







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 | |
|---|---|
| Hey, what happened? Is everything okay? | Ehi, cos’è successo? Va tutto bene? |
| Hello, I'm sorry, but there is no chardonnay left, Cate. | Ciao, mi spiace ma non c'è rimasto Chardonnay, Cate. |
| Toby! This is Cate, she is my... friend, from London. | Toby! Questa è Cate, lei è la mia… amica, da Londra. |
| Sorry, I don't have much time, can I tell you the story when I'm back? | Scusa, non ho molto tempo, posso raccontarvi la storia quando torno? |
| Sometimes he doesn't even recognize my mum. | A volte non riconosce neppure mia mamma. |
| I can't imagine myself being on a plane for that long! | Non mi ci vedo su un aereo per tutto quel tempo! |
| Oh f*ck, what kind of tap is this? | Oh, c*zzo, che razza di rubinetto è questo? |
| Hi there, it's not Dick, it's Nick... Starts with N. | Ehilà, non mi chiamo Dick, ma Nick… Inizia con la N. |
| Yes, I'm here waiting for good news. | Sì, sono qui che aspetto la buona notizia. |
| By the way, the deposit is £3,000 and non-negotiable... | A proposito, il deposito è £ 3000 e non trattabile… |
| My meeting starts at one o'clock. | La mia riunione Inizia all'1:00. |
| Hmm.. yes, we get on really well. | Hmmm... si, andiamo molto d'accordo. |
| You know, she is normally an extremely quiet and calm person. | Sai, lei normalmente è una persona estremamente tranquille e calma. |
| My sisters live nearby, they help her sometimes. | Le mie sorelle vivono vicine, la aiutano qualche volta. |
| But... I'm not good at lying... | Ma… Non sono brava a mentire… |
| Okay, the total is £36.74, sir. | Ok, il totale è £ 36,74 signore. |
| Is your father sick? | Tuo padre è malato? |
| That's bad, do you have a cold? | Che brutto, hai il raffreddore? |
| Why did you ask, do you want me to boil it? | Perché me lo hai chiesto, vuoi che lo faccia bollire? |
| No, I won't... I don't want a house in Mayfair anymore! | No, non voglio… Non voglio più una casa a Mayfair! |