







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 | |
|---|---|
| Well, that's another problem! | Et bien, c'est un autre souci! |
| The meeting is not the actual problem! | Le rendez-vous n'est pas le problème en soi! |
| It's very difficult to talk to you on the phone right now. | C'est vraiment difficile de te parler en ce moment. |
| Umm, Dick is here, dear, he is the landlord... | Umm, c'est Dick ma chérie, le propriétaire... |
| You are right, is there anything you want me to buy on the way? | Tu as raison, il y a-t-il quelque chose que tu veuilles acheter pour moi en chemin? |
| She could even have been her mum... Who knows? | Ça aurait pu être sa mère... Qui sait? |
| Thank god there is nothing to worry about. | Merci, tout va bien. |
| Do you want me to call them? | Tu veux que je les appelle ? |
| We are back, where is Bear? | Nous somme de retour, où est Bear? |
| I don't think it's a suitable movie for kids, dear. | Je ne pense pas que ça soit un film approprié aux enfants, chéri. |
| I prefer red onions. | Je préfère les oignons rouges. |
| Okay, I found it... but it looks filthy! | Ok, je l'ai trouvé... mais elle a l'air sale! |
| No, we drain pasta with a grater. | Non, on égoutte nos pâtes avec une râpe. |
| Do you have any sisters or brothers? | Tu as des frères ou des soeurs? |
| Depends on where you look. | Ça dépend où tu regardes. |
| Do you know her well? | La connais-tu bien ? |
| I didn't know that, I hope it's not a big problem for him. | Je ne savais, j'espère que c'est pas un gros problème pour lui. |
| Toby! This is Cate, she is my... friend, from London. | Toby! C'est Cate, c'est... mon amie, de Londres. |
| You know, she is normally an extremely quiet and calm person. | Tu sais, c'est une personne très silencieuse et très calme d'habitude. |
| My sisters live nearby, they help her sometimes. | Mes sœurs habitent pas loin, elles l'aident de temps en temps. |