







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 I don't think I can use them all, there are too many! | Ma non penso di poterli usare tutti, sono troppi! |
| I live very close by. | Vivo molto vicino. |
| So I want to cook as much as I can now. | Quindi voglio cucinare quanto più possibile adesso. |
| That's a perfect time to see a house... | Orario perfetto per vedere una casa… |
| How long does the flight usually take? | Quanto dura di solito il volo? |
| Here you can take it, be careful, it's very hot. | Ecco prendi, attento, è molto caldo. |
| I prefer red onions. | Preferisco le cipolle rosse. |
| Look, you can watch the sunset best from this point. | Guarda, si può vedere un tramonto bellissimo da questo punto. |
| You need to press the button down and turn it right. | Devi premere il pulsante e girare a destra. |
| So does that mean you don't want to stay with me? | Quindi ciò significa che non vuoi stare con me? |
| It's half past 4, so we are here right on time. | Sono le 4 e mezza, quindi siamo giusto in tempo. |
| Oh really? That's not good. | Oh davvero? Non va bene. |
| It's almost 09:30. | Sono quasi le 9:30. |
| He hasn't realised that we are at a vet yet. | Non si è ancora reso conto che siamo dal veterinario. |
| I don't like violence in real life, I only like it in movies. | Non mi piace la violenza nella vita vera, mi piace solo nei film. |
| Is your father sick? | Tuo padre è malato? |
| Yes, of course I remember. | Sì, certo che mi ricordo. |
| They don't usually work after ten o'clock. | Di solito non lavorano dopo le 10. |
| I feel a bit tired and very hungry. | Sono un po' stanca e ho molta fame. |
| I'm a bit paranoid about it. | Sono un po’ paranoica su questa cosa. |