







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 | |
|---|---|
| I feel a bit tired and very hungry. | Sono un po' stanca e ho molta fame. |
| It's not borrowing, it's stealing! | Non è prendere in prestito, è rubare! |
| Here you go sir, this is your receipt and your £20 cashback. | Ecco a lei signore, il suo scontrino e il suo cashback da £ 20. |
| Okay, I want to have something similar then! | Ok, allora voglio qualcosa di simile! |
| His name's Sergio. | Si chiama Sergio. |
| Australia is very strict with its customs rules. | Le regole per la dogana sono molto rigide in Australia. |
| It's not a nice thing to say to a woman... | Non è una cosa bella da dire a una donna… |
| Yes it is, how are you? | Si sono io, come stai? |
| Hope to see you later. | Spero di rivederti. |
| I wake up and make my bed, then tidy my room. | Mi sveglio e faccio il letto e poi riordino la stanza. |
| Hi there, are you ready? | Ehilà, sei pronta? |
| Hey, we are back. | Ehi, siamo tornati. |
| That's why they're 50% off. | Ecco perché sono al 50% di sconto. |
| Bear's sitting here with me, his willy is out. | Bear è seduto qui con me, con il pistolino all’aria. |
| So, it's obvious you have no clue how much renting a house costs. | Quindi, è ovvio che non hai idea di quanto costi affittare una casa. |
| I'm happy to hear we have similar music taste! | Sono felice di sentire che abbiamo gusti simili in fatto di musica! |
| How are things going, is everything ok? | Come vanno le cose, tutto bene? |
| Yes, sorry, everything seems filthy, but believe me, it's not my fault! | Sì, scusa, tutto quanto sembra sporco, ma credimi, non è colpa mia! |
| Well, I hope he doesn't keep on pooping all around the house! | Bene, spero che non continuerà a fare la cacca in tutta la casa! |
| Why is that? | Perché? |