







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 | |
|---|---|
| I can't imagine myself being on a plane for that long! | |
| I'm really sorry, what kind of sickness is it? | |
| Hello Beatrix, it's me, Cate. | |
| It has 1 year to pass its expiry date. | |
| I don't want you to spend a fortune. | |
| I really don't know, but I believe it's more than 100 years old. | |
| No worries, it's free for you today. | |
| I think the price is very cheap. | |
| Oh f*ck, what kind of tap is this? | |
| Really? Sade is one of my favourites, too. | |
| Yeah, you are right, it's more useful when you have less things. | |
| Nope, oyster cards are only for transport in London. | |
| Yes, the guy with the beard is Mike. | |
| You sound like a mix of British and Australian. | |
| Hello my friend, how are you? | |
| Well, it's about a kid, I mean a robot. | |
| What's up? Is everything okay? | |
| Thanks for warning me now, that's very helpful! | |
| I haven't seen her, either, and I don't really want to... | |
| I'm a bit paranoid about it. | |