







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 | |
|---|---|
| Unfortunately, I don't have one! Where is yours? | Leider habe ich keinen! Wo ist deiner? |
| Nope, oyster cards are only for transport in London. | Nein, die Oyster Card gilt nur für Transport innerhalb von London. |
| Do we have a mortar and pestle? | Haben wir einen Mörser und einen Stößel? |
| I don't think so, trains leave about every 20 minutes. | Ich denke nicht, dass das nötig ist, da es alle 20 Minuten einen Zug gibt. |
| It's not a big deal but it's quite an important thing to mention. | Es ist nicht so wichtig, aber etwas, das man definitiv erwähnen sollte. |
| Erm, she's the marketing manager at the company. | Sie ist die Marketing Managerin der Firma. |
| Yeah, it is very important for me, actually. | Ja, es ist tatsächlich sehr wichtig für mich. |
| And the buses always arrive on time. | Und die Busse sind immer pünktlich. |
| Really? I don't want to ruin your plan, but... | Echt? Ich möchte deinen Plan nicht ruinieren, aber... |
| There is no direct flight from London to Perth. | Es gibt keinen Direktflug von London nach Perth. |
| I didn't know that, I hope it's not serious. | Das wusste ich nicht. Ich hoffe es ist nichts Ernstes. |
| Hey, before you go... | Hey, bevor du gehst... |
| Thanks for offering me that, dear. | Vielen Dank für das Angebot. |
| Thanks for warning me now, that's very helpful! | Danke, dass du mir das jetzt sagst. Sehr hilfreich! |
| That's why they're 50% off. | Deswegen sind sie 50% günstiger. |
| Ah, I can't eat the breast, it's too dry for me! | Ah, ich kann die Brust nicht essen. Sie ist mir zu trocken! |
| No she is a very cute, easygoing and friendly girl. | Nein, sie ist ein sehr süßes, lockeres und freundliches Mädchen. |
| Thank you, I'm 26. | Vielen Dank, ich bin 26. |
| There are plenty more, but I think gumtree.com is the best. | Es gibt noch viele andere, aber ich denke gumtree.com ist die beste Seite. |
| I mean, do you cook Asian or other kinds of cuisines? | Ich meine, kochst du asiatische Speisen oder Gerichte aus anderen Ländern? |