Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
In the Present Simple, always add an 's' to the verb when the subject is He, She, or It.
- Add -s for most verbs: 'He works' (max 20 words)
- Add -es for verbs ending in -ch, -sh, -x, -z, or -s: 'She watches'
- Change -y to -ies if a consonant comes before it: 'It flies'
Overview
My cat love sleeping 这样的配文，然后你那个对语法有强迫症的朋友立刻给你发私信纠正？我们都经历过这种情况。主谓一致（Subject-verb agreement）是英语的粘合剂。这是一门微妙的艺术，确保你的主语（句子的主角）和你的动词（动作）在同一个波长上。如果主语是单数，动词通常需要一个额外的 s。如果主语有同伴，动词就保持原样。这听起来很简单，但即使是英语母语者，在 WhatsApp 上打字太快时也会犯错。这不仅仅是为了通过考试，更是为了当你评论 YouTube 视频或给老板发 Zoom 邀请时，不让自己看起来像个机器人。把它想象成鞋子和衣服的搭配——搭错了，别人会因为错误的理由注意到你。搭对了，你的英语就会像精心策划的 Spotify 歌单一样流畅。How This Grammar Works
he、she 和 it 这一组。这一组比较挑剔。在一般现在时中，它们要求在动词末尾加 s。其他人——I、you、we 和 they——就随意多了，使用动词原形。这有点像一个 VIP 俱乐部，只有“第三人称单数”才能获得特别的“S”徽章。为什么英语要这么做？这是古老历史的遗留，但今天它有助于弄清楚谁在做什么。如果你说 The dog bark，听起来就像你大脑里的语言包还在加载。如果你说 The dog barks，你听起来就像个专业人士。有趣的是，I 和 you 虽然是单数，但遵循复数规则。语言就是这么奇怪，接受它就好。
Formation Pattern
I、you、he、she、it、we 或 they？还是像 my phone 这样的名词？
he、she、it 或单数名词）应用“S”规则。
-s。如果动词以 -ch、-sh、-x 或 -s 结尾，加 -es（如 watches）。
y 结尾，把 y 变成 i 再加 -es（如 studies）。
be、have 和 do 有自己的“脾气”。I am、He is、They are。She has、We have。
When To Use It
wake up, she wakes up）、陈述事实（The sun rises），还是评论 Netflix 剧集（The main character dies in the end — 剧透警告！），你都需要这个规则。在你想显得专业的职场邮件中，这是必不可少的。想象给猎头发邮件：“My experience match the job”还是“My experience matches the job”。第二个能帮你拿到面试，第一个可能会收到客气的拒绝。给暗恋对象发短信时也用得到——没有什么比糟糕的语法更能让气氛冷场了。在游戏里也很重要，如果你在 Discord 聊天，说 The enemy moves left 比 Enemy move left 清楚得多。这是你在英语中几乎构建每个句子的基石。
Common Mistakes
s（如 dogs），就觉得动词也需要 s。不对！正相反。如果名词有 s，动词通常没有。The dogs bark（正确），The dogs barks（错误）。这就像个跷跷板——只有一侧可以有 s。另一个经典陷阱是 I 和 you。尽管 I 只是一个人，但它从不加 -s。I likes pizza 让你听起来像个卡通角色。坚持用 I like pizza。然后是“集合名词”的头疼，如 team 或 family。在美国英语中，我们通常把它们视为一个整体。所以，The team wins。别忘了“插入语”。如果你说 The box of chocolates is on the table，主语是 box，不是 chocolates。Contrast With Similar Patterns
I worked, she worked）。主谓一致的斗争主要是现在时的派对。另外，别把它和现在进行时（-ing 形式）混淆。在 She is walking 中，一致性发生在 is 部分，而不是 walking 部分。你不会说 She walking。另一个混淆点是“情态动词”，如 can 或 will。这些人是叛逆者——无论主语是谁，它们都不变。He can swim，不是 He cans swim。最后，注意 'There is/There are'。动词仍然必须与其后跟的内容一致。There is a fly in my soup（一只苍蝇）。Quick FAQ
everyone 取单数还是复数动词？
单数！它听起来像很多人，但语法上是一个群体。说 Everyone likes coffee。
那 and 呢？
如果你有两个由 and 连接的主语，它就变成复数了。Tom and Jerry run fast。
是 My family is 还是 My family are？
在美国我们说 is。在英国他们经常说 are。
为什么 you 总是使用复数动词？
因为在古英语中，you 曾仅用于群体。最终我们也开始将其用于单个人，但保留了复数动词形式。
's' 规则适用于 was 和 were 吗？
是的！I was, He was，但 They were。
2. Negative Contractions (Third Person)
| Full Form | Contraction | Usage Note |
|---|---|---|
|
He does not
|
He doesn't
|
Most common in speech
|
|
She does not
|
She doesn't
|
Most common in speech
|
|
It does not
|
It doesn't
|
Most common in speech
|
Present Simple Conjugation: 'To Work'
| Subject | Verb Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
I
|
Base Form
|
I work
|
|
You
|
Base Form
|
You work
|
|
He
|
Base + S
|
He works
|
|
She
|
Base + S
|
She works
|
|
It
|
Base + S
|
It works
|
|
We
|
Base Form
|
We work
|
|
They
|
Base Form
|
They work
|
Meanings
The rule requiring the addition of a suffix (-s, -es, or -ies) to a base verb when the subject is in the third-person singular (He, She, It, or a single name/object) in the present tense.
Standard Agreement
Adding a simple 's' to the majority of English verbs to match a singular subject.
“He plays the guitar every evening.”
“She lives in a small apartment.”
Phonetic Spelling Adjustment
Adding '-es' instead of '-s' when a verb ends in sounds that would be hard to pronounce with just an 's' (like 'sh' or 'ch').
“He washes his car on Sundays.”
“She teaches mathematics at the local school.”
Consonant-Y Transformation
Changing the 'y' to 'i' and adding 'es' when the verb ends in a consonant followed by 'y'.
“The baby cries when he is hungry.”
“She studies hard for her exams.”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative
|
Subject + Verb(s/es)
|
He speaks Spanish.
|
|
Negative
|
Subject + doesn't + Verb (base)
|
She doesn't speak Spanish.
|
|
Question
|
Does + Subject + Verb (base)?
|
Does it work?
|
|
Short Answer (+)
|
Yes, Subject + does
|
Yes, he does.
|
|
Short Answer (-)
|
No, Subject + doesn't
|
No, she doesn't.
|
|
Spelling (-es)
|
Verbs ending in -ch, -sh, -x, -s
|
He watches movies.
|
|
Spelling (-ies)
|
Consonant + y → ies
|
The bird flies.
|
|
Irregular
|
Have → Has
|
She has a dog.
|
正式程度
He serves as the Chief Executive Officer. (Professional introduction)
He works as a manager. (Professional introduction)
He's a manager. (Professional introduction)
He runs the show. (Professional introduction)
The 'S' Club Members
Pronouns
- He Male person
- She Female person
- It Object/Animal
Singular Nouns
- My friend One person
- The car One thing
I/You/We/They vs. He/She/It
Should I add an 'S'?
Is the subject He, She, It, or 1 person/thing?
Is it a negative or a question?
Spelling Rules for the 'S'
Just add S
- • works
- • plays
- • eats
Add ES
- • watches
- • washes
- • fixes
Change to IES
- • studies
- • cries
- • flies
按水平分级的例句
He drinks milk every morning.
Él bebe leche cada mañana.
She speaks English very well.
Ella habla inglés muy bien.
It rains a lot in London.
Llueve mucho en Londres.
My cat likes fish.
A mi gato le gusta el pescado.
He doesn't watch TV at night.
Él no ve la televisión por la noche.
Does she study at the library?
¿Estudia ella en la biblioteca?
The bus finishes its route here.
El autobús termina su ruta aquí.
He has a new smartphone.
Él tiene un teléfono inteligente nuevo.
Everyone knows that the earth goes around the sun.
Todo el mundo sabe que la tierra gira alrededor del sol.
Nobody wants to work on Saturdays.
Nadie quiere trabajar los sábados.
She tries to exercise at least three times a week.
Ella intenta hacer ejercicio al menos tres veces por semana.
The news starts at eight o'clock.
Las noticias empiezan a las ocho.
Neither of my brothers lives in this city.
Ninguno de mis hermanos vive en esta ciudad.
The government proposes a new tax on sugar.
El gobierno propone un nuevo impuesto al azúcar.
The data suggests that prices are rising.
Los datos sugieren que los precios están subiendo.
Does anyone know where the manager is?
¿Alguien sabe dónde está el gerente?
The complexity of the issues requires a detailed analysis.
La complejidad de los problemas requiere un análisis detallado.
Physics deals with the fundamental laws of nature.
La física trata con las leyes fundamentales de la naturaleza.
Every man and woman has the right to vote.
Cada hombre y mujer tiene el derecho a votar.
The jury reaches a verdict after hours of deliberation.
El jurado llega a un veredicto tras horas de deliberación.
The sheer number of variables involved complicates the process.
La gran cantidad de variables involucradas complica el proceso.
Politics is often described as the art of the possible.
La política se describe a menudo como el arte de lo posible.
If anyone calls, tell them I'm busy.
Si alguien llama, diles que estoy ocupado.
The United States maintains a strong presence in the region.
Estados Unidos mantiene una fuerte presencia en la región.
容易混淆
Both use an 's' at the end, but for opposite reasons.
Learners often say 'He playing' instead of 'He plays' or 'He is playing'.
Learners want to keep the 's' when 'does' is present.
常见错误
He go to school.
He goes to school.
She like coffee.
She likes coffee.
It work well.
It works well.
My father drive a car.
My father drives a car.
Does he likes pizza?
Does he like pizza?
She doesn't plays tennis.
She doesn't play tennis.
He haves a dog.
He has a dog.
Everyone have a phone.
Everyone has a phone.
The news are bad.
The news is bad.
Neither of them know the answer.
Neither of them knows the answer.
The criteria for the award is strict.
The criteria for the award are strict.
句型
[Name] ___ [Activity] every day.
She doesn't ___ because she ___.
It ___ like a good idea, but it ___ a lot of work.
Neither of them ___ to ___ that he ___.
Real World Usage
He says he's coming at 8.
My current manager relies on my reports.
She looks so happy in this photo!
My friend wants the burger, but he doesn't like onions.
The GPS says to turn left here.
The earth rotates on its axis.
The 'Does' Magnet
The 'Has' Trap
Listen for the Buzz
Singular 'They'
Smart Tips
Hiss like a snake! Make sure you hear that 's' or 'z' sound at the end of the action.
Imagine 'does' is a thief that steals the 's' from the main verb.
Find the 'head' noun. Is it one man or many dogs? The verb matches the man!
Treat these words like 'It'. They always take an 's'.
发音
The Three Sounds of 'S'
The 's' ending can sound like /s/, /z/, or /iz/ depending on the last sound of the verb.
Statement Falling Intonation
He works ↘ here.
A standard factual statement.
记住它
记忆技巧
He, She, It... the 'S' must fit!
视觉联想
Imagine the letter 'S' is a tail that only grows on a verb when a single person (He/She) or a single thing (It) is standing in front of it.
Rhyme
I walk, you walk, we walk too. But He walks, She walks—that's what they do!
Story
In the Kingdom of Grammar, the 'S' is a special crown. Only the three royals—Prince He, Princess She, and the Royal Pet It—are allowed to wear the 'S' crown on their actions. If anyone else tries to wear it, the Grammar Police will stop them!
Word Web
挑战
Look around the room. Find one person or one object. Say three things they are doing or three facts about them using the 'S' rule. (e.g., 'The lamp sits on the table. It looks bright. It costs ten dollars.')
文化笔记
In the UK, collective nouns like 'the team' or 'the government' often take a plural verb ('The team are playing well'), whereas in American English, they almost always take a singular verb ('The team is playing well').
In AAVE, the third-person 's' is often omitted as part of the dialect's systematic grammar ('He go to the store'). This is a valid dialectal variation, not a 'mistake' within that context.
In 'International English' or 'ELF' (English as a Lingua Franca), the third-person 's' is often dropped by non-native speakers. While understood, it is still corrected in formal business writing.
The '-s' ending comes from the Northumbrian dialect of Old English, where it was '-es'.
对话开场白
What does your best friend do for fun?
How does your favorite app work?
What happens if it rains on your wedding day?
How does your government handle environmental issues?
日记主题
常见错误
Test Yourself
My brother ___ in London.
She ___ (watch) movies every Friday.
Find and fix the mistake:
He don't like apples.
always / she / her / finishes / work
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
Select the grammatically correct question.
The sun ___ (rise) in the east.
Find and fix the mistake:
The baby crys a lot.
Score: /8
练习题
8 exercisesMy brother ___ in London.
She ___ (watch) movies every Friday.
Find and fix the mistake:
He don't like apples.
always / she / her / finishes / work
1. I, 2. He, 3. They, 4. It
Select the grammatically correct question.
The sun ___ (rise) in the east.
Find and fix the mistake:
The baby crys a lot.
Score: /8
Practice Bank
12 exercisesThe student always ___ their homework.
We ___ to the beach every summer.
My friends often plays soccer in the park.
The sun rise in the east.
Choose the correct sentence:
Choose the correct sentence:
Translate into English: 'She writes a letter.'
Translate into English: 'My dog barks loudly.'
Arrange these words into a sentence:
Arrange these words into a sentence:
Match the subjects with the correct verb form for 'to eat'.
Match the subjects with the correct verb form for 'to live'.
Score: /12
常见问题 (8)
It's a historical leftover from Old English. Most other person-endings disappeared over time, but the third-person singular 's' survived. It helps distinguish the subject in a sentence.
No. Even if 'they' refers to a single person (singular they), it always takes the plural verb form: `They work here`, not `They works here`.
It is always `goes`. Verbs ending in '-o' like `go` and `do` require `-es`.
These are singular! You should say `Everyone likes pizza` and `Somebody knows the truth`.
English grammar doesn't like 'double marking'. Since the 's' is already on `does`, the main verb `like` doesn't need it. Think of `does` as the boss who takes the 's' for himself.
For the 's' rule, `has` is the main irregular verb. The verb `to be` is also irregular (`is`), but it's usually taught as its own rule.
No! In the past tense, the verb is the same for everyone: `I worked`, `He worked`, `They worked`. The 's' rule is only for the `Present Simple`.
Then the subject is 'They' (plural), so you do NOT add an 's'. `John and Mary work here`.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
Presente de Indicativo (-a/-e)
Spanish changes the verb for every person; English only for the third person singular.
Présent de l'indicatif
English 's' is always pronounced, whereas French endings are often silent.
Präsens (-t)
German also has distinct endings for 'we' and 'you plural', which English does not.
Dictionary form (u-verb/ru-verb)
Japanese has zero person-based conjugation.
Al-Mudaari' (Present Tense)
Arabic distinguishes between 'he' and 'she' in the verb form; English uses 's' for both.
No conjugation
Chinese relies on context and time markers rather than verb endings.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
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