







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 | |
|---|---|
| Bear is okay with cats, but definitely not with dogs. | Bear va d’accordo con i gatti ma decisamente non con i cani. |
| I don't want to talk about this issue in this house. | Non voglio parlare di questo problema in questa casa. |
| That's very interesting! | Molto interessante! |
| I want to try the sauvignon blanc. | Voglio provare il Sauvignon Blanc. |
| Really? How do I wake you up? | Davvero? Come faccio a svegliarti? |
| It's the second one from the top. | È il secondo da sopra. |
| When you stop believing we can get a house in Mayfair for 2,400! | Quando la smetterai di credere che possiamo prendere una casa a Mayfair a 2400! |
| So it's definitely not a divorce situation. | Quindi decisamente non si tratta di divorzio. |
| Maybe we can get something on the way to the station. | Magari possiamo prendere qualcosa mentre andiamo alla stazione. |
| I only have 3 hours today. | Ho solo 3 ore oggi. |
| You can just stay with me, until you find somewhere to live. | Puoi rimanere con me, finché non trovi un posto dove vivere. |
| I'm so sorry, but we need to cancel our meeting today. | Mi dispiace molto, ma dobbiamo cancellare il nostro appuntamento di oggi. |
| Erm... They pay 170 weekly. | Erm… Pagano 170 a settimana. |
| Ah, I can't eat the breast, it's too dry for me! | Ah, non posso mangiare il petto, troppo asciutto per me! |
| Oh sorry, unfortunately, that one is reserved. | Oh, spiacente, sfortunatamente, quel tavolo è prenotato. |
| Yes it is, how are you? | Si sono io, come stai? |
| See you Mike, hope to see you again. | Ci vediamo Mike, spero di rivederti. |
| I think I'm going to order some duck, it's delicious. | Credo che ordinerò l’anatra, è deliziosa. |
| Mike, it is a continent! | Mike, è un continente! |
| Yes, he is one of them. | Sì, lui è uno di quelli. |