







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 | |
|---|---|
| My lovely wife always tells me how good your spring rolls are. | Minha amada mulher sempre me fala de quão bons são seus rolinhos-primavera. |
| Of course, oh, there is a half-eaten pizza in the oven. | Claro, oh, está uma pizza meio comida no forno. |
| And the buses always arrive on time. | E os ônibus sempre chegam a tempo. |
| I don't believe you! What's the difference today? | Não acredito em você! Qual a diferença hoje? |
| And on the ground floor we have easy access to the garden. | E no piso térreo temos fácil acesso ao jardim. |
| Why don't we pay 100 more each, and get a house in Mayfair? | Por que não pagamos mais 100 cada e arranjamos uma casa em Mayfair? |
| Thanks for offering me that, dear. | Obrigado pela oferta, querido. |
| I'm sorry, I'm not good at remembering names sometimes! | Lamento, às vezes eu não sou bom a recordar nomes! |
| I think that *hand caught on fire* thing is a joke! | Eu acho que a parte de a *mão pegar fogo* é uma piada! |
| That's good, seeing three houses in one day is not bad. | Isso é bom, visitar três casas em um dia não é mau. |
| He is a Chow Chow. | Ele é um Chow Chow. |
| Hello, I'm sorry I'm a bit late. | Oi, desculpe, estou um pouco atrasada. |
| Right! Who wants chardonnay, then? | Certo! Quem quer Chardonnay, então? |
| I searched: does Pinocchio know he is not a real boy. | Eu pesquisei: o Pinóquio sabe que ele não é um garoto verdadeiro. |
| Hi there, it's not Dick, it's Nick... Starts with N. | Olá, não é Dick, é Nick... Começa com N. |
| There is no direct flight from London to Perth. | Não há voos diretos entre Londres e Perth. |
| Which website do you use? | Qual site você usa? |
| A one year course? What kind of course is it? | Um curso de um ano? Que tipo de curso é esse? |
| It makes all of our clothes stink! | Todas as nossas roupas ficam a cheirar mal! |
| Erm... You look about 30? | Erm... Você parece ter cerca de 30? |