







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 | |
|---|---|
| My friend noted here it is your wedding anniversary! | Mon ami a noté ici que c'était votre anniversaire de mariage ! |
| I only have 3 hours today. | Je n'ai que 3 heures de cours aujourd'hui. |
| I searched: does Pinocchio know he is not a real boy. | J'ai cherché : est-ce que Pinnochio sait qu'il n'est pas un vrai garçon. |
| I need to use chicken stock for the risotto! | J'ai besoin d'un fond de volaille pour le risotto! |
| All of my work is in that laptop and I don't have any backup! | Tout mon travail est sur cet ordinateur et je n'ai pas de sauvegarde ! |
| Is it a single or a double room? | C'est une chambre simple ou double? |
| How long does it usually take? | Combien de temps cela prend-t-il ? |
| He only does it when he is extremely stressed! | Il ne le fait que lorsqu'il est extrêmement stressé! |
| Well, maybe we can get a 2 bedroom flat. What do you think? | Bien, peut-être que nous pourrions avoir un appartement avec deux chambres. Qu'en penses-tu ? |
| Thanks father, where is Bear's lead? | Merci papa, où est la laisse de Bear? |
| Do you want me to make you a cup of tea or coffee? | Tu veux que je te fasse un thé ou un café? |
| I don't know, maybe it helps a bit! | Je ne sais pas, peut-être que ça aide un peu! |
| My meeting starts at one o'clock. | Ma réunion commence à une heure. |
| But I don't know him well. | Mais je ne le connais pas très bien. |
| Plus the bathroom and the kitchen are clean. | En plus, la cuisine et la salle de bain sont propres. |
| A flat is not a good idea for Bear, it doesn't have a garden. | Un appartement n'est pas une bonne idée pour Bear, il n'a pas de jardin. |
| Yes, it seems more logical in this case. | Oui, ça a l'air plus logique dans ce cas là. |
| Is it because it's too violent? | Est-ce parce que c'est trop violent ? |
| Maybe I get a bit moody on the first day of my period. | Peut être que je suis d'humeur changeante le premier jour de mes règles. |
| I've got a meeting with some people. | Je dois voir des gens. |