







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 | |
|---|---|
| Then I want to roast it, though. | Et après je vais le faire rôtir. |
| But I want to see Brighton Pier before the sun sets. | Mais j'ai envie de voir la jetée de Brighton avant que le soleil ne se couche. |
| Yeah, it's quite a big country, more like a continent. | Ouais, c'est un grand pays, c'est plus un contient. |
| It's all your fault! I feel so embarrassed now... | C'est entièrement de ta faute ! Je me sens tellement embarrassée maintenant... |
| Okay, so do you want me to make 3 serves? | Okay, du coup veux-tu que j'en fasse pour 3? |
| No, she is a uni student in Russia. | Non, elle est étudiante à l'université en Russie. |
| I hope it's not the right address! It looks awful. | J'espère que ce n'est pas la bonne adresse! Elle a l'air moche. |
| What do you want me to do with them? | Tu veux que je fasse quoi avec? |
| Of course, there are 4 girls, all uni students from Germany. | Bien sûr, il y a quatre filles, toutes étudiantes d'Allemagne. |
| We call it a sixth sense! | On appelle ça un sixième sens ! |
| Depends on where you look. | Ça dépend où tu regardes. |
| There is nothing under 3,000 in Angel! | Il n'y a rien en dessous de 3000 à Angel ! |
| First of all, it's so sad to see them in pain. | Tout d'abord, c'est vraiment triste ce voir que votre animal souffre. |
| 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? |
| Thanks for being thoughtful, dear. | Merci d'être consciencieux, chéri. |
| My landlords are a gay couple. | Les propriétaires sont un couple gay. |
| 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. |
| So it comes to 2,800 a month! | Donc cela revient à 2800 par mois ! |
| Hang on, there is another web site that says... | Attends, il y a un autre site qui dit... |
| No, but it's not good for him to take the stairs up and down everyday. | Non, mais monter et descendre les escaliers tous les jours n'est pas bon pour lui. |