







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 on the ad it says the house is fully furnished! | Ma l’annuncio diceva che la casa è completamente ammobiliata! |
| You sound like a mix of British and Australian. | Sembra un mix di inglese e australiano. |
| I see, I love cooking! | Capisco, io adoro cucinare! |
| Eating leftovers during the week saves me some time. | Mangiare gli avanzi durante la settimana mi fa risparmiare un po’ di tempo. |
| Hello, I'm very sorry dear, I'm a bit late. | Ciao, mi spiace molto caro, sono un po’ in ritardo. |
| Excuse me sir, here are your drinks and the menu. | Mi scusi signore, ecco i vostri drink e il menù. |
| Thanks, but I don't have time to stay. | Grazie, ma non posso rimanere. |
| Come on in, here on the ground floor, we have two bedrooms... | Entrate, qui c’è il pianterreno, abbiamo due camere da letto… |
| Bear is okay with cats, but definitely not with dogs. | Bear va d’accordo con i gatti ma decisamente non con i cani. |
| It's very difficult to talk to you on the phone right now. | È molto difficile parlare con te al telefono in questo momento. |
| That's why the rent is much lower than average. | Ecco perché l’affitto è molto più basso della media. |
| And this is my girlfriend, Cate. | E questa è la mia ragazza, Cate. |
| He hasn't realised that we are at a vet yet. | Non si è ancora reso conto che siamo dal veterinario. |
| I'm sorry to say there is nothing very exciting. | Mi dispiace dire che non c’è nulla di entusiasmante. |
| I need to wake him up now! | Devo andare a svegliarlo! |
| I've experienced how difficult and expensive it can be. | Ho visto quanto può essere difficile e costoso. |
| I hope you are aware it's your last 3 days to find a house... | Spero tu ti renda conto che sono i tuoi ultimi 3 giorni per trovare una casa… |
| Huh, it's quite good money! | Huh, Sono un sacco di soldi! |
| I guess you need to change your cooking plan now! | A quanto pare dovrai cambiare i tuoi piani di cucina adesso! |
| Last night we were open till very late, and you know her excuse. | La notte scorsa siamo rimasti aperti fino a tardi, e sai qual è la sua scusa. |