G1-a: Standard subject-verb combinations

G1-aLearn to recognize standard subject-verb combinations.

This section describes the basic guidelines for making present-tense verbs agree with their subjects. The present-tense ending -s (or -es) is used on a verb if its subject is third-person singular (he, she, it, and singular nouns); otherwise the verb takes no ending. Consider, for example, the present-tense forms of the verbs love and try, given at the beginning of the "Subject-verb agreement at a glance" chart.

The verb be varies from this pattern; it has special forms in both the present and the past tense (see the end of the chart).

If you aren’t sure of the standard forms, use the charts below as you proofread your work. See also G2-c on -s endings of regular and irregular verbs.

Subject-verb agreement at a glance

Present-tense forms of love and try (typical verbs)

singular plural
first person I love we love
second person you love you love
third person he/she/it* loves they** love
singular plural
first person I try we try
second person you try you try
third person he/she/it* tries they** try

Present-tense forms of have

singular plural
first person I have we have
second person you have you have
third person he/she/it* has they** have

Present-tense forms of do (including negative forms)

singular plural
first person I do/don’t we do/don’t
second person you do/don’t you do/don’t
third person he/she/it* does/doesn’t they** do/don’t

Present-tense and past-tense forms of be

singular plural
first person I am/was we are/were
second person you are/were you are/were
third person he/she/it* is/was they** are/were

*And singular nouns (child, Roger)

**And plural nouns (children, the Mannings)

When to use the –s (or -es) from of a present-tense verb

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exception: Choosing the correct present-tense form of be (am, is, or are) is not quite so simple. See the chart on the previous page for both present- and past-tense forms of be.

tip: Do not use the -s form of a verb if it follows a modal verb such as can, must, or should or another helping verb. (See M1-e.)