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Spelling- Nouns and Verbs ending in Y

Spelling- Nouns and Verbs ending in Y

Explore the spelling rules for English verbs and nouns ending in 'y', including changes in the third person singular and plural forms, and the past tense and past participle.

Spelling rules for verbs ending in y

Verbs ending vowel + -y

If a verb ends with a vowel before -y, we just add -s for the third person singular:

  • I, you, we, they say / he, she, it says
  • I, you, we, they play / he, she, it plays
  • I, you, we, they buy / he, she, it buys

If the verb is regular, we add -ed for the past tense and past participle:

  • I, you, he, she, it we, they stayed
  • I, you, he, she, it we, they enjoyed
  • I, you, he, she, it we, they toyed

Verbs ending consonant + -y

If a verb ends with a consonant before -y, we remove the y and add -ies for the third person singular:

  • I, you, we, they try / he, she, it tries
  • I, you, we, they cry / he, she, it cries
  • I, you, we, they fly / he, she, it flies

If the verb is regular, we we remove the y and add -ied for the past tense and past participle:

  • I, you, we, they try / he, she, it tried
  • I, you, we, they cry / he, she, it cried
  • I, you, we, they apply / he, she, it applied

Spelling rules for nouns ending in y

Nouns ending vowel + -y

If a noun ends with a vowel before -y, we just add -s for the plural:

  • A plays / two plays
  • A day / two days

Nouns ending consonant + -y

If a noun ends with a consonant before -y, we remove the y and add -ies for the plural:

  • A fly / two flies
  • A try / two tries

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