







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 | |
|---|---|
| You need to change planes at some point on the way. | On a besoin de changer d'avion à un moment donné. |
| The recipe is not from the internet, it's from a Jamie Oliver book. | La recette ne vient pas d'internet, mais d'un livre de Jamie Oliver. |
| Hello madam, are you still on the line? | Bonjour madame, êtes vous toujours en ligne ? |
| I'm not really in the mood to join them. | Je n'ai pas réellement envie de les rejoindre. |
| I mean, you don't live here with anyone from your family. | Je veux dire, tu n'habites avec aucun membre de ta famille. |
| Is it because the other tenants don't want pets? | C'est parce que les autres résidents n'aiment pas les animaux? |
| No, it's not mine, I think it belongs to the house. | Non, elle n'est pas à moi, elle appartient à la maison. |
| I don't like going to hospitals, either. | Je n'aime pas aller à l'hôpital non plus. |
| How dare he... He is so stupid!!! | Comment ose-t-il... Il est tellement stupide!!! |
| Yeah, I'll have a beer, I guess you want wine, Cate? | Ouais, je vous prendrais bien une bière, je suppose que tu veux du vin, Cate ? |
| Sorry, madam, Friday is one of our busiest nights! | Pardon, madame, Vendredi est l'un des jours où ne sommes le plus occupés ! |
| Let me check... Yes, there are some plates. | Laisse-moi vérifier... Oui, il y a quelques assiettes. |
| Of course, my name is Cate and my number is 077... | Bien sûr, mon nom est Cate et mon numéro est le 077... |
| Then you can decide if I'm a good cook or not! | Tu pourras voir si je suis un bon cuisinier ou pas! |
| It has 1 year to pass its expiry date. | Il a un an encore avant qu'il ne passe sa date de péremption. |
| Okay, who sings it? | Okay, qui les chante ? |
| Which appointment? Do you mean the house in Angel? | Quel rendez-vous? Tu veux dire la maison à Angel? |
| Shall we meet at the train station, or do you want me to pick you up from your house? | Rejoignons-nous à la station de train ou voulez-vous que je vienne vous chercher de chez vous ? |
| I think I've got a better idea about what to do with the bed! | Je pense que j'ai une meilleure idée concernant quoi faire avec le lit ! |
| Let's calculate, I pay 135 per week for one person... | On n'a qu'à calculer, je paye 135 par semaine pour une personne... |