







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 | |
|---|---|
| As a result, he starts pooping and peeing all over the house. | Par conséquent, il commence à faire caca et pipi partout dans la maison. |
| So, I guess you are from Australia. | Donc, tu viens d'Australie si je ne m'abuse. |
| Hmm, I guess it's a bit old, but it's still my favourite. | Heu, je pense que c'est un peu vieux, mais c'est mon favori tout de même. |
| Is there a problem with your phone battery? | Il y a un problème avec la batterie de ton téléphone? |
| I want him to check the heaters in the rooms while he is here! | Je voulais qu'il jette un oeil aux radiateurs de la pièce pendant qu'on y est! |
| I wish you all the best. | Je vous souhaite tout le meilleur. |
| Oh my god! It’s almost 12 o’clock. | Oh mon dieu ! il est presque 12 heures. |
| Are there any fries or any kind of snacks? | Y a-t-il des frites ou quelque chose à grignotter ? |
| Sorry, I forgot to tell you, you need to turn the tap on very gently. | Désolé, j'ai oublié de te le dire, tu dois ouvrir le robinet très délicatement. |
| What is it about? | De quoi ça parle ? |
| I'm happy to hear we have similar music taste! | Je suis content d'entendre que nous avons des goûts musicaux similaires ! |
| Oh sorry, unfortunately, that one is reserved. | Oh, je m'en vois navrée, celle-ci est réservée. |
| In the recipe it says 600g. | Dans la recette, il est dit 600g. |
| I guess so, but I want to finish seeing all the houses today. | J'ai l'impression, mais je veux finir de visiter toutes les maisons aujourd'hui. |
| I am, I have to be there at 12:30. | Si, je dois y être pour 12h30. |
| 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? |
| Why did you ask, do you want me to boil it? | Pourquoi tu demandes, tu veux que je le fasse bouillir? |
| I was just joking, how are you? | Je plaisantais, comment allez-vous ? |
| The rest of the house is okay, but the kitchen is a bit dirty. | Le reste de la maison est ok, mais la cuisine est un peu salle. |
| I think I'm going to order some duck, it's delicious. | Je crois que je vais commander du canard, c'est délicieux. |