







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 | |
|---|---|
| But sometimes I feel guilty not being there! | Ma a volte mi sento in colpa a non essere là! |
| Do we have a sieve? | Abbiamo un colino? |
| Okay, how much salt do you want me to add? | Ok, quanto sale vuoi che ci metta? |
| Yes, it's in Piccadilly Circus right in the centre. | Sì, è a Piccadilly Circus, proprio in centro. |
| How long does it usually take? | Quanto ci vuole di solito? |
| The place I am having the meeting is very close to Brighton Pier. | Il luogo dove si svolgerà la riunione è molto vicino al pontile di Brighton. |
| Good boy, Beary! See, he is just a little friend. | Bravo Beary! Vedi, è solo un piccolo amico. |
| Hey, there is a stranger in the toilet, who is he? | Ehi, c’è uno sconosciuto in bagno, chi è? |
| Hmm.. yes, I need mushrooms, stock, celery... | Hmm… Sì, mi servono funghi, brodo, sedano… |
| I mostly work till late at night, I never wake up at 7 in the morning. | Io lavoro per lo più fino a tardi la sera, non mi sveglio mai alle sette di mattina. |
| Yes, she is coming back, but isn't it what I always do? | Sì, lei ritorna, ma non è quello che faccio sempre? |
| We're out tonight for Laura. | Stasera siamo usciti per Laura. |
| Do you want me to put it in the bin? | Vuoi che la butti nella spazzatura? |
| Girls, this is Diego. | Ragazzi, questo è Diego. |
| My rent is monthly, I pay £600 per month. | Il mio affitto è mensile, pago £ 600 al mese. |
| Yeah, that's a good idea. | Sì, è una buona idea. |
| I think one room is empty upstairs at the moment. | Penso che una stanza sia vuota al momento al piano di sopra. |
| That's okay, I don't mind. | Va bene, non è un problema. |
| Yeah, that's a good idea! | Sì, è una buona idea! |
| I need to use chicken stock for the risotto! | Ho bisogno di usare il brodo di pollo per il risotto! |