







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 | |
|---|---|
| Oh, your girlfriend's cat... Does she live here with you? | Oh, le chat de ta petite amie... Elle habite ici aussi? |
| Hang on, I remember you telling me you never kill animals! | Minute, je me souviens de toi disant que tu ne tuais jamais d'animaux ! |
| Did you say Russia? That's unusual! | Russie t'as dit? C'est assez inhabituel! |
| Can your mum handle the situation by herself? | Ta mère peut-elle gérer la situation toute seule? |
| What kind of music do you like the most? | Quel type de musique aimes-tu le plus ? |
| I'm okay, how are you? | Je suis bien, et toi? |
| I don't like their chardonnay. | Je n'aime pas leur Chardonnay. |
| Well, it's about a kid, I mean a robot. | Bien, c'est à propos d'un enfant, je veux dire robot. |
| 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 ! |
| I feel hungry, too. | J'ai faim aussi. |
| I'm a bit paranoid about it. | Je suis un peu paranoïaque à propos de ça. |
| Last night we were open till very late, and you know her excuse. | Pendant la soirée d'hier, nous avons été ouverts jusqu'à très tard, et tu connais son excuse. |
| I've got a meeting with some people. | Je dois voir des gens. |
| Yes, he is totally fine after resting for a while. | Oui, il va très bien après s'être reposé pendant un certain temps. |
| I hope it’s not serious. | J'espère que ce n'est pas sérieux. |
| Good point, I'm sure they don't pay that much! | Bien vu, je suis sûr qu'ils ne paient pas autant! |
| Thanks for offering me that, dear. | Merci de me le proposer chéri. |
| He wouldn't run away, he just wants to check what's outside. | Il ne s'enfuirait pas, il veut juste voir ce qu'il y a dehors. |
| Anyway, do you live around here, too? | Peu importe, vivez-vous prèt d'ici ? |
| I guess mine is older than yours! | Je pense que le mien est plus vieux que le tiens ! |