







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 | |
|---|---|
| Do you want me to put it in the bin? | Vuoi che la butti nella spazzatura? |
| So I don't snore everyday... | Quindi non russo tutti i giorni… |
| Also, he has got a very lovely, cute dog. | Inoltre ha un cane davvero adorabile. |
| By the way, the deposit is £3,000 and non-negotiable... | A proposito, il deposito è £ 3000 e non trattabile… |
| Thanks for offering me that, dear. | Grazie per l’offerta, caro. |
| And sometimes they don't come home for days. | E a volte non tornano a casa per giorni. |
| He just moved from Brighton and lives around here. | Si è appena trasferito da Brighton e vive qui vicino. |
| You are right, it's probably worth more than one cigarette. | Hai ragione, probabilmente vale più di una sigaretta. |
| Sorry, I hope it doesn't ruin your childhood memories... | Scusa, spero di non aver rovinato i tuoi ricordi d’infanzia… |
| They're there, under the duvet. | Sono là, sotto il piumino. |
| Is it Leicester Square or Piccadilly Circus? | È Leicester Square o Piccadilly Circus? |
| Is it possible to move in tomorrow? | È possibile trasferirsi domani? |
| I wasn't expecting anything like this to happen, so I have no plan. | Non mi aspettavo succedesse una cosa del genere, quindi non ho un piano. |
| Do you mean the guy with the beard? | Vuoi dire il tizio con la barba? |
| I don't have time to cook everyday. | Non ho tempo di cucinare tutti i giorni. |
| I have one sister and she is nineteen. | Ho una sorella che ha 19 anni. |
| Is that you, Mike? | Sei tu, Mike? |
| Is it big money? | Sono tanti soldi? |
| Erm... While your hands are already dirty... | Ehm… Già che hai le mani sporche… |
| Your perfectly shaped mushrooms are ready! | I tuoi funghi dalla forma perfetta sono pronti! |