Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
In the Present Simple, always add an -s or -es to the verb when the subject is He, She, or It.
- Add -s to most verbs: He walks, She plays, It works.
- Add -es to verbs ending in -ch, -sh, -s, -x, or -z: She watches, He fixes.
- Change -y to -ies if there is a consonant before it: It flies, She studies.
Overview
s라는 철자가 가장 혹사당하는 글자라는 거, 알고 있었나요? 정말 어디에나 있는 것 같죠. 하지만 Present Simple tense(단순 현재 시제)에서 s는 아주 구체적이고 배타적인 임무를 맡고 있어요.he, she, it이 나올 때마다 s 하나를 지불하는 거예요. 만약 까먹으면 고전 SF 영화에 나오는 로봇처럼 들릴지도 몰라요. He like pizza. 말은 통하지만, 원어민 같은 세련미가 부족하죠.posts 해요. 그냥 post 하는 게 아니죠. 알고리즘은 여러분이 뭘 좋아하는지 knows 해요.know 하는 게 아니고요. 이 규칙은 기초 영어 의사소통의 척추와도 같아요. 초보자처럼 들리느냐, 아니면 구역을 장악한 사람처럼 들리느냐의 차이죠.he, she, it이 등장할 때마다 해주는 작은 '말하기 하이파이브' 같은 거라고 생각하세요. 딱 이것만 기억해요: 한 사람이면 s 하나.How This Grammar Works
Chill Club(여유 만만 클럽)이에요.I, you, we, they가 포함돼요. 이 친구들은 성격이 무던해요. 동사의 기본 형태(원형)를 쓰거든요.I play games나 They order food처럼요. 글자를 더 붙일 필요도 없고, 드라마도 없죠. 그리고 두 번째 클럽이 있어요.Singular Specialists(단수 전문가들)이에요. he, she, it 그룹이죠. 이 클럽은 손이 많이 가요.s를 붙이라고 요구하거든요. she가 틱톡 크리에이터라고 상상해봐요. 그녀는 그냥 dance 하지 않아요; dances 하죠.he가 게이머라면, 그냥 stream 하지 않아요; streams 해요. 여러분의 휴대폰(it)조차도 그냥 work 하지 않고 works 해요. 이 변화는 오직 현재 시제 긍정문에서만 일어나요.s만 붙이면 돼요.es를 붙여야 하죠. watchs라고 말하려고 해보세요. 재채기 소리 같잖아요!watches. 언어의 흐름이 중요하니까요.Conjugation Table
| Form | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| I | I work |
저는 일해요 |
| You | You work |
당신은 일해요 |
| He/She/It | He works |
그는 일해요 |
| We | We work |
우리는 일해요 |
| They | They work |
그들은 일해요 |
Formation Pattern
s를 붙이는 게 항상 끝에 갖다 붙이는 것처럼 간단하진 않아요. 동사의 «성격»(철자)에 따라 선택할 수 있는 4가지 주요 경로가 있어요.
-s를 붙이세요. 약 90%의 동사가 여기 해당돼요.
like → likes (He likes your photo. - 그는 네 사진을 좋아해.)
eat → eats (She eats sushi. - 그녀는 초밥을 먹어.)
play → plays (It plays music. - 이건 음악을 재생해.)
-s, -ss, -sh, -ch, -x, -z) 또는 글자 -o로 끝나면 -es를 붙이세요. 이렇게 하면 말하기가 더 쉬워져요.
watch → watches (She watches Netflix. - 그녀는 넷플릭스를 봐.)
finish → finishes (He finishes his homework. - 그는 숙제를 끝내.)
go → goes (The bus goes to the city. - 그 버스는 시내로 가.)
fix → fixes (He fixes the Wi-Fi. - 그는 와이파이를 고쳐.)
Y Drama (자음): 동사가 자음 + y로 끝나면, y가 질투해서 떠나버려요. 그리고 ies로 교체되죠.
study → studies (She studies for the exam. - 그녀는 시험 공부를 해.)
try → tries (He tries a new filter. - 그는 새 필터를 시도해.)
fly → flies (The bird flies away. - 새가 날아가.)
have → has (She has a new iPhone. - 그녀는 새 아이폰을 가지고 있어.)
do → does (He does his best. - 그는 최선을 다해.)
be → is (It is cold. - 추워.)
Memory Trick
VIP S-Pass를 생각하세요. He, She, It만이 S 패스를 가지고 입장할 수 있는 게스트 목록에 있어요. 다른 사람들은 모두 문 앞에 S를 두고 와야 해요.
When To Use It
- Daily Habits (매일의 습관):
He
(그는 아침 7시에 일어나요.)wakesup at 7 AM.She
(그녀는 즉시 이메일을 확인해요.)checksher emails immediately. - Permanent Facts (변치 않는 사실):
The sun
(해는 동쪽에서 떠요.)risesin the east.Water
(물은 100도에서 끓어요.)boilsat 100 degrees. - Schedules (일정):
The movie
(영화는 저녁 8시에 시작해요.)startsat 8 PM.The train
(기차는 10분 뒤에 떠나요.)leavesin ten minutes. - General States (일반적인 상태):
She
(그녀는 초콜릿을 정말 좋아해요.)loveschocolate.It
(좋은 생각인 것 같아요.)seemslike a good idea.
Politeness Levels
영어에서는 더 격식을 차린다고 동사 어미를 바꾸지 않아요. He speaks는 왕에게도, 룸메이트에게도 똑같이 쓰여요. 하지만 현대적인 변화가 있어요! 누군가의 성별을 모르거나 포괄적인 표현을 쓰고 싶을 때, 단수 they를 사용할 수 있어요.
- Informal/Modern (비격식/현대적)
Someone left their bag. They need it. (누군가 가방을 두고 갔어. 그 사람은 그게 필요해.) (주의: 여기에 s는 없어요! They는 한 사람을 지칭하더라도 항상 Chill Club 규칙을 따라요.)
- Formal/Standard (격식/표준)
The candidate writes a cover letter. (지원자는 자기소개서를 작성합니다.)
Common Mistakes
- The Ghost S (유령 S): 있으면 안 되는 곳에
s붙이기.I
(❌ 안돼요!likesit.I는 Chill Club이잖아요.) - The Negative Trap (부정문의 함정): 부정문에
s붙이기. "He doesn'tlikesit." (❌ 틀렸어요!s는 이미doesn't안에 숨어 있어요. 원형을 쓰세요: "He doesn'tlikeit.") - The Question Slip (의문문 실수):
Does she
(❌ 아뇨! 다시 말하지만,plays?does에 이미es가 있어요.Does she
를 쓰세요.)play? - Spelling Fails (철자 실패):
plays대신plaies라고 쓰는 것. 기억하세요: 모음 +y는 그냥s만 붙여요. 너무 복잡하게 생각하지 마세요!
Contrast With Similar Patterns
- Nouns (명사): 개 한 마리(
dog), 개 두 마리(dogs) (s를 더하면 복수가 됨). - Verbs (동사): 나 뛴다(
run), 걔 뛴다(runs) (s를 더하면 단수가 됨!).
s가 있으면 (예: The boys), 동사에는 보통 없어요 (run). 주어에 s가 없으면 (예: The boy), 동사에는 필요해요 (runs).Quick FAQ
everyone도 s를 붙나요?
네! everyone, someone, nobody 같은 단어들은 영어 문법에서 단수 취급해요.
Everyone loves a bargain. (모두가 싼 물건을 좋아해요.)
can이나 must 같은 조동사는요?
이 친구들은 완전 반항아들이에요. 절대 s를 취하지 않아요.
She can swim이지, She cans swim이 아니에요.
has인가요 haves인가요?
무조건 has예요. Haves란 단어는 없어요 (
the haves and the have-nots(가진 자와 못 가진 자)를 얘기하는 게 아니라면요. 그건 다른 이야기지만요!).
Real Conversations
Scenario 1: Talking about a roommate (룸메이트에 대해 이야기하기)
Alex
Sam
Heworkslate on Tuesdays. He usuallygetshome around 9.
Scenario 2: Discussing a new app (새 앱에 대해 토론하기)
User A:
This app crashes all the time.
User B:
Really? Mineworksperfectly. Maybe itneedsan update.
Progressive Practice
Level Easy: 동사 eat을 보세요. he에 맞춰 바꿔보세요. (정답: eats).
Level Medium: 제일 친한 친구를 떠올려보세요. 그 친구가 매일 하는 일을 하나 써보세요.
My friend drinks coffee.
Level Hard: 이 문장을 고치세요: "She don't go to the gym because she prefer to sleep."
(정답: "She doesn't go to the gym because she prefers to sleep.")
2. Negative Contractions
| Full Form | Contraction | Usage |
|---|---|---|
|
He does not
|
He doesn't
|
Very common
|
|
She does not
|
She doesn't
|
Very common
|
|
It does not
|
It doesn't
|
Very common
|
Present Simple Conjugation of 'To Work'
| Subject | Verb Form | Rule Applied |
|---|---|---|
|
I
|
work
|
Base form
|
|
You
|
work
|
Base form
|
|
He
|
works
|
Add -s
|
|
She
|
works
|
Add -s
|
|
It
|
works
|
Add -s
|
|
We
|
work
|
Base form
|
|
They
|
work
|
Base form
|
Meanings
The rule used to conjugate verbs in the present simple tense when the subject is a third-person singular pronoun or a singular noun.
Habits and Routines
Used to describe things that happen regularly or as a schedule.
“He drinks coffee every morning.”
“She goes to the gym on Tuesdays.”
General Truths
Used for facts that are always true.
“The sun rises in the east.”
“Water freezes at zero degrees.”
Permanent States
Used for things that stay the same for a long time.
“My brother lives in London.”
“She works for a big tech company.”
Reference Table
| 끝나는 형태 | 규칙 | 예시 |
|---|---|---|
|
대부분의 동사
|
-s 붙이기
|
work → works
|
|
-ch, -sh, -ss, -x로 끝나면
|
-es 붙이기
|
watch → watches
|
|
-o로 끝나면
|
-es 붙이기
|
go → goes
|
|
자음 + -y
|
-ies로 바꾸기
|
study → studies
|
|
모음 + -y
|
그냥 -s 붙이기
|
play → plays
|
|
불규칙: Have
|
Has로 변함
|
she has
|
|
불규칙: Be
|
Is로 변함
|
it is
|
격식 수준 스펙트럼
He serves as the Chief Executive Officer. (Professional)
He works as a manager. (Professional)
He's a boss. (Professional)
He runs the show. (Professional)
3인칭 단수 규칙 개념 지도
철자
- -s 일반적
- -es sh/ch/x/o로 끝날 때
- -ies 자음 + y
불규칙
- has have의 경우
- is be의 경우
Chill Club vs. S-Club 비교 차트
동사 철자 규칙 흐름도
동사가 -sh, -ch, -s, -x, -o로 끝나나요?
동사가 자음 + Y로 끝나나요?
동사 어미 유형 분류
그냥 +S
- • eats
- • likes
- • plays
+ES 그룹
- • fixes
- • washes
- • goes
-IES 부대
- • carries
- • flies
- • cries
수준별 예문
He plays football.
Él juega al fútbol.
She drinks milk.
Ella bebe leche.
It rains a lot.
Llueve mucho.
My dad cooks dinner.
Mi papá cocina la cena.
She doesn't like apples.
A ella no le gustan las manzanas.
Does he work here?
¿Él trabaja aquí?
The bus stops near my house.
El autobús para cerca de mi casa.
He studies English every day.
Él estudia inglés todos los días.
The company provides free lunch.
La empresa proporciona almuerzo gratis.
He always carries a heavy bag.
Él siempre lleva una bolsa pesada.
She rarely misses a deadline.
Ella rara vez pierde una fecha límite.
It seems like a good idea.
Parece una buena idea.
The theory suggests that time is relative.
La teoría sugiere que el tiempo es relativo.
He maintains his innocence despite the evidence.
Él mantiene su inocencia a pesar de las pruebas.
The government denies any involvement.
El gobierno niega cualquier implicación.
She possesses a unique talent for music.
Ella posee un talento único para la música.
The author argues that society is changing.
El autor sostiene que la sociedad está cambiando.
Each of the participants receives a certificate.
Cada uno de los participantes recibe un certificado.
The success of the project depends on teamwork.
El éxito del proyecto depende del trabajo en equipo.
He seldom expresses his true feelings.
Él rara vez expresa sus verdaderos sentimientos.
One finds that the data contradicts the hypothesis.
Uno encuentra que los datos contradicen la hipótesis.
The law stipulates that all citizens must pay taxes.
La ley estipula que todos los ciudadanos deben pagar impuestos.
The protagonist's journey symbolizes human growth.
El viaje del protagonista simboliza el crecimiento humano.
The economy fluctuates based on global trends.
La economía fluctúa según las tendencias globales.
혼동하기 쉬운
Both use an 's', but for opposite reasons. Nouns use 's' to show there are many; verbs use 's' to show there is only one subject.
Learners often use 'is' with the -s verb, which is incorrect.
Modal verbs are special and NEVER take an -s, even for He/She/It.
자주 하는 실수
He play football.
He plays football.
She haves a dog.
She has a dog.
It rain today.
It rains today.
My friend like pizza.
My friend likes pizza.
He doesn't likes pizza.
He doesn't like pizza.
Does she goes to school?
Does she go to school?
He studys hard.
He studies hard.
The people likes the movie.
The people like the movie.
Everyone have a dream.
Everyone has a dream.
The news are bad.
The news is bad.
The data shows that...
The data show that...
문장 패턴
He ___ (verb) every day.
She doesn't ___ (verb) because ___.
Does he ___ (verb) at ___ (time)?
It ___ (verb) like a ___ (noun).
Real World Usage
He says he's coming at 8.
My current boss relies on my reports.
She looks so cute in this photo!
My friend wants the burger, please.
The flight departs from Gate 4.
The liquid reacts with the metal.
'Does' 규칙
'Play'와 'Study' 조심!
He plays). 하지만 'Study'처럼 'y' 앞에 자음(d)이 오면 'studies'처럼 바뀌어요 (She studies).단수 'They'의 사용
They are a good student.
Smart Tips
Think of 'doesn't' as a thief. It steals the 's' from the verb and keeps it for itself!
Look at the letter BEFORE the 'y'. If it's a, e, i, o, u, just add 's'. If not, change it to 'ies'.
In American English, treat the group as 'It' (singular). In British English, you can often use either singular or plural.
Always use the -s. These words feel plural but they are grammatically singular.
발음
The /s/ sound
Use /s/ after voiceless sounds like p, t, k, f.
The /z/ sound
Use /z/ after voiced sounds like b, d, g, v, l, m, n, r and vowels.
The /ɪz/ sound
Use /ɪz/ after hissing sounds (s, z, sh, ch, x). This adds an extra syllable.
Declarative Stress
He WORKS in a BANK.
Standard emphasis on the verb and the object.
암기하기
기억법
He, She, It, the 'S' must fit!
시각적 연상
Imagine a snake (shaped like an S) following a boy, a girl, and a robot wherever they go. The snake is their pet that only likes them, not 'I' or 'You'.
Rhyme
He, She, It, and singular nouns, Wear the 'S' like golden crowns.
Story
The letter 'S' is a very shy letter. It is too scared to talk to 'I', 'You', 'We', or 'They'. But it feels very safe with 'He', 'She', and 'It'. Whenever they do an action, 'S' jumps onto the end of the word to join the fun.
Word Web
챌린지
Look around the room. Find one person or one object. Say three things they do using the -s rule. (e.g., 'The clock ticks. My brother sleeps. The fan turns.')
문화 노트
The -s is strictly required in formal writing and professional speech. Omitting it can be seen as a sign of low education or non-native status.
In AAVE, the third-person -s is often omitted. This is a systematic grammatical feature of the dialect, not a 'mistake' within that context.
In international business where neither speaker is native, the -s is often dropped without loss of meaning. However, for exams like IELTS/TOEFL, it is mandatory.
The -s ending comes from the Northumbrian dialect of Old English, where it was -es.
대화 시작하기
What does your best friend do for fun?
Tell me about your pet's daily routine.
How does your favorite celebrity spend their time?
Describe how a machine in your house works.
일기 주제
자주 하는 실수
Test Yourself
My brother ___ at a bank.
Choose the grammatically correct sentence about a cat:
Find and fix the mistake:
She wash her car every Sunday.
Score: /3
연습 문제
8 exercisesHe ___ (work) in an office.
Which sentence is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
My brother study Spanish on Mondays.
watch / he / TV / every / night
She ___ to the park.
1. I / 2. She / 3. They
We add -s to the verb when the subject is 'You'.
A: Does your sister live here? B: No, she ___ in London.
Score: /8
Practice Bank
10 exercisesHe ___ to the gym at 6 PM.
The plane fly high in the sky.
every / He / Netflix / night / watches
Ella tiene un gato.
My phone ___ a lot of battery.
Match the following:
The sun ___ (shine) brightly today.
Does he likes pizza?
always / She / her / finishes / work
He ___ to learn.
Score: /10
자주 묻는 질문 (8)
The verb `have` is irregular. Over hundreds of years, the 'v' sound was dropped in the third person to make it easier to say. So, `has` is just a shorter, irregular version of `haves`.
No! Modal verbs like `can`, `will`, `should`, and `must` never take an -s. You say `He can swim`, not `He cans swim`.
Uncountable nouns like `water`, `money`, or `sugar` are treated as `It`. So you add the -s: `The water boils at 100 degrees.`
It is `flies`. Because `fly` ends in a consonant (l) + y, you must change the `y` to `i` and add `es`.
In some dialects or very casual speech, people might drop the -s. However, in standard English and all formal situations, it is considered a mistake.
No. In the past tense, the verb form is usually the same for all people (e.g., `I worked`, `He worked`). This rule is only for the Present Simple.
If you use 'singular they' (when you don't know the gender or someone prefers it), you do NOT add the -s. You say `They work here`, even if you mean one person.
Practice 'shadowing' native speakers. When you hear a 'He' or 'She', listen for that 's' sound at the end of the next word. It takes time to become a habit!
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
Conjugación de la tercera persona (-a, -e)
English only has one special ending (-s), while Spanish has six.
Troisième personne du singulier
The English -s is always pronounced, whereas French endings are often silent.
Dritte Person Singular (-t)
German also changes the verb for 'you' and 'we', which English doesn't do.
None
Japanese speakers must learn to add a sound that doesn't exist in their grammar logic.
Al-mudaari' (Present tense prefixes)
Arabic distinguishes between 'he' and 'she' in the verb form, while English uses -s for both.
None
English grammar requires a physical change to the word, which is a new concept for Chinese speakers.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
Learn These First
Continue With
관련 동영상
05:05 Is it really that bad to eat cookie dough? - Emma Bryce
07:36 Why Doesn’t the Yucatán Have Rivers?
06:12 What is vaginal discharge, and what does it say about your health? - Elizabeth Micks
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### Overview 'Life Experiences: Present Perfect with Ever and Never'는 지금까지 살아오면서 어떤 경험을 해본 적이 있는지...
미래 진행형 (will be -ing)
### Overview **미래 진행 시제 (Future Continuous)**, 또는 **미래 진행형**이라고도 불리는 이 시제는 미래의 특정 시점에 *...
영어 현재완료: 과거를 현재와 연결하기 (기본 형태)
Overview 방에 들어갔는데 왜 들어갔는지 완전히 까먹은 적 있나요? 우리 모두 그런 적 있죠. 과거의 행동이 현재 순간에 불쑥...
