







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 | |
|---|---|
| Yes, it's in Piccadilly Circus right in the centre. | Sì, è a Piccadilly Circus, proprio in centro. |
| I think I did, too, but I've got a really bad headache! | Credo anch’io, ma ho un mal di testa molto forte! |
| I want him to check the heaters in the rooms while he is here! | Voglio che controlli i termosifoni nelle stanze già che è qui! |
| No, but that's what I feel like having... | No, ma è quello che mi va di mangiare… |
| Hi there, are you ready? | Ehilà, sei pronta? |
| Hello, my name is Mike, I'm Cate's boyfriend... | Salve, il mio nome è Mike, sono il ragazzo di Cate… |
| I guess you need to change your cooking plan now! | A quanto pare dovrai cambiare i tuoi piani di cucina adesso! |
| Oh Jesus Christ... I get it now! That's disgusting... | Oh Gesù Cristo… L’ho capita adesso! È disgustoso… |
| Taking Bear out usually takes me an hour. | Per portare fuori Bear di solito mi ci vuole un'ora. |
| Of course! It's my favourite pub. | Ma certo! È il mio pub preferito. |
| Erm, we don't have any, but there is someone else's bread. | Ehm, non ne abbiamo, ma c’è il pane di qualcun altro. |
| Come on, Mike, it's not about me being home. | Andiamo Mike, non si tratta di quando io sono a casa. |
| Who is Mike, darling? | Chi è Mike, cara? |
| Sorry, I forgot to tell you, you need to turn the tap on very gently. | Scusa, mi sono dimenticato di dirtelo, devi aprire il rubinetto molto delicatamente. |
| Do you need to wake up early tomorrow or something? | Devi svegliarti presto domani o cose del genere? |
| How old do I look? | Quanti anni dimostro? |
| Excuse me, I need to go to the bathroom. | Scusami, devo andare al bagno. |
| I didn't know that, I hope it's not serious. | Non lo sapevo, spero non sia grave. |
| Thank god there is nothing to worry about. | Grazie al cielo non c'è nulla di cui preoccuparsi. |
| I don't like going to hospitals, either. | Nemmeno a me piacciono gli ospedali. |