Farmers use tractors

[Moylopez]

English Grammar Tests, Elementary Level

ESL/EFL Test #185 "Verb Tense Practice (2)", question 5

Farmers ......... tractors on a regular basis.

(a) use
(b) uses
(c) using
(d) is using

English Grammar Tests, Elementary Level

ESL/EFL Test #185 "Verb Tense Practice (2)", answer 5

Farmers use tractors on a regular basis.

Correct answer: (a) use

Your answer was: incorrect
Farmers uses tractors on a regular basis.
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Should i understand this like a plural ?

[Beeesneees]

'use' is a verb here and the verb form has nothing to do with adding an -s to a word to make it plural.
These nouns/pronouns require 'use': I, you (singular and plural), we, they, plural nouns
These nouns/pronouns require 'uses': he, she, it, singular nouns

However, 'Farmers' is plural, and a plural noun needs to be followed by 'use'.
Farmers use...
The farmer uses...
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"Inside every old person is a young person wondering what happened."
Terry Pratchett

[Alan]

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Hi Moylopez,

There are many words in English that can be both noun and verb such as - look - cook - lift - paper and so on. 'Use' is also one of these words. In the test sentence it is used as a verb in the present tense and because the subject (farmers) is plural, it has to be - Farmers use. We only add 's' to the verb in the third person singular present.

'Use' as a noun makes a plural in 'uses' - What is the use (singular) of this discussion? This instrument has many uses (plural).

Alan
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English as a Second Language
You can read my ESL story Present Simple