







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 | |
|---|---|
| Alright, I think I know who he is... | Très bien, je pense que je sais qui sait... |
| I can't believe you still don't get it! | Je n'arrive pas à croire que tu n'aies toujours pas compris ! |
| He hasn't realised that we are at a vet yet. | Il n'a pas encore compris que nous étions chez le vétérinaire. |
| I took Bear out and I'm just about to leave. | J'ai pris Bear et je suis sur le point de partir. |
| Erm... While your hands are already dirty... | Hum... Alors que tes mains sont encore sales... |
| Yes, he definitely doesn't like changing places. | Oui, il n'aime pas changer d'endroit. |
| He only does it when he is extremely stressed! | Il ne le fait que lorsqu'il est extrêmement stressé! |
| I am 24. | J'ai 24 ans. |
| Thanks for offering me that, dear. | Merci de me le proposer chéri. |
| Then I want to roast it, though. | Et après je vais le faire rôtir. |
| Is it Leicester Square or Piccadilly Circus? | Est-ce Leicester Square ou Piccadilly Circus ? |
| Hey, which is the closest station to China Town? | Hé, quelle est la station la plus proche de China Town ? |
| No she is a very cute, easygoing and friendly girl. | Non, elle est vraiment mignonne, ouverte et amicale comme fille. |
| It doesn't matter, I think they are the same distance away. | Ce n'est pas grave, je pense qu'elles sont à la même distance. |
| Yeah, do you mean tricycles? | Oui, tu veux dire, des tricycles? |
| It's still £5 more than the bigger room! | C'est quand même 5£ de plus que la plus grande chambre! |
| Sorry, the line is very bad! | Désolé, la ligne est très mauvaise! |
| Yeah, the packet is ripped, but it's not overdue. | Ouais, le paquet et déchiré mais ce n'est pas une péremption. |
| 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 ! |
| Because I don't want to waste more time finding a new house... | Parce que je ne veux pas perdre plus de temps à chercher une nouvelle maison... |