







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 | |
|---|---|
| What do you do? | Que faites-vous ? |
| Yes, that's okay, we are just about to leave. | Oui, nous allions partir. |
| Yeah, it's a very popular restaurant. | Ouais, c'est un restaurant très populaire. |
| Does that help you to believe me? | Est-ce que ça t'aide à me croire? |
| But before we go, can you call them and ask if they are okay with pets? | Mais d'abord, tu peux les appeler pour voir s'ils sont d'accord pour les animaux? |
| You know, she is normally an extremely quiet and calm person. | Tu sais, c'est une personne très silencieuse et très calme d'habitude. |
| If you are going to ask for money, I don't have any, either. | Si tu veux me demander de l'argent, je n'en ai pas non plus. |
| Good boy, Beary! See, he is just a little friend. | Bon garçon Beary! C'est juste ta petite amie. |
| What's your maximum monthly budget for the rent? | Quel est ton budget mensuel maximum pour la location? |
| Do you live around here? | Vivez-vous prêt d'ici ? |
| That's a good choice, they do great calamari here, too. | Il s'agit d'un bon choix, ils font du bon calamar ici aussi. |
| Huh, it's quite good money! | Oh, c'est pas mal d'argent! |
| I hope they are going to be here on time, too... I don't like waiting. | J'espère qu'ils seront à l'heure aussi,... je n'aime pas attendre. |
| When I have free time. | Quand j'ai du temps libre. |
| How old are you? | Quel âge avez-vous ? |
| Who is Mike, darling? | Qui est Mike, chéri ? |
| I can cook, of course, but only when I feel like it. | Je peux cuisiner, bien sûr, mais seulement quand j'en ai envie. |
| I'm so sorry, but we need to cancel our meeting today. | Je suis désolé, mais je dois annuler notre rendez-vous aujourd'hui. |
| I'm not really in the mood to join them. | Je n'ai pas réellement envie de les rejoindre. |
| Bear's sitting here with me, his willy is out. | Bear est assis avec moi, son zizi est dehors. |