







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 | |
|---|---|
| No, it's not okay, I'm screwed now! | Nein, nichts ist in Ordnung. Ich bin jetzt in der Klemme! |
| Wow, that's unbelievable, is it yours? | Wow, nicht zu glauben. Gehört er dir? |
| Hey, we are back. | Hey, wir sind zurück. |
| That's right, I think pressure cookers are quite dangerous, too! | Stimmt. Ich denke Dampfdrucktöpfe sind auch ziemlich gefährlich! |
| Yeah, I want to see the bathroom... | Ja, ich möchte das Badezimmer sehen... |
| Do your parents live in London, too? | Leben deine Eltern auch in London? |
| How much rice do you need? | Wie viel Reis brauchst du? |
| I think the price is very cheap. | Der Preis ist meiner Meinung nach sehr günstig. |
| But which button? It doesn't show which controls which! | Aber welcher Knopf? Man kann nicht sehen, welcher Knopf, was steuert! |
| Yeah, he is keen on moving house... | Ja, er würde gerne ausziehen... |
| He is a Chow Chow. | Er ist ein Chow-Chow. |
| That's extreme, I don't think we have a mortar and pestle. | Das ist extrem. Ich denke nicht, dass wir einen Mörsel und einen Stößel haben. |
| But before we go, can you call them and ask if they are okay with pets? | Aber kannst du sie vorher anrufen und fragen, ob sie mit Haustieren einverstanden sind? |
| Is that a crack in the bath? | Ist das ein Riss in der Badewanne? |
| That's very interesting! | Das ist sehr interessant! |
| Are you sure she is from Australia? | Bist du sicher, dass sie aus Australien kommt? |
| Okay, the grated one's 20% off today. | Okay, der Geriebene ist heute 20% günstiger. |
| Toby! This is Cate, she is my... friend, from London. | Toby, das ist Cate. Sie ist meine... Freundin aus London. |
| But... I'm not good at lying... | Aber... Ich bin nicht gut im Lügen... |
| Yeah, I guess spring is the worst time for allergies! | Ja, der Frühling ist wahrscheinlich die schlimmste Zeit für Allergien! |