







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 | |
|---|---|
| Here you go sir, this is your receipt and your £20 cashback. | Voici monsieur, ceci est votre reçu et ceci est votre monnaie de 20 livres. |
| It's got some water marks on it! | Il a des tâches d'eau! |
| Do you remember the pub's name? | Souvenez-vous du nom du pub ? |
| Oh sorry dear, my husband has some difficulties hearing... | Oh, désolé mon cher, mon mari à des difficultés pour entendre... |
| I don't want to live in the suburbs! | Je n'ai pas envie d'habiter en banlieue ! |
| Is there anything else I can do for you, love? | Est-ce que je peux faire autre chose pour toi, love ? |
| Oh yeah, it's our girls' night out tonight. | Oh oui, c'est notre soirées entre filles ce soir ? |
| You look much younger than that. | Vous semblez plus jeune que cela. |
| See you Mike, hope to see you again. | Merci Mike, en espérant te revoir. |
| Oh, sorry, I also need a grater for the cheese. | Oh, désolée, j'ai aussi besoin d'un râpe pour le fromage. |
| I want to be sober and energetic for tomorrow. | Je veux être sobre et en forme pour demain. |
| I live just opposite the pub. | Je vis en face du pub. |
| Well, I'm used to getting bad news today, what's that? | Eh bien, je suis habituée aux mauvais nouvelles aujourd'hui, qu'y a-t-il? |
| Hey, which is the closest station to China Town? | Hé, quelle est la station la plus proche de China Town ? |
| Normally, girls check the wine list for half an hour before they order. | Normalement, les filles regardent la liste de vins pendant une demie heure avant de commander quoi que ce soit. |
| It's very difficult to talk to you on the phone right now. | C'est vraiment difficile de te parler en ce moment. |
| My laptop is in it. | Mon ordinateur est dedans. |
| Sorry, is it possible to see it this Saturday after 2 o'clock? | Désolé, c'est possible de se voir ce Samedi après 14h? |
| How are things going, is everything ok? | Comment les choses se passent-ils, tout va bien? |
| Yeah, I think it's a bit early to knock on someone's door! | Oui, il est un peu tôt pour toquer chez quelqu'un! |