







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 | |
|---|---|
| Umm, Dick is here, dear, he is the landlord... | |
| Do you want me to get you a glass of wine? | |
| Yes, Bear eats one and a half cats everyday for breakfast. | |
| No she is a very cute, easygoing and friendly girl. | |
| Let me check, we only need butter. | |
| I wear some of them, can I check them when I get back? | |
| You need to change planes at some point on the way. | |
| It's not a nice thing to do. | |
| Do you have any relatives in London? | |
| Okay, here we are, this is Honeybrook Street. | |
| Hello, my name is Mike, I'm Cate's boyfriend... | |
| That's why I never trust quiet people... | |
| Ah, I'm very sorry, but we're fully booked tonight! | |
| Why do you think it's weird? | |
| How is your mum, does she have any health problems? | |
| There is no direct flight from London to Perth. | |
| Can your mum handle the situation by herself? | |
| How often do you have free time, then? | |
| Hello guys, you must be Cate, I'm Joseph. | |
| That's fine, I'm almost ready. | |