







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 | |
|---|---|
| It's not much less... There is a slight difference! | C'est pas très loin de là... Il y a une infime différence! |
| Okay, here we are, this is Honeybrook Street. | Okay, nous voilà, c'est Honeybrook Street. |
| I need some parsley, but it looks a bit limp. | J'ai besoin de persil, mais ils ne semblent pas frais. |
| Hi girls, this is Mike. | Les filles, je vous présente Mike. |
| Isn't that funny? | C'est drôle, n'est-ce pas ? |
| I don't know really, what's yours? | Je ne sais pas vraiment et vous ? |
| The rest of the house is okay, but the kitchen is a bit dirty. | Le reste de la maison est ok, mais la cuisine est un peu salle. |
| Do we have a sieve? | Est-ce qu'on a une passoire? |
| Dear, who is it? | Chéri, c'est qui? |
| But maybe they are splitting up, I don't know yet. | Peut-être qu'ils se séparent, je ne sais pas encore. |
| How are things going, is everything ok? | Comment les choses se passent-ils, tout va bien? |
| Is there a problem with your phone battery? | Il y a un problème avec la batterie de ton téléphone? |
| Can you please not forget to take some poo bags with you! | N'oublie pas de prendre des sacs à crotte avec toi! |
| It's like, the bus you are waiting for never comes. | C'est comme quand le bus que vous attendez n'arrive jamais. |
| No, this one is the shop's own brand, that's why it's not expensive. | Non, celui-ci est celui de la marque du magasin, c'est pourquoi il n'est pas si cher. |
| Really? I don't want to ruin your plan, but... | Vraiment ? Je n'ai pas envie de ruiner ton plan, mais... |
| By the way, I like the colour of the walls... What do you think? | Au fait, j'aime la couleur des murs... Qu'en penses-tu? |
| I think one room is empty upstairs at the moment. | Je crois qu'il y a une chambre vide à l'étage en ce moment. |
| Yes, of course I remember. | Oui, bien sûr que je me souviens. |
| Nope, oyster cards are only for transport in London. | Non, les oyster cards ne sont valables que pour les transports à Londres. |