







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 | |
|---|---|
| Hmm.. yes, I need mushrooms, stock, celery... | Hmm...oui, j'ai besoin de champignon, de bouillon, de céleri,... |
| And on the ground floor we have easy access to the garden. | Et, au rez de chaussé, on a un accès facile au jardin. |
| Hey, we are back. | Salut, nous sommes de retour. |
| Then I want to roast it, though. | Et après je vais le faire rôtir. |
| But Tesco is bigger, it has more variety of products. | Mais Tesco est plus grand, ils ont une plus grande diversité de produits. |
| Hi there, are you ready? | Salut, t'es prête? |
| Yeah, I wonder if we share the same taste in movies! | Ouais, je me demande si on partage les mêmes goûts en matière de films ! |
| That's extreme, I don't think we have a mortar and pestle. | C'est spécifique. Je ne pense pas qu'on ait un mortier et un pilon. |
| We all love bank holidays. | Nous adorons les jours fériés. |
| I guess time doesn't pass for you while I'm away. | J'imagine que le temps ne s'écoule plus lorsque je ne suis pas là. |
| Toby! This is Cate, she is my... friend, from London. | Toby! C'est Cate, c'est... mon amie, de Londres. |
| Is that right? | C'est cela ? |
| That would be great! Do you think it's possible? | Ça serait bien ! Penses-tu que ça sera possible ? |
| I hope it's not related to me! | J'espère que ça ne me concerne pas! |
| I don't need to wake up very early. | Je ne dois pas me lever très tôt. |
| My beard makes me look older, I think. | Ma barbe me rend plus vieux, je pense. |
| Exactly, I hate getting woken up in the middle of the night! | Exactement, je déteste me faire réveiller en plein milieu de la nuit ! |
| Okay, so do you want me to make 3 serves? | Okay, du coup veux-tu que j'en fasse pour 3? |
| Where is my f*cking tenner? | Où sont mes p*tains de dix balles? |
| Where is Flora, isn't she here? | Où est Flora, n'est-elle pas là? |