







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 | |
|---|---|
| Hello, I'm sorry, but there is no chardonnay left, Cate. | Oi, me desculpe, mas o Chardonnay acabou, Cate. |
| What's the date today? | Que dia é hoje? |
| No, no, nothing is wrong, no need to worry, we are all fine... | Não, não, não está nada errado, não se preocupe, está tudo bem... |
| Is it a single or a double room? | É um quarto individual ou duplo? |
| I'm not really in the mood to join them. | Não estou com vontade de me juntar a eles. |
| I think so, he can look around while Bear is not here. | Acho que sim, ele pode conhecer a casa enquanto o Bear não chega. |
| Oh god, it's the second thing I hate doing in the kitchen! | Oh, Deus, é a segunda coisa que mais odeio fazer na cozinha! |
| Let me check... Yes, there are some plates. | Vou ver... Sim, temos alguns pratos. |
| There is no direct flight from London to Perth. | Não há voos diretos entre Londres e Perth. |
| Do you live around here? | Você vive por aqui? |
| No, actually, he is properly toilet trained. | Não, na verdade ele sabe fazer as necessidades no sítio certo. |
| By the way, the deposit is £3,000 and non-negotiable... | A propósito, o depósito é de 3000£ e não é negociável... |
| Yes, my number is 0773***0282. | Sim, meu número é 0073***0282 |
| Hello, is that Cate? | Oi, é a Cate? |
| How old are you? | Quantos anos você tem? |
| They don't usually work after ten o'clock. | Eles não costumam trabalhar depois das dez horas. |
| Australia is very strict with its customs rules. | A Austrália é muito rigorosa no que toca às regras nas alfândegas. |
| Okay, I found it... but it looks filthy! | Encontrei... mas está imundo! |
| Do you like train rides, too? | Você também gosta de passeios de trem? |
| Do you feel a bit better now? | Já se sente um pouco melhor agora? |