







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'm okay, how are you? | Sto bene, e tu? |
| Erm... While your hands are already dirty... | Ehm… Già che hai le mani sporche… |
| I don't know, maybe it helps a bit! | Non lo so, forse un pochino! |
| That's fine, I'm almost ready. | Va bene, sono quasi pronta. |
| It seems Pogo wants to go into the garden. | Sembra che Pogo voglia andare in giardino. |
| It seems there is no one in the house! | Sembra che non ci sia nessuno in casa! |
| Anyway, I need to go to the loo as well... | Ad ogni modo, devo andare anche al gabinetto… |
| As they say, time is the best medicine. | Come dicono il tempo è la miglior medicina. |
| Is your dog a Chow Chow? | Il tuo cane è un Chow Chow? |
| Hello, my name is Mike, I'm Cate's boyfriend... | Salve, il mio nome è Mike, sono il ragazzo di Cate… |
| Do you go to the Windmill often? | Vai spesso al Windmill? |
| It's all about my lovely little cat, Pogo. | Si tratta del mio adorabile gattino, Pogo! |
| How old are you? | Quanti anni hai tu? |
| Pogo is my little cat, is there a problem with that? | Pogo è il mio gattino, c’è qualche problema con questo? |
| Sorry, is it possible to see it this Saturday after 2 o'clock? | Scusi, è possibile vederla questo sabato dopo le 2:00? |
| Thank you, dear... For helping me to be a liar! | Grazie, caro… Per avermi aiutato a mentire! |
| That's okay, I don't mind. | Va bene, non è un problema. |
| Yeah, I think it's a bit early to knock on someone's door! | Sì, penso sia un po’ presto per bussare alla porta di qualcuno! |
| Yes, Bear eats one and a half cats everyday for breakfast. | Si, Bear mangia un gatto in mezzo ogni giorno per colazione. |
| What's your favourite movie? | Qual è il tuo film preferito? |