







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 | |
|---|---|
| Yes, the guy with the beard is Mike. | |
| No, she is a uni student in Russia. | |
| Yeah, it's quite a big country, more like a continent. | |
| I guess mine is older than yours! | |
| There is no direct flight from London to Perth. | |
| 360 degrees should be good. | |
| She could even have been her mum... Who knows? | |
| But which button? It doesn't show which controls which! | |
| Yes, he definitely doesn't like changing places. | |
| That's nice... I hope she is not a teenager! How old is she? | |
| It has 1 year to pass its expiry date. | |
| By the way, the deposit is £3,000 and non-negotiable... | |
| Normally, girls check the wine list for half an hour before they order. | |
| No, I don't have one! | |
| Yes, it's in Piccadilly Circus right in the centre. | |
| I am, I have to be there at 12:30. | |
| I will ask him to take Bear out, so we can have breakfast. | |
| It seems there is no one in the house! | |
| That's a good choice, they do great calamari here, too. | |
| With gas stoves, someone can leave the gas on, it's too dangerous! | |