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 | |
---|---|
That's why they're 50% off. | É por isso que está com 50 % de desconto. |
It's impossible for me to commute from zone-9 to 1 everyday. | É impossível para mim viajar diariamente da zona 9 para a zona 1. |
Hello, is that Cate? | Oi, é a Cate? |
Yes it is, how are you? | Sim, como está você? |
He just moved from Brighton and lives around here. | Ele acabou de se mudar de Brighton e vive por aqui. |
But sometimes I feel guilty not being there! | Mas às vezes me sinto culpada por não estar lá! |
So, it's obvious you have no clue how much renting a house costs. | Então, é óbvio que você não tem ideia de quanto custa alugar uma casa. |
Oh yeah, it's our girls' night out tonight. | Oh, sim, hoje é a nossa saída de mulheres. |
But... I'm not good at lying... | Mas... Eu não sou boa a mentir... |
360 degrees should be good. | 360 graus está bom. |
By the way, the deposit is £3,000 and non-negotiable... | A propósito, o depósito é de 3000£ e não é negociável... |
Anyway, what else do we have left to do now? | Afinal, o que nos falta fazer agora? |
But I don't know him well. | Mas eu não o conheço bem. |
Because I'm sure they don't serve bugs in London! | Porque eu tenho a certeza que eles não servem bichos em Londres! |
She is half Japanese, half Australian. | Ela é parte japonesa, parte australiana. |
But Bear has got hip dysplasia. | Mas o Bear tem displasia da anca. |
Hello madam, are you still on the line? | Olá senhora, ainda está desse lado? |
Don't you think two forks are enough for us? | Não acha que dois garfos são suficientes para nós? |
I can't believe you still don't get it! | Eu não acredito que você ainda não percebeu! |
Hi there, are you ready? | Oi, você está pronta? |