







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 | |
|---|---|
| Huh, it's quite good money! | Oh, c'est pas mal d'argent! |
| It's not for me, it's for the rice, dear! | Ce n'est pas pour moi, c'est pour le riz chéri! |
| Hmm, I guess it's a bit old, but it's still my favourite. | Heu, je pense que c'est un peu vieux, mais c'est mon favori tout de même. |
| You can just stay with me, until you find somewhere to live. | Tu peux rester avec moi jusqu'à ce que tu trouves où aller. |
| Yeah, and the market is good, is Camden Lock in zone-2 or 3? | Ouais, et le marché est bon, Carmen Lock est-il en zone 2 ou 3 ? |
| Of course, she is an angel, do you want to talk to your mum? | Bien sûr, c'est un ange, vous voulez parler à votre mère? |
| Yes, that's a good idea. | Oui, c'est une bonne idée. |
| Are you really asking me that question? | Me poses-tu vraiment la question ? |
| It's got some water marks on it! | Il a des tâches d'eau! |
| He looks like he is interested in you! | Il semble s'intéresser à toi ! |
| It says best before 25th of February. | Il est indiqué au mieux avant le 25 Février. |
| 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 ! |
| I'm happy to hear we have similar music taste! | Je suis content d'entendre que nous avons des goûts musicaux similaires ! |
| Are there any fries or any kind of snacks? | Y a-t-il des frites ou quelque chose à grignotter ? |
| I think that *hand caught on fire* thing is a joke! | Je pense que *la main qui prend feu* est une blague ! |
| Can your mum handle the situation by herself? | Ta mère peut-elle gérer la situation toute seule? |
| Do you want me to slice the mushrooms for you? | Tu veux que je coupe les champignons pour toi? |
| Do you live in this house, too? | Vous vivez dans cette maison? |
| I've only got Saturday left before I have to move on Sunday. | Il ne me rester que Samedi avant de déménager Dimanche. |
| No, what is that? | Non, dis-moi? |