[Grammar] Present tense - Pat hit the ball and runs

[HeartShape]

Hi,

Is the grammar tense or sentence correct in the following? If not, why not?

1. Pat hit the ball and runs.

"hit" is a present tense and so is "runs".

 

[Phaedrus]

1. Pat hit the ball and runs.

"hit" is a present tense and so is "runs".

"Hit" can be the present tense of "hit," but it is not the present tense in your sentence.

"Pat hit the ball" is in the past tense. "Pat hits the ball" is in the present tense.

We use the -s suffix with verbs in the present tense if the subject is third-person singular.

Did you mean to write: "Pat hits the ball and runs"?

 

[HeartShape]

"Hit" can be the present tense of "hit," but it is not the present tense in your sentence.

"Pat hit the ball" is in the past tense. "Pat hits the ball" is in the present tense.

We use the -s suffix with verbs in the present tense if the subject is third-person singular.

Did you mean to write: "Pat hits the ball and runs"?

Oh... that explains it.

Yes.

That is exactly what I meant. Now I understand why the answer is: "Pat hit the ball and ran."

Thanks.

 

[HeartShape]

Just for clarification:

This doesn't apply to the first and second person singular right?

Example:

1. [STRIKE]I hits the ball.[/STRIKE]
2. [STRIKE]You hits the ball.[/STRIKE]

Both would be grammatically incorrect above.

The correct form for present tense would be:

1. I hit the ball.
2. You hit the ball

 

[HeartShape]

Actually, just found it. Apparently -s suffix only applies to third person singular.

Thanks anyway.

 

[Phaedrus]

Yes, the present tense of "hit" is "hit" with a subject of any number and person except the third-person singular.

I hit the ball.
We hit the ball.
You hit the ball.
They hit the ball.
He/She/It hits the ball.

The past tense of "hit" is "hit" with a subject of any person and number without exception.

I hit the ball (a second ago).
We hit the ball (a second ago).
You hit the ball (a second ago).
They hit the ball (a second ago).
He/She/It hit the ball (a second ago).

 

[HeartShape]

This feels like a huge learning curve for me. I could never understand this from school days until now. It's amazing. My jigsaw is becoming like a picture.

 

[emsr2d2]

Adding an "s" to the end of the third person singular form of a verb in the present tense is one of the simplest, but also one of the most important, rules of English. :-D