







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'm unleashing him now, is that okay for you? | Je vais le lâcher, ça te va? |
| Unfortunately, she is a teenager, she is 19! | Malheureusement, elle est une adolescente, elle a 19 ans ! |
| For the risotto, I need some arborio rice. | Pour le risotto, j'ai besoin de riz arborio. |
| Don't worry Diego, it's not related to you! | Ne t'inquiète pas Diego, ce n'est pas à propos de toi! |
| I wish you all the best. | Je vous souhaite tout le meilleur. |
| As far as I know, Chows are not good with other animals. | D'aussi longtemps que je me souvienne les chow-chows ne supportent pas les autres animaux. |
| What about that table? It looks better. | Et cette table ? Elle me semble meilleure. |
| I think I did, too, but I've got a really bad headache! | Je crois que j'ai bien dormi aussi, mais j'ai un très mauvais mal de tête! |
| You are very funny mate. | T'es très drôle gars. |
| Come on, don't cry, she is just a stupid girl! | Allez, ne pleure pas, c'est juste une fille stupide! |
| My husband and I really appreciate it. | Mon mari et moi sommes vraiment contents. |
| There is nothing much left to do, there are only bits and pieces. | Il n'y a plus grand chose à faire, il n'y a que des trucs par-ci par-là. |
| Hmm.. I think it's overdue. | Hmm... Je pense que c'est périmé. |
| Okay, so what's our plan now? | D'accord, qu'est-ce qu'on fait? |
| Of course, I researched it well, it's 525 metres. | Bien sûr, j'ai fait des recherches, elle mesure 525 mètres. |
| Why is that rice so special? | En quoi ce riz est-il si spécial? |
| Yes it is, how are you? | Oui c'est moi, comment vas-tu? |
| I will ask him to take Bear out, so we can have breakfast. | Je vais lui demander de sortir Bear, pour qu'on puisse prendre le petit déjeuner. |
| Isn't it just a simple meeting cancellation? | N'est-ce pas tout simplement une annulation de rendez-vous? |
| Is there any other cat around? | Il y en a un autre ici? |