Micro-listening
Common English Mistakes: Choose the Right Form
The short answer
Grammatical accuracy in everyday English depends on matching words to their structural jobs. When you speak in the present simple, singular subjects require an -s ending on the main verb. When you form questions or negative clauses with do, does, or did, the auxiliary carries the tense and person, leaving the main action verb in its base form.
Key points
- Homophones require choosing the spelling that reflects ownership, place, or contraction.
- Clear communication does not require complicated vocabulary; it requires consistent application of basic patterns.
- Monitoring these four structural points will make your spoken English sound smooth and your written messages appear professional.
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The full explanation
Grammatical accuracy in everyday English depends on matching words to their structural jobs. When you speak in the present simple, singular subjects require an -s ending on the main verb. When you form questions or negative clauses with do, does, or did, the auxiliary carries the tense and person, leaving the main action verb in its base form. Homophones require choosing the spelling that reflects ownership, place, or contraction. Finally, verbs like listen and explain require the preposition to when connecting to specific objects or recipients.
Maria manages our customer support department and answers inquiries promptly.
Why it works: Maria is a singular third-person subject, so both present simple verbs end with -s.
3 more examples
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Did you review the quarterly budget report before the meeting began?
Because did marks the past tense, the main verb review remains in its base form.
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They're packing their presentation materials over there by the conference table.
The sentence correctly distinguishes the contraction they're, the possessive their, and the place word there.
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Please explain the new safety guidelines to the warehouse crew.
Explain takes the guidelines as its direct object, with to introducing the recipients.
Read the full guide
Try the listening exercise
Match singular subjects with an -s ending
When you talk about regular habits, routines, or ongoing facts in the present simple, check who performs the action. If the subject is he, she, it, or one person or object, add an -s or -es ending to the verb. When the subject is I, you, we, or they, keep the verb in its plain base form. Listeners rely on that final s sound to identify the subject quickly, especially in fast conversation where pronouns may sound reduced.
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Daniel speaks three languages at our international office.
Why it works: Daniel is a singular third-person subject, so the verb takes an -s ending.
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They work together on every major client project.
Why it works: They is plural, so the verb remains in its plain base form.
Your turn
Which sentence correctly describes a coworker's daily habit?
Answer: My coworker prepares the meeting agenda every morning.
Show the answer
Answer: My coworker prepares the meeting agenda every morning.
Because coworker is a singular noun in the third person, the present simple verb requires the -s ending prepares.
Apply spelling rules for verbs ending in -es
Verbs ending in sibilant sounds such as -ch, -sh, -ss, -x, or -zz require an extra syllable and an -es ending in the third person. Words like watch, wash, pass, and fix become watches, washes, passes, and fixes. Notice that the ending adds an extra vowel sound /ɪz/, which makes the spoken sentence distinct. Irregular verbs also change: have becomes has, do becomes does, and go becomes goes.
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The security officer watches the entrance camera throughout the night.
Why it works: Verbs ending in -ch add -es and sound like /ɪz/ in speech.
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Marcus has two laptops on his work desk.
Why it works: The verb have changes to has after singular subjects.
You can practise this again in John and I or John and me: Choose the Right Form and Comparatives and superlatives: choose the right form.
Your turn
Which sentence shows the correct verb form for a singular subject?
Answer: She washes the laboratory glassware before leaving.
Show the answer
Answer: She washes the laboratory glassware before leaving.
Verbs ending in -sh add -es for third-person singular subjects, forming washes.
Keep base verbs after does and doesn't
When you form present simple questions or negative statements with does or doesn't, the helping verb already carries the third-person marker. Because does shows both present time and singular agreement, the main verb following it must remain in its clean base form. Saying 'she doesn't likes' or 'does he works' puts the -s marker twice, which confuses your listener and sounds unnatural in workplace conversations.
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He doesn't need any assistance with the spreadsheet.
Why it works: Doesn't carries the singular marker, so need remains in its base form.
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Does your supervisor approve travel reimbursements promptly?
Why it works: In a question with does, the main verb approve stays base.
Your turn
Choose the correct negative sentence for a colleague's routine.
Answer: He doesn't want to reschedule the team briefing.
Show the answer
Answer: He doesn't want to reschedule the team briefing.
After the negative auxiliary doesn't, the main verb must appear in its base form want.
Drop past endings after did and didn't
A frequent slip in English conversation happens when speakers try to show past time twice in the same clause. In past simple questions and negative sentences, the auxiliary word did or didn't already signals that the event took place in the past. Therefore, the main verb that follows must stay in its base form. Never say 'did you saw' or 'I didn't went'. Keep the auxiliary in the past and let the main verb stay simple.
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Did you receive the updated contract yesterday morning?
Why it works: Did signals the past tense, so receive stays in its plain base form.
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We didn't attend the regional conference last month.
Why it works: After didn't, attend remains in its base form without an -ed ending.
Your turn
Which question asks about yesterday's meeting correctly?
Answer: Did you see the revised project timeline yesterday?
Show the answer
Answer: Did you see the revised project timeline yesterday?
The auxiliary verb did already marks past time, so see must remain in base form.
Distinguish there, their, and they're
Although there, their, and they're sound completely identical in spoken English, each spelling performs a distinct grammatical role. There indicates a place or introduces an existence statement. Their expresses possession, indicating that something belongs to a group. They're is simply a contraction of they are. When writing, substitute the words 'they are' into your sentence; if the sentence still makes sense, you must use the apostrophe spelling they're.
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They're arriving early to unpack their equipment over there.
Why it works: They're means they are, their shows ownership of equipment, and there points to location.
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Their office is quiet because there are no meetings today.
Why it works: Their shows possession by the staff, while there introduces existence.
Your turn
Which sentence uses the correct spelling for showing possession?
Answer: The technicians left their tools in the workshop.
Show the answer
Answer: The technicians left their tools in the workshop.
Their is the possessive adjective indicating that the tools belong to the technicians.
Connect listen with the preposition to
Many languages connect the action of listening directly to the object, leading learners to say 'listen music' or 'listen me'. In English, whenever listen takes an object to name what or who you are focusing on, you must place the preposition to between the verb and the noun phrase. Leaving out to sounds incomplete to native listeners. Remember that hear can take an object directly, but listen always requires to.
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I listen to industry podcasts during my daily morning commute.
Why it works: The verb listen connects to the noun podcasts using the preposition to.
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Please listen to your team leader when instructions are given.
Why it works: To must precede the person who is speaking when using listen.
Your turn
Which sentence connects the action of listening correctly?
Answer: She listens to the audio recording every evening.
Show the answer
Answer: She listens to the audio recording every evening.
Listen requires the preposition to before the object being heard.
Order words correctly after explain
Learners often transfer speech habits from their first language and say 'explain me the problem'. In standard English, the verb explain cannot take a person directly as its object. The topic or item being clarified comes immediately after explain, and the person receiving the explanation follows with the preposition to. You can say 'explain the problem to me' or 'explain to the team why the plan changed'.
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The architect will explain the blueprints to the contractors.
Why it works: The direct object blueprints precedes the recipient introduced by to.
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Could you explain this software update to our staff?
Why it works: To must appear before the people receiving the explanation.
Your turn
Which sentence shows the correct pattern with the verb explain?
Answer: Can you explain the new company policy to me?
Show the answer
Answer: Can you explain the new company policy to me?
The topic being explained comes directly after the verb, with to preceding the recipient.
Proofread messages for the four patterns
Before sending an email, review your draft by scanning for four quick checkpoints. First, confirm that singular subjects have an -s or -es on present verbs. Second, check that any verb following does, doesn't, did, or didn't is in its base form. Third, verify your spelling among there, their, and they're. Fourth, ensure that listen and explain carry to where needed. Catching these four patterns builds professional writing precision.
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He explains the budget to our team, but he didn't bring his slides.
Why it works: The sentence combines singular -s on explains, to before the team, and base verb bring after didn't.
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They're waiting over there while their manager reviews the summary.
Why it works: All three homophones appear correctly according to their distinct roles.
Your turn
Which sentence contains zero errors across all four patterns?
Answer: She didn't buy the supplies, but she explains the cost to us.
Show the answer
Answer: She didn't buy the supplies, but she explains the cost to us.
This sentence correctly pairs base buy with didn't, adds -s to explains for she, and uses to before us.
Before you go
Remember this
Clear communication does not require complicated vocabulary; it requires consistent application of basic patterns. Keep third-person singular verbs marked with -s in the present, preserve base verbs after did and does, match homophone spellings to their true meaning, and supply to after listen and before recipients of explanations. Monitoring these four structural points will make your spoken English sound smooth and your written messages appear professional.
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Listening 1 of 4
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Marcus speaks openly during every morning meeting.
The singular subject Marcus requires the third-person singular verb speaks.
Listen for
At natural speed these words change shape. Tap one to hear it again.
- The last sound of the first word runs straight into the next word.
- The last sound of the first word runs straight into the next word.
- In American English this t sounds like a quick, soft d.
Listen for
At natural speed these words change shape. Tap one to hear it again.
- The last sound of the first word runs straight into the next word.
- The last sound of the first word runs straight into the next word.
Listen for
At natural speed these words change shape. Tap one to hear it again.
- The last sound of the first word runs straight into the next word.
- The last sound of the first word runs straight into the next word.
- In American English this t sounds like a quick, soft d.
Listening 2 of 4
Listen, then type what you hear. Replay as often as you need.
0:00
Read the transcript
Did Marcus call our office yesterday afternoon?
The auxiliary did marks past time, so call remains in its plain base form.
Listen for
At natural speed these words change shape. Tap one to hear it again.
- The last sound of the first word runs straight into the next word.
- The last sound of the first word runs straight into the next word.
- The final t or d is barely said before the next consonant.
Listen for
At natural speed these words change shape. Tap one to hear it again.
- The last sound of the first word runs straight into the next word.
- The last sound of the first word runs straight into the next word.
- The final t or d is barely said before the next consonant.
Listen for
At natural speed these words change shape. Tap one to hear it again.
- The last sound of the first word runs straight into the next word.
- The last sound of the first word runs straight into the next word.
Try a longer clip. Listen once, then replay the part you missed.
Listening 3 of 4
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Sofia always explains each project clearly to our group. We listen eagerly when she shares her screen, and she did not delay our review.
Sofia takes explains with an -s, listen connects with to, and did not keeps delay in base form.
Listen for
At natural speed these words change shape. Tap one to hear it again.
- The last sound of the first word runs straight into the next word.
- The last sound of the first word runs straight into the next word.
- The last sound of the first word runs straight into the next word.
Listen for
At natural speed these words change shape. Tap one to hear it again.
- The last sound of the first word runs straight into the next word.
- The last sound of the first word runs straight into the next word.
- The last sound of the first word runs straight into the next word.
Listen for
At natural speed these words change shape. Tap one to hear it again.
- The last sound of the first word runs straight into the next word.
- The last sound of the first word runs straight into the next word.
- The last sound of the first word runs straight into the next word.
This clip is longer. Follow the instruction above the answer field.
Listening 4 of 4
Listen, then type the missing words. The rest of the text is already there.
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Marcus arrives early every morning because he manages our inventory. He did not open our main entrance before nine o'clock. Two suppliers came an hour ago. Now they're unloading their heavy boxes over there. I always listen attentively to our morning briefing before we begin. Our supervisor explains each assignment clearly to every worker.
Verbs with Marcus, he, and supervisor take singular -s, did not keeps open base, and listen connects with to.
Listen for
At natural speed these words change shape. Tap one to hear it again.
- The last sound of the first word runs straight into the next word.
- The last sound of the first word runs straight into the next word.
- The last sound of the first word runs straight into the next word.
Listen for
At natural speed these words change shape. Tap one to hear it again.
- The last sound of the first word runs straight into the next word.
- The last sound of the first word runs straight into the next word.
- The last sound of the first word runs straight into the next word.
Listen for
At natural speed these words change shape. Tap one to hear it again.
- The last sound of the first word runs straight into the next word.
- The last sound of the first word runs straight into the next word.
- The last sound of the first word runs straight into the next word.
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Describe a typical morning routine at your workplace or school, explaining what one colleague or classmate does and how your team organizes daily work.
Use: common English Mistakes: Choose the Right Form
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Marcus speaks openly during every morning meeting.
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Questions about "Common English Mistakes: Choose the Right Form"
Why does the main verb lose its -s ending when I ask a question with does?
In present simple questions and negatives, the helping verb does already carries the third-person singular marker. Because does marks the person and number, the main action verb must stay in its base form. Adding an -s to both words creates an unnecessary double marking.
Does your manager approve travel expenses?
She does not want any coffee right now.
What is the difference between hear and listen to?
Hear refers to the natural ability of your ears to receive sound without active effort. In contrast, listen to describes paying intentional attention to a specific voice, music, or announcement. In addition, hear connects directly to its object, whereas listen always requires the preposition to before the sound or speaker.
I heard a sudden noise outside the window.
We listen to our instructor during every lecture.
Can I say 'explain me the rules' instead of 'explain the rules to me'?
In standard English, the verb explain cannot take the listener as an indirect object without the preposition to. The thing being explained comes directly after the verb, and the person receiving that explanation must be introduced with to. You can say 'explain the rules to me' or 'explain to me how this works'.
Could you explain the contract terms to our team?
The teacher explained the assignment to the whole class.
How can I quickly decide whether to write there, their, or they're?
Test the sentence with 'they are'. If 'they are' fits naturally, write they're. If you are describing ownership by a group, write their, which has an 'i' like heir. If you are pointing to a location or introducing the existence of something, write there, which contains the word here.
They're excited about the upcoming holiday.
Their luggage is standing over there by the counter.
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