







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 | |
|---|---|
| Is there anything else I can do for you, love? | Gibt es sonst noch etwas was ich für dich tun kann, meine Liebe? |
| I hope it’s not serious. | Ich hoffe es ist nichts schlimmes. |
| Hello, is that Cate? | Hallo, spreche ich mit Cate? |
| Eating leftovers during the week saves me some time. | Es spart mir Zeit das übrig gebliebene Essen, während der Woche, zu essen. |
| How much garlic do you want? | Wie viel Knoblauch brauchst du? |
| Yeah, I guess spring is the worst time for allergies! | Ja, der Frühling ist wahrscheinlich die schlimmste Zeit für Allergien! |
| Okay, the grated one's 20% off today. | Okay, der Geriebene ist heute 20% günstiger. |
| I need some parsley, but it looks a bit limp. | Ich brauche etwas Petersilie, aber die sieht ein bisschen welk aus. |
| Can you stop acting like I always ask for money? | Kannst du aufhören so zu tun, al ob ich immer nach Geld fragen würde? |
| Here you can take it, be careful, it's very hot. | Hier, du kannst ihn dir nehmen, aber sei vorsichtig, er ist sehr heiß. |
| I see them around a lot where I work, actually. | Ich sehe sie oft dort wo ich arbeite. |
| I think I did, too, but I've got a really bad headache! | Ich denke ich habe auch gut geschlafen, aber ich habe schlimme Kopfschmerzen! |
| But one of them is £2.44 and the other one is £1.22. | Aber eine Packung kostet £2,44 und die andere £1,22. |
| Mike! You can't use people's stuff without asking! | Mike! Du kannst nicht die Dinge von anderen nehmen, ohne sie zu fragen! |
| Well, it's about a kid, I mean a robot. | Nun, es geht um ein Kind, ähm, ich meinte einen Roboter. |
| My cat is in the garden. | Mein Kater ist im Garten. |
| That's a good choice, they do great calamari here, too. | Das ist eine gute Entscheidung. Die Tintenfische hier sind großartig. |
| Also, I think we all need to leave soon. | Nun, ich denke wir alle müssen bald gehen. |
| Are you close friends? | Seid ihr gute Freunde? |
| Thanks, but I don't have time to stay. | Danke, aber ich habe keine Zeit zu bleiben. |