







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 | |
|---|---|
| There is no direct flight from London to Perth. | Il n'y a pas d vol direct de Londres à Perth. |
| Hey, we are back. | Salut, nous sommes de retour. |
| What kind of music do you like the most? | Quel type de musique aimes-tu le plus ? |
| What's the reason for the cancellation this time? | Pourquoi annuler à ce moment-ci? |
| For the risotto, I need some arborio rice. | Pour le risotto, j'ai besoin de riz arborio. |
| You're right, but he is not only here to fix things... | Tu as raison, mais il n'est pas seulement là pour réparer les choses... |
| I wear some of them, can I check them when I get back? | J'en porte quelques uns, je peux les regarder lorsque je reviendrai ? |
| I am 24. | J'ai 24 ans. |
| That's a perfect time to see a house... | C'est le moment parfait pour visiter une maison... |
| How often do you have free time, then? | Et quand avez-vous du temps libre ? |
| Do we have a mortar and pestle? | Est-ce qu'on a un mortier et un pilon? |
| But on the ad it says the house is fully furnished! | Mais, la pub dit que la maison à tout le mobilier qu'il faut! |
| What do you do? | Que faites-vous ? |
| A flat is not a good idea for Bear, it doesn't have a garden. | Un appartement n'est pas une bonne idée pour Bear, il n'a pas de jardin. |
| Come on in, here on the ground floor, we have two bedrooms... | Entrez, au rez-de-chausse, on a deux chambres... |
| Kisses to you, too, I'll call you when I get there! | Bisous à toi aussi, je t'appellerai quand je serai là-bas ! |
| What's your plan, Cate? | Que voulez-vous faire Cate ? |
| Set times always stress me out. | Les temps prédéfinis me stressent toujours. |
| What's the date today? | Quel jour sommes nous? |
| Is there anything else you want me to do? | Tu veux que je fasse autre chose? |