







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 | |
|---|---|
| You look much younger than that. | Você parece muito mais jovem do que isso. |
| Maybe they prefer electric stoves in shared houses for safety reasons. | Talvez eles prefiram colocar fogões elétricos em casa partilhadas por razões de segurança. |
| I hope it’s not serious. | Espero que não seja grave. |
| Normally, girls check the wine list for half an hour before they order. | Normalmente as mulheres consultam a lista de vinhos durante meia hora antes de pedirem. |
| What's wrong with him? | O que há de errado com ele? |
| For the risotto, I need some arborio rice. | Preciso de arroz arbório para o risotto. |
| Thanks father, where is Bear's lead? | Obrigado papai, onde está a trela do Bear? |
| Don't you think two forks are enough for us? | Não acha que dois garfos são suficientes para nós? |
| And now we've got plenty of mushrooms left to use. | E agora temos muitos cogumelos de sobra para usar. |
| You sound like a mix of British and Australian. | Seu sotaque parece uma mistura de inglês britânico e australiano. |
| Is it possible to move in tomorrow? | É possível me mudar amanhã? |
| My rent is monthly, I pay £600 per month. | Meu aluguel é mensal, eu pago 600 £ por mês. |
| Really? How do I wake you up? | Sério? Como é que eu acordo você? |
| Hello madam, are you still on the line? | Olá senhora, ainda está desse lado? |
| Yes, that's a good idea. | Sim, é uma boa ideia. |
| No worries, everybody uses my stuff all the time. | Não há problema, todo mundo usa as minhas coisas a toda a hora. |
| Absolutely not, while you are working you smoke like a chimney. | Nem pensar, você fuma como uma chaminé quando está trabalhando. |
| The recipe is for 6 people. | A receita é para 6 pessoas. |
| Bear hates being at a vet, too. | Bear também odeia estar em um veterinário. |
| But sometimes I feel guilty not being there! | Mas às vezes me sinto culpada por não estar lá! |