What is the Present Simple Tense?

 

The Present Simple tense 

🟩 1. What is the Present Simple Tense?

The Present Simple is used to describe:

• Habits and routines
• Facts and general truths
• Scheduled events (especially timetables)
• States and feelings (often with stative verbs)

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🟩 2. Structure

✅ Affirmative Sentences:

Subject + base verb (add -s/-es for he/she/it)

Subject	Verb	Example
I/You/We/They	work	I work every day.
He/She/It	works	She works at a bank.

Note: Add -s or -es to the verb in third person singular (he, she, it):

• work → works
• go → goes
• watch → watches
• study → studies

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❌ Negative Sentences:

Subject + do/does not + base verb

Subject	Auxiliary	Example
I/You/We/They	don’t	I don’t like coffee.
He/She/It	doesn’t	He doesn’t play football.

⚠️ In negative form, the main verb stays in the base form even for third person.

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❓ Questions:

Do/Does + subject + base verb

Question Word	Auxiliary	Subject	Verb	Example
-	Do	you	speak English?	Do you speak English?
-	Does	she	drive?	Does she drive to work?
Where	do	they	live?	Where do they live?

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🟩 3. Uses and Examples

🔁 Habitual actions

Actions done regularly or repeatedly.

• I brush my teeth twice a day.
• She goes to the gym every Monday.

🧠 General truths or facts

Something always true or universally accepted.

• The sun rises in the east.
• Water boils at 100°C.

📆 Scheduled events (timetables)

Things that happen according to a schedule (especially transport, public events).

• The bus leaves at 7 p.m.
• My class starts at 8:30.

😊 Feelings, opinions, and states

Often using stative verbs (know, like, love, believe, want, etc.)

• I love chocolate.
• She knows the answer.

 

 

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🟩 4. Signal Words (Common Time Expressions)

These often accompany the Present Simple:

• Always
• Usually
• Often
• Sometimes
• Rarely / Seldom
• Never
• Every day/week/year
• On Mondays / at night / in the morning

Example: "He always drinks tea in the morning."

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🟩 5. Common Mistakes

❌ Incorrect	✅ Correct	Why?
She walk to school.	She walks to school.	Third person singular needs -s.
He don’t like pizza.	He doesn’t like pizza.	Use doesn't with he/she/it.
Do she speak French?	Does she speak French?	Use does with third person in questions.

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🟩 6. Practice Sentences

Try filling in the blanks:

1.    My brother ___ (like) pizza.

2.    They ___ (go) to school every day.

3.    ___ you ___ (watch) TV in the evening?

4.    She ___ (not/play) the guitar.

5.    What time ___ the train ___ (leave)?

Answers:

1.    likes

2.    go

3.    Do / watch

4.    doesn’t play

5.    does / leave