







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 | |
|---|---|
| It's a kind of welcoming party for her. | Es ist ein Art Willkommensparty für sie. |
| Mike! You can't use people's stuff without asking! | Mike! Du kannst nicht die Dinge von anderen nehmen, ohne sie zu fragen! |
| When I have free time. | Wenn ich Zeit habe. |
| You know some people don't like putting their ad on the internet. | Manche Menschen mögen es nicht ihre Anzeige ins Internet zu stellen. |
| Not long, my lessons start at 12:30. | Nicht lange. Mein Unterricht beginnt um 12:30 Uhr. |
| And it's hard to believe, but it's clean. | Und es ist schwer zu glauben, aber er ist sauber. |
| That's nice, what do you usually cook? | Nicht schlecht. Was kochst du normalerweise? |
| I'm sorry to say there is nothing very exciting. | Es tut mir leid zu sagen, dass es nichts besonders ist. |
| It seems there is no one in the house! | Es scheint niemand zu Hause zu sein! |
| I don't mind sitting outside as long as I'm not cold. | Es macht mir nichts aus draußen zu sitzen, solange mir nicht kalt ist. |
| Yeah, I guess spring is the worst time for allergies! | Ja, der Frühling ist wahrscheinlich die schlimmste Zeit für Allergien! |
| That's not nice, Mike! | Das ist nicht nett Mike! |
| Don't worry, we don't do it everyday. | Kein Sorge. Wir machen das nicht jeden Tag. |
| It's not for me, it's for the rice, dear! | Er ist nicht für mich, sondern für den Reis mein Lieber! |
| Is there a problem with your phone battery? | Gibt es ein Problem mit dem Akku deines Telefons? |
| Okay, I found it... but it looks filthy! | Okay, ich habe es gefunden... aber es sieht schmutzig aus! |
| What do you think about him, Cate? | Was denkst du über ihn, Cate? |
| What's the date today? | Welches Datum haben wir heute? |
| We're out tonight for Laura. | Wir sind heute unterwegs für Laura. |
| Yeah, and the market is good, is Camden Lock in zone-2 or 3? | Ja und der Markt ist gut. Ist Camden Lock in Zone 2 oder 3? |