







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 | |
|---|---|
| Hello madam, are you still on the line? | Bonjour madame, êtes vous toujours en ligne ? |
| Do you have any sisters or brothers? | Tu as des frères ou des soeurs? |
| I don't think you really want me to stay here anymore! | Je ne pense pas que tu veuilles vraiment que je reste ici! |
| You can just stay with me, until you find somewhere to live. | Tu peux rester avec moi jusqu'à ce que tu trouves où aller. |
| What's up? Is everything okay? | Ça va? Tout va bien? |
| I really don't know, but I believe it's more than 100 years old. | Je ne sais vraiment pas, mais je crois qu'elle a plus de 100 ans. |
| Hey, which is the closest station to China Town? | Hé, quelle est la station la plus proche de China Town ? |
| Do you know her well? | La connais-tu bien ? |
| My cat is in the garden. | Mon Chat est dans le jardin. |
| Who knows, I consider it as nothing more than a hobby. | Qui sait? Je pense plus qu'il s'agit d'un hobby. |
| I can't believe you still don't get it! | Je n'arrive pas à croire que tu n'aies toujours pas compris ! |
| Are you really asking me that question? | Me poses-tu vraiment la question ? |
| Do you like them with or without the skin on? | Tu les veux avec ou sans la peau? |
| 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. |
| Really? Sade is one of my favourites, too. | Vraiment ? Sade est l'un de mes groupes favoris aussi. |
| Do you have any brothers or sisters? | Tu as des frères et des soeurs? |
| It says best before 25th of February. | Il est indiqué au mieux avant le 25 Février. |
| My dad is British and my mum is Australian. | Mon père est Britannique et ma mère est Australienne. |
| It's like there's evil hidden inside them! | C'est comme si le mal était caché en eux! |
| Sorry, I forgot to tell you, you need to turn the tap on very gently. | Désolé, j'ai oublié de te le dire, tu dois ouvrir le robinet très délicatement. |