







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 | |
|---|---|
| I'm sure it's where it always is. | Je suis sûr qu'elle est à sa place. |
| And on the ground floor we have easy access to the garden. | Et, au rez de chaussé, on a un accès facile au jardin. |
| That's a very interesting combination. | C'est une combinaison très intéressante. |
| The recipe is for 6 people. | La recette est pour 6 personnes. |
| 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. |
| We're out tonight for Laura. | Nous sortons ce soir pour Laura. |
| Come on dear, I know you want me to! | Allez chéri, je sais que tu le veux! |
| And it's hard to believe, but it's clean. | C'est difficile à croire mais il est propre. |
| They weigh everything at the checkout. | Ils pèsent tout à la caisse. |
| We all love bank holidays. | Nous adorons les jours fériés. |
| Hey, we are back. | Salut, nous sommes de retour. |
| Does anyone else need anything? | Est-ce que quelqu'un d'autre a besoin de quelque chose ? |
| Hello, I'm sorry I'm a bit late. | Salut, pardonne-moi, je me suis un peu en retard. |
| I'm so sorry, but we need to cancel our meeting today. | Je suis désolé, mais je dois annuler notre rendez-vous aujourd'hui. |
| No, I won't... I don't want a house in Mayfair anymore! | Non, je ne le ferai pas... Je n'ai plus envie d'avoir un maison à Mayfair ! |
| Hey, Cate! Do you need anything? | Salut Cate ! Tu as besoin de quelque chose ? |
| I mostly work till late at night, I never wake up at 7 in the morning. | Je travaille souvent jusqu'à très tard le soir, je ne me révéille jamais à 7 heures du matin. |
| What else could I do? Do you expect me not to sleep till I die? | Qu’aurais-je pu faire d'autre? Tu t'attends à ce que je ne dorme plus jusqu'à ce que je meure? |
| Except mosquitoes because they ruin my sleep. | Excepté les moustiques, parce qu'ils ruinent mon sommeil. |
| Hello, I'm very sorry dear, I'm a bit late. | Salut, je suis désolée chéri, je suis un peu en retard. |