







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 | |
|---|---|
| How old are you? | Quel âge avez-vous ? |
| Australia is very strict with its customs rules. | L' Australie est très stricte avec le respect des règles. |
| Yes, it was quite easy, actually, I live very close by. | Oui, c'était assez facile en fait, j'habite pas loin. |
| Do you live around here? | Vivez-vous prêt d'ici ? |
| Hello my friend, how are you? | Salut mon ami, comment vas-tu? |
| I can cook, of course, but only when I feel like it. | Je peux cuisiner, bien sûr, mais seulement quand j'en ai envie. |
| Who the f*ck is that, what's the time? | Pu**in, c'est qui à cette heure? |
| Well, that's another problem! | Et bien, c'est un autre souci! |
| Thanks for warning me now, that's very helpful! | Merci de me le dire maintenant, ça m'aide beaucoup! |
| The recipe is not from the internet, it's from a Jamie Oliver book. | La recette ne vient pas d'internet, mais d'un livre de Jamie Oliver. |
| I have no idea... But I hope they have a good excuse! | Je n'en ai aucune idée... Mais j'espère que cette personne a une bonne excuse! |
| Yeah, but the room is square and there are only four main objects in it. | Ouais, mais la chambre est carrée et il n'y a que quatre meubles principaux dedans. |
| Aren't there four of us dear? | Il n'y a-t-il pas quatre d'entre nous chéri ? |
| How much garlic do you want? | Quelle quantité d'ail veux-tu ? |
| And secondly, vets are so expensive! | Et puis, les vétérinaires sont si chers ! |
| 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. |
| What kind of music do you like the most? | Quel type de musique aimes-tu le plus ? |
| Hello dear, how is it going, do you need any help? | Salut chérie, comment ça va, t'as besoin d'aide ? |
| I don't believe you! What's the difference today? | Je ne te crois pas, quelle est la différence aujourd'hui? |
| Is there anything else I can do for you, love? | Est-ce que je peux faire autre chose pour toi, love ? |