Remarks on Present Tense Forms Edit

Mastering remarks on present tense forms is essential for accurate English grammar, covering critical rules like spelling modifications, ending changes, and historical forms.

What Are the Rules for Ending Third Person Singular Verbs?

When forming the third person singular, specific spelling conventions apply to verb endings. After a sibilant (s, ss, c, sh, tch, ch, g, dg, x, z) or a vowel not preceded by a vowel, -es is added instead of -s:

  • (e pronounced) passes, pushes, lunches, rages, dodges, relaxes, dozes
  • (e silent) goes, does, but tiptoes, taboos

Final y remains y after a vowel before the ending, but when preceded by a consonant becomes ie: ‘He plays,’ but ‘He cries.’ Before the participial ending -ing, however, final y always remains y: crying. In words in which a silent e follows a sibilant, as in splice, singe, pledge, we add only -s, but we pronounce es: splices, singes, pledges.

💡 Pro Tip: Always check if the letter preceding ‘y’ is a vowel or a consonant to determine whether it changes to ‘ie’ or stays as ‘y’ before a suffix. For more foundational rules, check out our guide on Past, Present and Future Tense: Correct Usage.

How Does Dropping E Work in Verbs?

An e at the end of a verb is dropped before a vowel in the ending: love, but loving. Notice, however, that we irregularly write:

  • dyeing (from dye to distinguish it from dying, from die)
  • singeing (from singe to distinguish it from singing, from sing)
  • tingeing (from tinge to distinguish it from tinging, from ting)
  • canoeing, hoeing, shoeing, etc.

Verbs in -ie drop e and change i to y before ing: tying from tie; lying from lie.

When Do Consonants Double in English Verbs?

A final consonant preceded by an accented short vowel is doubled before a vowel in the ending:

  • shop, but shopping, shopped
  • gas, but gassing, gasses, gassed
  • quiz, but quizzing, quizzes, quizzed
  • whiz, but whizzing, whizzes, whizzed

How Do Time Relations Work in Participles, Infinitives, and Gerunds?

The present participle, infinitive, and gerund are not confined to reference to present time. The situation indicates the time:

ExampleTime
‘the rising sun’present time
‘My train starts at six, arriving in Chicago at ten.’future time
‘Hearing voices I stopped and listened.’past time
‘I came late, arriving after all the others.’past time
‘I expect to arrive late.’future
‘He was very foolish to do it’ (= It was very foolish that he did it).past time
‘After finishing my work, I go to bed.’with the force of a present tense (= After I finish)
‘After finishing (or having finished) my work, I went to bed.’= After I had finished

What Are Old Present Tense Forms?

The old forms for the second and third persons are now used only in poetry and biblical language. The usual old ending for the second person singular is -est for full verbs and -st for auxiliaries:

  • ‘thou helpest,’ ‘thou walkest,’ ‘thou runněst’ (doubling a final consonant after a short vowel)
  • ‘thou mayst’, ‘thou canst’, ‘thou hast’, ‘thou dost’, etc.

But be, shall, will, have the old ending -t: ‘thou art’, ‘thou shalt’, ‘thou wilt’.

What Is Assimilation in Popular Speech?

In popular speech, the last consonant in the stem of the imperative is often assimilated to the m of the following me:

  • ‘Gimme (for give me) a bite.’
  • ‘Lemme (for let me) see it.’

Key Takeaways

  • Third-person singular spelling rules depend on sibilants and whether ‘y’ follows a vowel or a consonant.
  • Silent ‘e’ is generally dropped before a vowel ending, with specific exceptions for clarity like dyeing vs. dying.
  • Final consonants preceded by accented short vowels double before vowel suffixes.
  • Participles, infinitives, and gerunds derive their time relations from the broader context of the sentence.
  • Archaic forms and popular speech contractions represent unique historical developments in English grammar.

Quick Practice

Test your understanding of present tense remarks by trying these exercises:

  1. What is the correct -ing form of the verb ‘tie’? Write your answer in the comments below.
  2. How do you spell the third person singular form of ‘cry’? Leave your answer in the comments!
✅ Show answers
  1. tying (verbs in -ie drop e and change i to y)
  2. cries (y after a consonant becomes ie)

FAQ

What happens to final ‘y’ before the ‘-ing’ ending?
Before the participial ending -ing, final y always remains y, as seen in words like crying.
Are old present tense forms like ‘thou’ still used in everyday conversation?
No, the old forms for the second and third persons are now used exclusively in poetry and biblical language.
Why do we write ‘dyeing’ instead of ‘dying’?
We write dyeing (from dye) to distinguish it clearly from dying (from die).

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