CHAPTER 2.  THE SIMPLE PRESENT OF VERBS OTHER THAN THE VERB
TO BE
1. Formation of the simple present
The Simple Present of any verb other than the verb to be is formed from the bare infinitive of
the verb. As shown in the following examples, the bare infinitive of a verb consists of the
infinitive without the word to. The bare infinitive is the form in which English
verbs are usually listed in dictionaries. For example:
Infinitive
  to be
  to walk
  to work

Bare Infinitive
  be
  walk
  work

In the Simple Present of verbs other than the verb to be, the form of the verb used with the
subjects I , you, we and they is the same as the bare infinitive. The form of the verb used with
the subjects he, she and it has the ending s added to the bare infinitive.
For example, the Simple Present of the verb to work is conjugated as follows:
I work
you work
he works
she works
it works
we work
they work
The form of the verb used with the subjects he, she and it is generally referred to as the third
person singular
a. The simple present of the verb To Have

The Simple Present of the verb to have is slightly irregular, since the bare infinitive is have,
whereas the form of the verb used in the third person singular is has. The Simple Present of the
verb to have is conjugated as follows:
I have
you have
he has
she has
it has
we have
they have

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2. Spelling rules for adding s in the third person singular
Some verbs change their spelling when s is added in the third person singular.
a. Verbs ending in y
The English letters a, e, i, o and u are generally referred to as vowels. The other English letters
are generally referred to as consonants.
When a verb ends in y immediately preceded by a consonant, the y is changed to ie before the
ending s is added. In each of the following examples, the consonant immediately preceding the
final y is underlined.
Bare Infinitive
  study
  fly
  carry

Third Person Singular
  studies
  flies

  carries

However, when a verb ends in y immediately preceded by a vowel, the y is not changed before
the ending s is added. In each of the following examples, the vowel immediately preceding the
final y is underlined.
Bare Infinitive
  say
  enjoy
  buy

Third Person Singular
  says
  enjoys
  buys

b. Verbs ending in o
When a verb ends in o, the letter e is added before the s ending. For example:
Bare Infinitive
  do
  echo
  go

Third Person Singular
  does
  echoes
  goes

c. Verbs ending in ch, s, sh, x or z
When a verb ends in a sibilant sound such as ch, s, sh, x or z, the letter e is added before the s
ending. For example:

Bare Infinitive
  pass
  push
  watch
  fix
  buzz

Third Person Singular
  passes
  pushes
  watches
  fixes
  buzzes
3. Pronunciation of the es ending

A syllable is a unit of pronunciation, usually consisting of a vowel sound which may or may
not be accompanied by consonants.
When a verb ends in a sibilant sound such as ch, s, sh, x or z, the es ending of the third person
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singular is pronounced as a separate syllable. The reason for this is that these sounds are so
similar to the sound of the es ending, that the ending must be pronounced as a
separate syllable in order to be heard clearly.
In each of the following examples the bare infinitive consists of one
syllable, whereas the form of the verb used in the third person singular
consists of two syllables.
Bare Infinitive
  pass
  push

  catch
  mix

Third Person Singular
  passes
  pushes
  catches
  mixes

Similarly, when s is added to verbs ending in ce, ge, se or ze, the final es is usually
pronounced as a separate syllable. In each of the following examples the
bare infinitive consists of one syllable, whereas the form of the verb used in
the third person singular consists
of two syllables.
Bare Infinitive
  race
  rage
  praise
  doze

Third Person Singular
  races
  rages
  praises
  dozes

However, when s is added to a verb ending in e preceded by a letter
other than c, g, s or z, the final es is not pronounced as a separate syllable. In each
of the following examples, both the bare infinitive and the form of the verb
used in the third person singular consist of one syllable.

Bare Infinitive
  make
  smile
  dine
  save

Third Person Singular
  makes
  smiles
  dines
  saves
4. The auxiliary Do

With the exception of the verb to be, verbs in modern English use the auxiliary do to form
questions and negative statements in the Simple Present.
The Simple Present of the verb to do is conjugated as follows:
I do
you do
he does
she does
it does
we do
they do
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Auxiliaries are verbs which are combined with other verbs to form various tenses. It should be
noted that when an auxiliary is combined with another verb, it is the auxiliary which must
agree with the subject, while the form of the other verb remains invariable.
When the auxiliary do is combined with another verb, the other verb always has the form of

the bare infinitive.
a. Questions
In order to form a question in the Simple Present of any verb other than the verb to be, the
Simple Present of the auxiliary do is added before the subject, and the bare
infinitive of the verb is placed after the subject. For example:
Affirmative Statement
  I work.
  You work.
  He works.
  She works.
  It works.
  We work.
  They work.

Question
  Do I work?
  Do you work?
  Does he work?
  Does she work?
  Does it work?
  Do we work?
  Do they work?

b. Negative statements
In order to form a negative statement, the Simple Present of the auxiliary do followed by the
word not is placed before the bare
infinitive of the verb. For example:
Affirmative Statement
  I work.
  You work.

  He works.
  She works.
  It works.
  We work.
  They work.

Negative Statement
  I do not work.
  You do not work.
  He does not work.
  She does not work.
  It does not work.
  We do not work.
  They do not work.

In spoken English, the following contractions are often used:
Without contractions
  do not
  does not

With contractions
  don't
  doesn't

c. Negative questions
To form a negative question, the Simple Present of the auxiliary do is placed before the
subject, and the word not followed by the bare infinitive is placed after the subject. However,
when contractions are used, the contracted form of not follows immediately after the Simple
Present of the auxiliary do. For example:
Without contractions

  Do I not work?

With contractions
  Don't I work?
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  Do you not work?
  Does he not work?
  Does she not work?
  Does it not work?
  Do we not work?
  Do they not work?

  Don't you work?
  Doesn't he work?
  Doesn't she work?
  Doesn't it work?
  Don't we work?
  Don't they work?

d. Tag questions
The auxiliary do or does is used for a tag question which follows a statement containing the
Simple Present of a verb other than the verb to be. In the following examples, the
negative tag questions are underlined. Contractions are usually used in
negative tag questions.
Affirmative Statement
  I work.
  You work.
  He works.

  She works.
  It works.
  We work.
  They work.

Affirmative Statement with Tag Question
  I work, don't I?
  You work, don't you?
  He works, doesn't he?
  She works, doesn't she?
  It works, doesn't it?
  We work, don't we?
  They work, don't they?

e. The verb To Have
It should be noted that, particularly in British English, in the case of the Simple Present and
Simple Past of the verb to have, questions and negative statements are sometimes formed in
the same way as for the verb to be, without the use of the auxiliary do.
e.g. He has a sister, hasn't he?

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