







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 | |
|---|---|
| What's your maximum monthly budget for the rent? | Quel est ton budget mensuel maximum pour la location? |
| Hey, before you go... | Hé, avant que tu ne partes... |
| 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 ? |
| Sorry, they don't serve chips here... | Pardon, ils ne servent pas de chips ici... |
| That would be great! Do you think it's possible? | Ça serait bien ! Penses-tu que ça sera possible ? |
| I think 4000 quid is big enough. | Je crois que 4000 livres c'est déjà pas mal. |
| Hang on, there is another web site that says... | Attends, il y a un autre site qui dit... |
| I don't think so, trains leave about every 20 minutes. | Je ne pense pas, les trains quittent la gare toutes les 20 minutes à peu près. |
| It definitely costs a lot, but that's not the only problem. | Ça coûte très cher effectivement, mais ce n'est pas le seul problème. |
| Nope, it gives me a headache! | Non, j'en aurai la tête qui tourne ! |
| A one year course? What kind of course is it? | Un cursus d'un an ? Quel genre de cursus est-ce ? |
| How long does the flight usually take? | Et ils durent combien de temps en général? |
| Hello madam, are you still on the line? | Bonjour madame, êtes vous toujours en ligne ? |
| How is your mum, does she have any health problems? | Comment va ta mère, a-t-elle des problèmes de santé? |
| I don't want you to spend a fortune. | Je n'ai pas envie que tu dépenses une fortune. |
| Cate, are you okay? You seem a little bit aggressive. | Cate, ça va? Tu as l'air un peu aggressive. |
| Is there anything else you want me to do? | Tu veux que je fasse autre chose? |
| I don't need to wake up very early. | Je ne dois pas me lever très tôt. |
| Is that you, Mike? | C'est toi, Mike? |
| I can cook, of course, but only when I feel like it. | Je peux cuisiner, bien sûr, mais seulement quand j'en ai envie. |