Add -s or -es or -ies - All Things Grammar - Free Printable

Let's solve this Grammar Dictation worksheet step by step. The task is to add ‘-s’, ‘-es’, or ‘-ies’ to the verbs in each sentence to make them correct in the present simple tense, especially for third-person singular subjects (he, she, it, or names).

We’ll go through each sentence and determine the correct verb form based on subject-verb agreement.

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1. My brother usually ________ TV in the evenings.

- Subject: *My brother* → third-person singular
- Verb: *watch*
- Correct form: watches
✔ Answer: watches

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2. Mrs. Smith ________ to work every morning.

- Subject: *Mrs. Smith* → third-person singular
- Verb: *go*
- Correct form: goes
✔ Answer: goes

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3. Susan ________ Spanish at school.

- Subject: *Susan* → third-person singular
- Verb: *study*
- Correct form: studies
✔ Answer: studies

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4. I bring an umbrella with me when it ________.

- Subject: *it* → third-person singular
- Verb: *rain*
- Correct form: rains
✔ Answer: rains

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5. John ________ in a small apartment downtown.

- Subject: *John* → third-person singular
- Verb: *live*
- Correct form: lives
✔ Answer: lives

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6. It ________ an hour for me to go to work in the mornings.

- Subject: *It* → third-person singular
- Verb: *take*
- Correct form: takes
✔ Answer: takes

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7. My husband ________ old cars in his free time. It’s his hobby.

- Subject: *My husband* → third-person singular
- Verb: *collect*
- Correct form: collects
✔ Answer: collects

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8. My cat ________ all day near the window.

- Subject: *My cat* → third-person singular
- Verb: *sleep*
- Correct form: sleeps
✔ Answer: sleeps

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9. Stewart ________ too much about his job. He should relax more.

- Subject: *Stewart* → third-person singular
- Verb: *worry*
- Correct form: worries
✔ Answer: worries

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10. Your classmate always ________ her homework on time.

- Subject: *Your classmate* → third-person singular
- Verb: *finish*
- Correct form: finishes
✔ Answer: finishes

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11. My little brother ________ when he is scared.

- Subject: *My little brother* → third-person singular
- Verb: *cry*
- Correct form: cries
✔ Answer: cries

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12. Jennifer ________ to class every morning at six-thirty.

- Subject: *Jennifer* → third-person singular
- Verb: *go*
- Correct form: goes
✔ Answer: goes

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13. Mr. Johnson sometimes ________ golf in the afternoon.

- Subject: *Mr. Johnson* → third-person singular
- Verb: *play*
- Correct form: plays
✔ Answer: plays

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14. Sam has a new job. He ________ dishes at a restaurant.

- Subject: *He* → third-person singular
- Verb: *wash*
- Correct form: washes
✔ Answer: washes

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15. Sue moved to a new city in May. Now, she ________ her friends.

- Subject: *she* → third-person singular
- Verb: *miss*
- Correct form: misses
✔ Answer: misses

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16. My father ________ to work.

- Subject: *My father* → third-person singular
- Verb: *drive*
- Correct form: drives
✔ Answer: drives

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✔ Final Answers:

1. watches
2. goes
3. studies
4. rains
5. lives
6. takes
7. collects
8. sleeps
9. worries
10. finishes
11. cries
12. goes
13. plays
14. washes
15. misses
16. drives

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🔍 Explanation:

In the present simple tense, we add:
- -s to most verbs when the subject is he, she, it, or a name.
- e.g., *he walks*, *she reads*
- -es when the verb ends in -ch, -sh, -s, -x, -z, or -o (e.g., *watches*, *brushes*, *goes*)
- -ies when the verb ends in -y and the letter before it is a consonant (e.g., *studies*, *tries*)

But if the verb ends in -y after a vowel, just add -s (e.g., *enjoys*, *plays*).

All these rules were applied above.

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