







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 | |
|---|---|
| Are you with your friends? | Sei con i tuoi amici? |
| We don't have that system in Brighton yet. | Non abbiamo ancora quel sistema a Brighton. |
| Yes, I can hear you, but I don't understand! | Sì, ti sento, ma non capisco! |
| Oh my god! It’s almost 12 o’clock. | Oh mio Dio! È quasi mezzogiorno in punto. |
| No, but I definitely don't want to live in that house anymore! | No, ma decisamente non voglio più vivere in quella casa! |
| Is it hay fever? I've got some pills for it! | È febbre da fieno? Ho delle pillole per quella! |
| I think I'm going to order some duck, it's delicious. | Credo che ordinerò l’anatra, è deliziosa. |
| Why is that rice so special? | Perché quel riso è tanto speciale? |
| My dad is British and my mum is Australian. | Il mio papà è inglese e mia mamma è australiana. |
| Do they weigh them here or at the checkout? | Li pesano qui o alla cassa? |
| That one is a single room, I want a double. | Quella ha una stanza singola, io voglio una doppia. |
| Do you have any relatives in London? | Hai dei parenti a Londra? |
| Is that you, Mike? | Sei tu, Mike? |
| I've checked some, there is nothing I like so far. | Ne ho guardata qualcuna, non c’è nulla che mi piaccia finora. |
| I don't want to live in the suburbs! | Non voglio vivere in periferia! |
| It's on the Northern line, the same one we use here. | È sulla linea Northern, la stessa che usiamo qui. |
| My landlords are a gay couple. | I miei padroni di casa sono una coppia gay. |
| And this is my girlfriend, Cate. | E questa è la mia ragazza, Cate. |
| I have no idea... But I hope they have a good excuse! | Non ne ho idea… Ma spero che abbia una buona scusa! |
| So I want to cook as much as I can now. | Quindi voglio cucinare quanto più possibile adesso. |