What is Adding -s or -es?

S0-SA4-0641

Grade Level:

Pre-School – Class 2

All domains without exception

Definition

What is it?

Adding -s or -es is a grammar rule we use to show that something is more than one. It also helps us show when a single person or thing does an action. We add -s or -es to nouns to make them plural, and to verbs when talking about a single subject.

Simple Example

Quick Example

Imagine you have one cricket bat. If you get another bat, you now have two cricket bats. We add an 's' to 'bat' to show there's more than one. Similarly, if your friend eats an apple every day, we say 'He eats an apple' – adding 's' to 'eat' because 'he' is a single person.

Worked Example

Step-by-Step

Let's see how to add -s or -es correctly for different words.

Step 1: For most words, just add -s.
Example: One pen becomes two pen+s = pens.
---Step 2: If a word ends with s, ss, sh, ch, x, or z, we add -es.
Example: One bus becomes two bus+es = buses.
Example: One watch becomes two watch+es = watches.
---Step 3: If a word ends with a consonant followed by 'y', change 'y' to 'i' and then add -es.
Example: One story becomes two stor+ies = stories.
---Step 4: If a word ends with a vowel (a, e, i, o, u) followed by 'y', just add -s.
Example: One toy becomes two toy+s = toys.
---Step 5: For verbs, if the subject is singular (he, she, it, or one person/thing), add -s or -es to the verb.
Example: He walk+s to school. (Not 'He walk to school').
Example: She teach+es English. (Not 'She teach English').
---Answer: The correct ending depends on the last letter of the word and whether it's a noun or a verb.

Why It Matters

Using -s or -es correctly makes your English sound natural and clear, whether you're speaking or writing. This skill is vital for communicating effectively in any field, from becoming a journalist to writing reports as an engineer or even giving presentations as a business leader.

Common Mistakes

MISTAKE: Adding -s/-es to verbs when the subject is plural (e.g., 'They plays cricket'). | CORRECTION: Only add -s/-es to verbs when the subject is singular (he, she, it, or one person/thing). For plural subjects like 'they', 'we', 'you', or 'I', the verb stays in its base form (e.g., 'They play cricket').

MISTAKE: Forgetting to add -es to words ending in 'ch', 'sh', 'x', 's', 'ss', 'z' (e.g., 'Two match' instead of 'Two matches'). | CORRECTION: Always remember the rule: if a word ends with these specific sounds, add -es to make it plural (e.g., 'Two matches').

MISTAKE: Changing 'y' to 'i' and adding -es even when there's a vowel before 'y' (e.g., 'Two playes' instead of 'Two plays'). | CORRECTION: Only change 'y' to 'i' and add -es if a consonant comes before 'y'. If a vowel (a, e, i, o, u) comes before 'y', just add -s (e.g., 'Two plays').

Practice Questions

Try It Yourself

QUESTION: What is the plural form of 'book'? | ANSWER: books

QUESTION: Complete the sentence: 'My mother _____ delicious food every day.' (cook) | ANSWER: cooks

QUESTION: Make the following words plural: 'fox', 'city', 'day'. | ANSWER: foxes, cities, days

MCQ

Quick Quiz

Which sentence uses -s or -es correctly?

The students study hard for their exams.

She reads many books every week.

My friends goes to the market.

We watches a movie last night.

The Correct Answer Is:

Option B is correct because 'She' is singular, so the verb 'read' takes an -s. Option A is incorrect because 'students' is plural, so 'study' should not have an -s. Option C is incorrect because 'friends' is plural, so 'goes' should be 'go'. Option D is incorrect because 'We' is plural, so 'watches' should be 'watch'.

Real World Connection

In the Real World

When you use apps like Zomato or Swiggy to order food, the descriptions of dishes and restaurants use correct grammar, including -s and -es, to clearly tell you about 'burgers', 'dosas', or 'drinks'. Even in cricket commentary, announcers use these rules to describe 'runs', 'wickets', and how a 'batsman hits' the ball.

Key Vocabulary

Key Terms

PLURAL: More than one of something | SINGULAR: Only one of something | NOUN: A word that names a person, place, thing, or idea | VERB: A word that describes an action or a state of being | SUBJECT: The person or thing performing the action in a sentence

What's Next

What to Learn Next

Now that you understand adding -s or -es, you're ready to learn about other verb forms like past tense (-ed) and continuous tense (-ing). These will help you describe actions happening at different times and make your sentences even more descriptive!