







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 we have to be quick, I don't have much time. | Ma dobbiamo fare in fretta, non ho molto tempo. |
| I feel a bit tired and very hungry. | Sono un po' stanca e ho molta fame. |
| How many people live in this house? | Quante persone vivono in questa casa? |
| Sometimes he doesn't even recognize my mum. | A volte non riconosce neppure mia mamma. |
| Watch out for the 3rd step, it's not very stable. | Attenti al terzo scalino, non è molto stabile. |
| Maybe I get a bit moody on the first day of my period. | Magari divento un po’ lunatica il primo giorno del ciclo. |
| By the way, the deposit is £3,000 and non-negotiable... | A proposito, il deposito è £ 3000 e non trattabile… |
| Hello dear, how is it going, do you need any help? | Ciao cara, come sta andando, ti serve aiuto? |
| There is no table for you, then! | Allora niente tavolo per te! |
| Can I get you some more drinks? | Desidera un altro giro da bere prima signore? |
| Yes, my number is 0773***0282. | Si, il mio numero è 0773***0282 |
| Exactly, I hate getting woken up in the middle of the night! | Esattamente, odio essere svegliato nel bel mezzo della notte! |
| So, I guess you are from Australia. | Quindi, presumo tu venga dall’Australia. |
| Is there a garlic crusher, then? | C’è uno spremi aglio allora? |
| Um, I don't feel like eating anything but fish today. | Um, oggi mi va di mangiare soltanto pesce. |
| And Pogo gets very scared of the crowd and the noise. | E Pogo si spaventa molto a causa della folla e del rumore. |
| I think I deserve a kiss... | Credo di meritarmi un bacio… |
| And on the ground floor we have easy access to the garden. | E a piano terra abbiamo un accesso migliore al giardino. |
| So I don't snore everyday... | Quindi non russo tutti i giorni… |
| Not long, my lessons start at 12:30. | Non molto, le mie lezioni iniziano alle 12:30. |