Simple Present Tense

The simple present tense refers to action that is happening now. To form the simple present tense, we add an s when the subject is singular, except when the pronoun is I or you.

PLURAL SUBJECTS AND PRONOUNS I AND YOU

  • Chickens cluck.
  • Ducks quack.
  • I leap.
  • They laugh.
  • You sing.
  • Phil and Jenny talk.
  • Dogs bark.
  • We skate.
  • We dance.
  • They yawn.
  • You listen.
  • Cats meow.
  • We glance.
  • They own.
  • You bristle.
  • Kari and Matt crawl.
  • Roosters crow.
  • I pack.
  • We vote.
  • They cheer.

SINGULAR SUBJECTS

  • The chicken clucks.
  • A duck quacks.
  • She leaps.
  • Moe laughs.
  • Tina sings.
  • Grandma talks.
  • The dog barks.
  • Cheri skates.
  • She dances.
  • Boomer yawns.
  • Tom listens.
  • The cat meows.
  • She glances.
  • Lance owns.
  • Gretchen bristles.
  • Nathan crawls.
  • The rooster crows.
  • He packs.
  • She votes.
  • The sister cheers.

To form the simple present tense, when a verb ends in s, x, z, ch, or sh, we add es when the subject is singular.

PLURAL SUBJECTS AND PRONOUNS I AND YOU

  • We rush.
  • Insects buzz.
  • Horses munch.
  • Kittens hiss.
  • Cooks mix ingredients. 
  • Employees box the items.
  • We blush.
  • Sodas fizz.
  • Pitchers pitch.
  • People kiss.
  • Trainers coax.
  • We clash.
  • Seamstresses patch.
  • Cannon balls miss.

SINGULAR SUBJECTS

  • Athena rushes.
  • An insect buzzes.
  • The horse munches.
  • A kitten hisses.
  • Ted mixes ingredients.
  • John boxes the items.
  • Robert blushes.
  • A soda fizzes.
  • A pitcher pitches.
  • Mom kisses.
  • A trainer coaxes.
  • The militia clashes.
  • A seamstress patches.
  • A cannon ball misses.

To form the simple present tense, when a verb ends in a consonant and a y, we change the y to i and add es for the singular form.

PLURAL SUBJECTS AND PRONOUNS I AND YOU

  • I dry the dishes.
  • They empty the trash.
  • I fry potatoes.
  • I seldom cry.
  • They rely on you.
  • Spies pry.
  • The states comply.

SINGULAR SUBJECTS

  • He dries the dishes.
  • Lillian empties the trash.
  • He fries potatoes.
  • He seldom cries.
  • Elspeth relies on you.
  • A spy pries.
  • A state complies.

Examples

To form the simple present tense, replace each blank with the singular present tense form of the verb.

  1. You reply. He ____________.
  2. Birds fly. A robin ____________.
  3. Babies cry. A baby ____________.
  4. Sodas fizz. One soda ____________.
  5. They guess. She ____________.
  6. You deny. He ____________.
  7. They miss. She ____________.
  8. Nosy neighbors pry. A nosy neighbor ____________.
  9. Children play. A child ____________.
  10. Darryl and Carol boss. She ____________.
  11. People switch. George ____________.
  12. Leaders delay. The leader ____________.
  13. We floss our teeth. She ____________ her teeth.
  14. Rulers squelch rebellion. A ruler ____________ rebellion.

Solutions

  1. replies (Since the verb ends in y, we change the y to i and add es.)
  2. flies (Since the verb ends in y, we change the y to i and add es.)
  3. cries (Since the verb ends in y, we change the y to i and add es.)
  4. fizzes (The verb ends in z, so we add es.)
  5. guesses (The verb ends in s, so we add es.)
  6. denies (Since the verb ends in y, we change the y to i and add es.)
  7. misses (The verb ends in s, so we add es.)
  8. pries (Since the verb ends in y, we change the y to i and add es.)
  9. plays (We add an s when the subject is singular.)
  10. bosses (The verb ends in s, so we add es.)
  11. switches (The verb ends in ch, so we add es.)
  12. delays (We add an s when the subject is singular.)
  13. flosses (The verb ends in s, so we add es.)
  14. squelches (The verb ends in ch, so we add es.)