







In English we use the present simple tense to talk about facts or things that are always true, as well as things in general. Present simple is also used to talk about a repeated action such as a habit, a hobby, a daily event, a scheduled event or something that often happens.
In English we use 'do' and 'does' as auxiliary verbs in negatives and questions and we often use the present simple with adverbs of frequency such as sometimes, always, often, never, usually, rarely, and hardly ever.
Notes for use of present simple :
In the third person, ‘s’ is added to the verb form. For example;
work --> works
run --> runs
live --> lives
For verbs that end in 'o', 'sh', 'ch', 's' and 'x', we add 'es' to the verb form. For example;
go --> goes
wish --> wishes
watch --> watches
kiss --> kisses
fax --> faxes
For verbs that end in a consonant + 'y', we change the 'y' to 'i' and add 'es'. For example;
try --> tries
study --> studies
The table below shows the different forms of present simple :
Example Verb : Work | I / You / We / They | He / She / It |
| Positive | ... work. | ... works. |
| Negative | ... don't work. | ... doesn't work. |
Questions | Do ... work? | Does ... work? |
| Short answers | Yes, ... do. / No, ... don't. | Yes, ... does. / No, ... doesn't. |
For the verb 'to be' we use 'am', 'is', 'are' in the present simple. No auxiliary verbs are used in negative sentences and questions.
Verb: Be | I | You / We / They | He / She / It |
| Positive | I'm ... | ... 're ... | ... 's ... |
| Negative | I'm not ... | ... aren't ... | ... isn't ... |
| Questions | Am I ... ? | Are ... ...? | Is ... ...? |
| Short answers | Yes, I am. / No, I'm not. | Yes, ... are. / No, ... aren't. | Yes, ... is. / No, ... isn't. |
Present Simple Example Sentences :
Positive Examples of Present Simple :
Negative Examples of Present Simple :
Question Examples of Present Simple :
| Present simple example sentences | |
|---|---|
| Huh, it's quite good money! | |
| Yeah, I like having lasagne the day after it's cooked, it tastes better. | |
| Of course, there are 4 girls, all uni students from Germany. | |
| I didn't know that, I hope it's not serious. | |
| Do you want me to slice the mushrooms for you? | |
| Do you remember the pub's name? | |
| Because I don't want to waste more time finding a new house... | |
| Is one bunch enough for you? | |
| No, but it's not good for him to take the stairs up and down everyday. | |
| Oh sorry dear, my husband has some difficulties hearing... | |
| Do you have any brothers or sisters? | |
| Yeah, it's better not to fully fill the bath, it leaks downstairs. | |
| Yeah, I think it's a bit early to knock on someone's door! | |
| That's why I never trust quiet people... | |
| Let's calculate, I pay 135 per week for one person... | |
| I wish you all the best. | |
| No, I have really bad allergies. | |
| He is one of my best friends, unfortunately. | |
| He is fine. | |
| Yeah, I wonder if we share the same taste in movies! | |