







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 | |
|---|---|
| Do you go to the Windmill often? | Allez-vous souvent au Moulin à Vent ? |
| And the buses always arrive on time. | Et les bus arrivent toujours à l'heure. |
| He wouldn't run away, he just wants to check what's outside. | Il ne s'enfuirait pas, il veut juste voir ce qu'il y a dehors. |
| How old do I look? | Quel âge pensez-vous que j'ai ? |
| You never pick Bear's poo up from the pavement. | Tu ne ramasses jamais la crotte de Bear sur le sol. |
| Isn't Morrison's closer? | Morrison n'est-il pas plus près? |
| Do you really think it looks like we have a cleaner? | Est-ce qu'on a une tête à avoir un domestique? |
| Okay, I don't like cooking, but I like tasting food. | Ok, je n'aime pas cuisiner mais j'aime goûter la nouriture. |
| What else do we need? | On a besoin de quoi d'autre? |
| I guess mine is older than yours! | Je pense que le mien est plus vieux que le tiens ! |
| Let's calculate, I pay 135 per week for one person... | On n'a qu'à calculer, je paye 135 par semaine pour une personne... |
| Really? I don't want to ruin your plan, but... | Vraiment ? Je n'ai pas envie de ruiner ton plan, mais... |
| How are things going, is everything ok? | Comment les choses se passent-ils, tout va bien? |
| Congratulations... But is Pogo a pet's name? | Féliciations... mais, Pogo c'est le nom d'un animal de compagnie? |
| Are you with your friends? | Etes-vous avec vos amis ? |
| Is it Leicester Square or Piccadilly Circus? | Est-ce Leicester Square ou Piccadilly Circus ? |
| I can't imagine myself being on a plane for that long! | Je n'arrive pas à m'imaginer dans un avion aussi longtemps! |
| By the way, the deposit is £3,000 and non-negotiable... | Au fait, l'acompte est de 3000£ et c'est non-négociable... |
| That's nice... I hope she is not a teenager! How old is she? | C'est bien... J'espère que ce n'est pas une adolescente ! Quel âge a-t-elle ? |
| She could even have been her mum... Who knows? | Ça aurait pu être sa mère... Qui sait? |