1.1.4: Simple Present Spelling
- Page ID
- 257400
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)Spelling: Adding -s and -es
We add -s and -es for two reasons:
1. The word is a noun, and we are making it plural.
table → tables
chair → chairs
2. The word is a verb, and it agrees with the subject (he, she, or it–3rd person singular)
I wait → she waits
they cook → he cooks
Spelling Rules
Rule 1:
If a word ends in /s/, /z/, /ch/, /sh/ or /x/ sound → add -es
Only add -es for the he/she/it form of the verb (third person singular).
watch → watches
wash → washes
kiss → kisses
I pass out papers. → She passes out papers.
I wash the dishes. → He washes the dishes.
Exercise 1.16: Spelling Rule 1
Directions: Write the correct form of the verb in parentheses on the lines.
Add -es if the verb ends in /s/, /z/, /ch/, /sh/ or /x/
- (watch) I _____________ TV in the morning, but she _____________ TV at night.
- (wash) They _____________ dishes together after dinner. He _____________ dishes on weekends.
- (fix) My father and I _____________ cars together. My husband _____________ the bicycle.
- (teach) They _____________ their daughter Ukrainian. Eva _____________ her son Amharic.
- (brush) I _____________ my teeth twice a day. He _____________ three times a day.
- (guess) I never _____________ the answer, but Tatiana often _____________ the answer.
- (mix) She _____________ Spanish and English. They _____________ English and Ukranian.
- (cash) I _____________ my check at the bank. He _____________ his check too.
- (notice) I always _____________ mistakes. She never _____________ mistakes when she writes.
- (ask) I _____________ for vegetarian food. Natasha _____________ for Ukrainian food.
Rule 2:
If a word ends in a consonant plus -y, change -y to i and add -es. If the word ends in a vowel plus -y, just add -s.
Consonant + -y Change -y to i and add -es
cry → cries
study → studies
Vowel + -y Add -s
pay → pays
buy → buys
Rule 3:
After the letter o. The spelling depends on the origin of the word. You may need a dictionary!
We add the suffix –es to most words that end in o.
- tomato → tomatoes
- hero → heroes
- go → goes
We add the plural suffix –s to words of foreign origin (Latin, Greek, Spanish, etc.)
- piano → pianos
- solo→ solos
- video → videos
Exercise 1.17: Spelling Rules 2 and 3
Directions: Write the correct form of the verb on the line in the sentences below.
- (study) I ____________ in the morning, but my brother _________ at night.
- (worry) My husband ___________ about money. I _____________ about him.
- (cry) The cat ___________ when I leave. The babies _____________ all the time.
- (play) She _____________ the piano. We _____________ the violin.
- (shampoo) I _____________ my hair every day. Jeff ______________his hair twice a week.
- (stay) Nam often __________ after class for help. Some other students sometimes ___________ after class to talk.
- (do) I_____________ my homework in the evening. My daughter___________ in the afternoon.
- (say) My nieces ___________ they are busy Friday, but my nephew __________ Friday is ok.
- (try) I __________ to study 3 times a week. Sheila __________ to study every day.
- (echo) The sound of my voice ____________ (echo) across the canyon. The sounds of the children ____________(echo) across the playground.


