
| Press | Presses |
| Watch | Watches |
| Whizz | Whizzes |
Grammar Mistakes
Be Versus Do
The negative verb tense is used to talk about actions or events that do not usually happen. Most of the time, we use the negative form of the verb do to express things that don’t happen. For example, to express the negative of the verb travel, you can say, I do not travel.
Be careful not to use the verb be when talking about things that do not usually happen. Saying, I am not travel is incorrect. We only use the verb to be when talking about our states of being, not our actions.
I, He, She, They, We, It
Always remember which pronouns require verbs that end in -s. Try to memorize these verb tenses so that you don’t make this simple mistake.
| Subject | Verb |
|---|---|
| I/You/They/We | No "s" |
| He/She/It | Ends with an "s" |
Irregular Verbs
Some verbs are irregular and follow different rules (See below). The verbs go, do, be, and have are commonly used, so be sure you learn how to use them correctly.
| Irregular Verb | I/You/They/We | He/She/It |
|---|---|---|
| Go | Go | Goes |
| Have | Has | Have |
| Be | I am You/They/We are | is |
Yes/No Question Form
When you ask questions, you should use the verb do. Be careful not to use the verbs be, go, or have.
For example, Does she walk to work? is correct. However, the sentence, Goes she to work? is incorrect.
Try to get into the habit of using do when asking a yes/no question so that you don’t make this simple mistake.
Exercises to Help You Avoid These Mistakes
Are you making these present simple mistakes in your English? There are many websites online where you can test yourself. Here are some short exercises for practicing these specific problems.
- Match the verb ending with the correct subject: Here is a huge collection of exercises. These are sure to prevent you from making these present simple mistakes.
- Ending verbs with an s, es, or ies: See how well you can spell different verbs. Also, there are tons of other practice tests in the left column of this page.
- Online practice for yes/no questions: These short tests require you to fill in the missing verbs in order to write the question form in the present simple.
Everyone makes mistakes from time to time. You can not change the fact that you are an ESL English user. That’s the wonderful and unique thing about you. However, you don’t need to make these simple mistakes when you use English.
Now that you know about these common errors, try to memorize the rules and avoid using the wrong grammar and spelling. Good luck!
