







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 | |
|---|---|
| It sounds important. | Parece importante. |
| Oh hello... I forgot to mention, it's also a very special occasion... | Oh olá... eu esqueci de mencionar, é uma ocasião muito especial... |
| But maybe they are splitting up, I don't know yet. | Mas eles talvez estejam se separando, não sei ainda. |
| Hang on a minute, they are both 300 gr and the same brand. | Espere lá, têm ambas 300 g e são da mesma marca. |
| That would be great! Do you think it's possible? | Isso seria ótimo! Você acha que é possível? |
| That's why the rent is much lower than average. | É por isso que o aluguel é muito mais baixo que a média. |
| Ta-ta here it is... | Tcharã aqui está... |
| No worries, I am not together with Mike. | Sem problema, eu não estou com o Mike. |
| I hope they are going to be here on time, too... I don't like waiting. | Espero que eles também cheguem a horas... Não gosto de esperar. |
| You need to change planes at some point on the way. | Você precisa trocar de avião a algum momento da viagem. |
| Exactly, I hate getting woken up in the middle of the night! | Exatamente, eu odeio que me acordem no meio da noite! |
| What's your favourite movie? | Qual o seu filme favorito? |
| I think the price is very cheap. | Acho que é muito barato. |
| How long does the flight usually take? | Quanto tempo costuma demorar a viagem? |
| If you are going to ask for money, I don't have any, either. | Se você me vai pedir dinheiro, eu também não tenho nenhum. |
| Hello my friend, how are you? | Oi meu amigo, como vai? |
| Oh, sorry, I also need a grater for the cheese. | Oh, desculpe, também preciso de um ralador para o queijo. |
| Well, not really! I don't like cooking much. | Bem, nem por isso! Eu não gosto muito de cozinhar. |
| I need to wake him up now! | Tenho de o acordar agora! |
| Umm... We are married... I mean, today is our wedding anniversary! | Hum... Nós somos casados... Eu quero dizer, hoje é o nosso aniversário de casamento! |