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 | |
---|---|
No worries, I am not together with Mike. | |
Nope, I don't cook fancy things, only regular dishes. | |
You are right, it's probably worth more than one cigarette. | |
Do you want me to get you a glass of wine? | |
Yeah, it's quite a big country, more like a continent. | |
Your perfectly shaped mushrooms are ready! | |
Hey Mike, you look so worried! | |
No, we drain pasta with a grater. | |
Hope to see you later. | |
I wasn't expecting anything like this to happen, so I have no plan. | |
Do we have any bread to toast? | |
There is also some cheese, but it's a bit mouldy. | |
My favourite movie is Pulp Fiction. | |
Is it Leicester Square or Piccadilly Circus? | |
Is there a knife? | |
You know some people don't like putting their ad on the internet. | |
Yeah, it's better not to fully fill the bath, it leaks downstairs. | |
I would like to... But I have other things to do... | |
Erm... You look about 30? | |
Are you serious? |