







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 | |
|---|---|
| Look, there is a shop assistant. | Regarde, il y a un assistant. |
| What kind of trick is that? | Quelle sorte de ruse est-ce ? |
| So I don't snore everyday... | Donc je n'ai pas ronflé tous les jours... |
| 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. |
| Hello, I'm very sorry dear, I'm a bit late. | Salut, je suis désolée chéri, je suis un peu en retard. |
| That's right, we should never forget how irresponsible my housemates are. | C'est vrai, on devrait jamais oublier à quel point mes colocataires sont irresponsables. |
| Thanks for being thoughtful, dear. | Merci d'être consciencieux, chéri. |
| Oh, I think I know them. | Oh, je crois que je sais ce que c'est. |
| You are right, is there anything you want me to buy on the way? | Tu as raison, il y a-t-il quelque chose que tu veuilles acheter pour moi en chemin? |
| I'm really sorry to hear that, mate! | Je suis désolé d'entendre ça l'ami! |
| Hey, there is a stranger in the toilet, who is he? | Hé, il y a un inconnu dans les toilettes, c'est qui? |
| It won't change anything, but reminding me is stressing me out! | Non, ça ne va rien changer, mais me le rappeler me fait stresser! |
| Come on, Mike, it's not about me being home. | Allons, Mike, ça ne relève pas de moi à la maison. |
| You need to press the button down and turn it right. | Tu dois appuyer sur le bouton et le tourner vers la droite. |
| Yeah, I think it's a bit early to knock on someone's door! | Oui, il est un peu tôt pour toquer chez quelqu'un! |
| All of my work is in that laptop and I don't have any backup! | Tout mon travail est sur cet ordinateur et je n'ai pas de sauvegarde ! |
| Okay, how much salt do you want me to add? | Ok, combien de sel veux-tu que je mette? |
| That's why they're 50% off. | C'est pourquoi ils ont 50% de réduction. |
| I can't believe you still don't get it! | Je n'arrive pas à croire que tu n'aies toujours pas compris ! |
| Yeah, that's a good idea. | Oui, c'est une bonne idée. |