Remember this!
The present tense form of 'plays' is play or plays. Example: He plays basketball every weekend. (He plays basketball every weekend.)
Definition of “play”
- to engage in activity for enjoyment or recreation
- to perform a dramatic role or piece
- to participate in a sport or game
Tense sentence structure and examples:
Notes from a Native English Speaker
Here are the general structures of a present and past participle. Remember, some verbs have an irregular form and may not follow this structure: Present Participle: [Verb] -ing Past Participle: [Verb] -ed
| Present Simple | play |
| Present Continuous | playing |
| Present Perfect | played |
Example
She plays the piano every day.
Example
They play board games on weekends.
Example
I am playing video games right now.
Example
They are playing basketball in the park.
Example
She has played many different instruments.
Example
They have played soccer at a professional level.
play Subject-Verb Agreement
Notes from a Native English Speaker
Subject-verb agreement means that a subject and its verb match. They’re either both plural or both singular. A singular subject takes a singular verb. - Example: The cat is sleeping. A plural subject takes a plural verb. - Example: The cats are sleeping.
| Singular First Person (I) | play |
| Singular Second Person (You) | play |
| Singular Third Person (He/She/It) | plays |
| Plural (We/You/They) | play |
Example
I play the guitar.
Example
You play the piano.
Example
He plays the drums.
Example
She plays the violin.
Example
It plays the flute.
Example
We play the saxophone.
Example
You play the trumpet.
Example
They play the guitar.
