







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 feel hungry, too. | J'ai faim aussi. |
| Sorry, I forgot to tell you, you need to turn the tap on very gently. | Désolé, j'ai oublié de te le dire, tu dois ouvrir le robinet très délicatement. |
| Why don't you get it then? Do you want to see upstairs or not? | Pourquoi ne la prenez-vous pas alors? Vous voulez voir l'étage ou non? |
| Yes, she is coming back, but isn't it what I always do? | Oui, elle revient, mais c'est pas ce que je fais d'habitude? |
| Yeah, it's not common, but that's what it says in the recipe. | Oui, c'est peu commun, mais c'est ce qu'ils suggèrent dans la recette. |
| I'm calling him now then, do you want anything else? | Je l'appelle maintenant alors, tu as besoin de quelque chose? |
| I don't know, maximum 33? | Je ne sais pas, 33 ans maximum ? |
| Hi there, are you ready? | Salut, t'es prête? |
| Yeah, but the room is square and there are only four main objects in it. | Ouais, mais la chambre est carrée et il n'y a que quatre meubles principaux dedans. |
| Did you say Russia? That's unusual! | Russie t'as dit? C'est assez inhabituel! |
| My favourite movie is Pulp Fiction. | Mon film favori est Pulp Fiction. |
| Nope, oyster cards are only for transport in London. | Non, les oyster cards ne sont valables que pour les transports à Londres. |
| Kisses to you, too, I'll call you when I get there! | Bisous à toi aussi, je t'appellerai quand je serai là-bas ! |
| Anyway, this is Cate and her friends from work. | Enfin, voici Cate et ses collègues de travail. |
| It only takes 15 or 20 minutes. | Cela ne prends que 15 ou 20 minutes. |
| For the risotto, I need some arborio rice. | Pour le risotto, j'ai besoin de riz arborio. |
| Toby! This is Cate, she is my... friend, from London. | Toby! C'est Cate, c'est... mon amie, de Londres. |
| I don't think it's a suitable movie for kids, dear. | Je ne pense pas que ça soit un film approprié aux enfants, chéri. |
| Hang on, there is another web site that says... | Attends, il y a un autre site qui dit... |
| He also wants to increase our rent by 50%! | Il veut aussi augmenter le loyer de 50%! |