Spelling Rules for Adding "s"
Introduction
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Consonant = a
sound we make that is not a vowel. The breath is somehow blocked on its
way out of the mouth. For example, the sound b is made
when breath flow is stopped with the lips. All the other English
letters which are not vowels are called consonants. These are: b, c, d, f, g, h, j, k, l, m, n, p, q, r,s, t, v, w, x, y, z.
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Some verbs change their spelling when the letter "s" is added to them.Verbs ending with "s", "ch", "sh", "x" or "z"
When a verb ends with s, ch, sh, x or z, we add the letter e, and then we add the letter s.In the following examples the part before the letter s is in purple and the letters es are in red.
| miss | => | miss + es | => | misses |
| kiss | => | kiss + es | => | kisses |
| watch | => | watch + es | => | watches |
| teach | => | teach + es | => | teaches |
| wash | => | wash + es | => | washes |
| push | => | push + es | => | pushes |
| mix | => | mix + es | => | mixes |
| fix | => | fix + es | => | fixes |
| buzz | => | buzz + es | => | buzzes |
Verbs ending with "o"
When a verb ends with o,
we add the letter e, and
then we add the letter s.In the following examples the letter o is in purple and the letters es are in red.
| go | => | go + es | => | goes |
| do | => | do + es | => | does |
Verbs ending with "y"
When a verb ends with y and there is a consonant before it, the y changes into ie. Then the letter s is added.In the following examples the consonant is in blue, the part before the letter s is in green, and the letter s is in red.
| fly | => | flie + s | => | flies |
| try | => | trie + s | => | tries |
| cry | => | crie + s | => | cries |
| study | => | studie + s | => | studies |
When a verb ends with y, and there is a vowel before it, we simply add the letter s to the verb.
In the following examples the vowel is in orange, the part before the letter sis in green, and the letter s is in red.
| buy | => | buy + s | => | buys |
| say | => | say + s | => | says |
| pay | => | pay + s | => | pays |
| play | => | play + s | => | plays |
| enjoy | => | enjoy + s | => | enjoys |
So these were the spelling rules for adding "s" in the Simple Present.
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